Maastricht

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Streets of Maastricht
Streets of Maastricht

Maastricht is the southernmost city in the Netherlands, in the province of Limburg, close to Belgium and Germany. It claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands. A great place to spend some time, it contains plenty of old houses and lovely churches and is known for its fine cuisine.

[edit] Understand

The town is a good mix between students (mostly medical and business, a lot of them from abroad) and locals. This keeps the town alive and fresh.

[edit] Information

The VVV is the local tourist agency, and in fact, the tourist agency throughout the entire country. If ever you're lost in the Netherlands, just look for a VVV. They'll help straighten you out, and sell you a map too!

For information about all (cultural) events in Maastricht, try to find a copy of the 'Week in Week uit'. They are distributed all around the city. Also visit Crossroads, a webzine in English for expatriates in Maastricht.

[edit] Talk

Maybe even more than in other parts of the Netherlands, people know how to speak foreign languages. So don't worry if you don't speak Dutch, many Maastrichtenaars are happy to converse with you in English, German or even French.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By air

There is an airport near Maastricht, the Maastricht Aachen Airport, which you can reach by the local bus system, or by taxi. Flights to Maastricht are more expensive, but more convenient than flying into another city, such as Amsterdam, and travelling to Maastricht by train.

[edit] Airports

[edit] By train

There is an extensive rail system in the Netherlands. From Maastricht, there is an hourly link to Liege (30 min) & Brussels (1:30h), Belgium [1]. In addition there is a direct train to Eindhoven (1 hour), Utrecht, Amsterdam (2½ hours) and Alkmaar, twice an hour.

Local trains will take you to Valkenburg, Heerlen & Kerkrade, four times every hour.

[edit] Train stations

  • Maastricht
  • Maastricht Randwyck

[edit] Train information

[edit] By car

There a two motorways from and to Maastricht: A2 (Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Sittard, Belgium and France - "Route du Soleil") and A79 (Heerlen, Aachen).

[edit] By bus

  • Bus 50 from Aachen serves Maastricht on an half-hourly basis.
  • Eurolines Netherlands has a bus stop at the Central train station in Maastricht. In Liege is the Belgian Eurolines stop, which serves different routes to the Maastricht stop.

[edit] Get around

Streets of Maastricht
Streets of Maastricht

[edit] By car

[edit] By bus

The city has a bus system called the Stadsbus ("City Bus") that travels over most of the city and to surrounding areas. Tickets can be bought on the bus, or in advance with a pass called a Strippenkaart "Strip-card".

You can purchase the Strippenkaart at the train station, or any post office or newsagent. There are two denominations, € 6.80 and € 20.10. The lesser of the two has 15 strips on it, and the larger 45. So, each strip costs about € 0.45, and each trip on the bus takes at least 2 strips. So a ride on the bus might cost about € 1. Depending on where you go, the fare increases. This is much cheaper then buying the fare on the bus, as a trip purchased from the driver might cost between € 1.60 and € 2.40.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Civic Buildings

  • University Maastricht Library, Grote Looierstraat 17 (centre) & Universiteitssingel 50 (Randwyck)

[edit] Museums

  • Bonnefantenmuseum, Avenue Céramique 250, ☎ +31 (43) 329 01 90 (, fax: +31 (43) 329 01 99), [2]. Tue-Sun: 11.00 am - 5.00 pm; Mon: closed, except on public holidays. The museum is the foremost museum of Old Masters and contemporary art in the province of Limburg. The contemporary art collection contains works by an international group of artists. In addition to contemporary paintings, the collection also includes projections and gallery-sized installations. The collection of Old Masters emphasises on 16th and 17th century Flemish paintings, including major works by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. In addition, the collection comprises magnificent medieval sculptures by Jan van Steffenswert, early Italian paintings and a presentation of Maastricht silver. Adult: EUR 7.50; child 13-18: EUR 3.50; child under 13: free entry.  edit

  • Centre Céramique, Avenue Céramique 50, ☎ +31 (43) 350 56 00 (, fax: +31 (43) 350 55 99). Tue and Thu: 10.30 am - 8.30 pm; Wed, Fri, Sun: 10.30 am - 5.00 pm.  edit

  • Derlon Museum Cellar, Plankstraat 21, ☎ +31 (43) 325 21 21. Sun: 12.00 am - 4.00 pm. The museum is not wheelchair accessible. Before the restoration of the Derlon Hotel started, Maastricht's city archeologists undertook an extensive survey of the site. The Roman finds, from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th century, are considered that important that it was decided to conserve them and exhibit these to interested parties. The following can be seen in the cellar of Derlon Hotel: part of a 2nd and 3rd century square, a 3rd century well, part of a pre- Roman cobblestone road and sections of a wall and a gate dating from the 4th century. Free entry.  edit

  • Natuurhistorisch Museum, De Bosquetplein 7, ☎ +31 (43) 350 54 90 (, fax: +31 (43) 350 54 75), [3]. Mon-Fri: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm; Sat-Sun: 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm. The museum outlines the natural history of southern Limburg. Modern displays offer an insight into both the recent and distant past. Among the museum's highlights are the remains of enormous Mosasauriers and Giant Turtles found in marlstone at the St Pietersberg caverns. Fossils of all shapes and sizes show how South Limburg has changed in the course of the last 300 million years.

Adult: EUR 4.50; child 4-11: EUR 3.00; child under 4: free entry.  edit

  • Spaans Gouvernement, Vrijthof 18, ☎ +31 (43) 321 13 27 (), [4]. Wed-Sun: 1.00 pm - 5.00 pm. The museum contains period rooms with mainly 17th and 18th century furnishings, including furniture, silver, porcelain and pottery, glassware and paintings. Two of the rooms have been decorated in the mid-18th century Liège-Maastricht Regence Style.

Adult: EUR 3.00 (exposition: EUR 4.00); child under 16: free entry.  edit

[edit] Tourist Attractions

Saturday Flea Market in Maastricht
Saturday Flea Market in Maastricht
  • The Caves - a local Marlestone mine, tours given in Dutch
  • Coffeeshops (eg. Mississippi on the Wilhelminakade, at the Maas quai)
  • 'Regular' shopping centre, known for its exclusivity.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Cinemas

[edit] Coffeeshops

In the Netherlands, the policy regarding soft drugs (such as weed, hash and magic mushrooms) is lenient. Therefore, there are several coffee- and headshops where you can buy these products. It is tolerated to buy up to 5 grams of marijuana. Make sure you bring your identification card or drivers license with you, because the shops are very strict about age and they will check it no matter how old you look. You have to be at least 18 years old to enter a coffee- or headshop.

The coffee shops in Maastricht have a lot of foreign customers, so they are able to understand Dutch, English, French and German. The Mississippi boat is the most popular with coffee shop visitors from abroad. It is a coffee shop built in a large boat which lays in the Maas river and is certainly worth visiting.

[edit] Culture

  • Visit the Uitbalie in the Theater on the Vrijthof for (last minute) tickets to almost any cultural event. Pick up a Week in/Week uit with its weekly English agenda published by MaastrichtNet, or see what students are upto on wikimaas.org.
  • Find out more about life in Maastricht through Crossroads, a webzine for expatriates in Maastricht published by the European Journalism Centre.

[edit] Ekoplan

In Autumn 2007 a collective made an English Map of Maastricht, the Ekoplan, listing as much fair trade, organic (dutch: 'eko'), second hand and vegetarian initiatives in Maastricht they could find. The map is distributed on strategic spots in town (eg. Stayokay hostel), and also available on-line [5]

[edit][add listing] Eat

Eating out in Maastricht is seldom cheap, with most restaurants catering to a posh older crowd, rather than the student population. On weekdays, good and relatively low-priced sandwiches can be had at Deli Belge and Somethin' Good, both on Tongersestraat, close to the Economics and Law faculties of the Universiteit Maastricht.

  • Eetcafé Ceramique, Rechtstraat 78, ☎ +31 (43) 325 20 97 (, fax: +31 (43) 325 16 13), [6]. Wed-Mon: 5.30 pm - 10.30 pm; Tue: closed. Three-course meal: EUR 26.00 / table wine: EUR 3.00 by the glass.  edit
  • Eetcafé De Preuverij, Kakeberg 6, ☎ +31 (43) 325 09 03. Mon-Fri: 10.00 am - 10.00 pm; Sat-Sun: 12.00 am-10.00 pm. If you are really hungry, but don't want luxury food then visit this place. Try the Vesserslatien sandwich (cock-and-bull story sandwich). At night it is a popular drinking venue with students of Maastricht University. Three-course meal: EUR 12.50.  edit
  • Sour Meat (Zuurvlees)

[edit][add listing] Drink

Maastricht has many bars, restaurants, pubs and dance clubs, located on Vrijthof and Market Squares, and in the centre of downtown it's nearly impossible to walk around and not see anything to do.

  • Maastricht is great for a night out (Maastricht is home to both a University & Institute). therefore, lots of students, also lots of foreign companies are based here so a mixture of international pubs & clubs can be found here.
  • Be sure to check out these places to go drink and have a good time: The Highlander, Falstaff, Twee Heeren, Metamorfoos, C'est La Vie, and De Allabonneur. They all are very welcoming and have great music to dance to.
  • Maastricht is known for its yearly "Carnival," a tradition celebrated in many towns in the south of the Netherlands.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

  • Stayokay Maastricht, Maasboulevard 101, ☎ +31 (43) 750 17 90 (, fax: +31 (43) 350 01 47), [7]. This hostel opened its doors on 5 April 2007 and offers 38 rooms. Prices start at EUR 21 (breakfast included) for an overnight stay in a dormitory.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

  • Bastion Deluxe Hotel Maastricht, Boschstraat 27, ☎ +31 (43) 321 22 22 (fax: +31 (43) 321 34 32), [8]. Bastion Deluxe Hotel Maastricht is part of a Dutch chain of four star hotels at sub-four star prices. If you are used to the full four star service this will be a disappointment, but it is only a five minute walk into the city center of Maastricht and provides free wireless internet service. edit

  • Hotel MABI, Kleine Gracht 24, ☎ +31 (43) 351 44 44 (, fax: +31 (43) 351 44 55), [9]. The Hotel MABI, just off the market place, must be owned by a group of dentists. Little jars of sweets are everywhere in the public spaces. However, that is about the only redeeming feature of the hotel. edit

  • NH Hotel Maastricht, Forum 110, ☎ +31 (43) 383 82 81 (, fax: +31 (43) 361 58 62), [10]. The NH Hotel Maastricht is about a 25 minutes walk from the city center, but very convenient if you are attending a conference or fair in the Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre [11] next door. The hotel is comfortable enough, however, only the "deluxe" rooms really come up to the standards of other NH hotels. The standard rooms look tired by comparison, and some of them are quite noisy. edit

  • Hotel De Pauwenhof, Boschstraat 70, ☎ +31 (43) 350 33 33 (, fax: +31 (43) 350 33 39), [12]. De Pauwenhof is a small hotel with a family run feel. It has recently been refurbished with air conditioning in all 15 rooms. There is no restaurant in the evening, but with all the eateries in central Maastricht within a few minutes walk, who really cares? edit

[edit] Splurge

  • Crowne Plaza Maastricht, Ruiterij 1, ☎ +31 (43) 350 91 91 (, fax: +31 (43) 350 91 92), [13]. Crowne Plaza Maastricht is quietly situated in the city center on the river Maas. edit

  • Hotel Derlon, Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 6, ☎ +31 (43) 321 67 70 (, fax: +31 (43) 325 19 33), [14]. Ideally located on the most beautiful square of the city. edit

  • Kruisherenhotel, Kruisherengang 19 - 23, ☎ +31 (43) 329 20 20 (, fax: +31 (43) 329 30 30), [15]. A beautifully renovated gothic monastery in the center of Maastricht, complete with a church, is a rather spectacular stage for an unusally stylish hotel. edit

[edit] Cope

[edit] Religious services

Holy mass in Catholic churches in Maastricht:

  • Sint Servaas Basilica, Keizer Karelplein. Sat: 18:00; Sun: 10:00, 11:30; Mon-Sat: 09:00 (Sint Servaas chapel)
  • Sint Matthiaskerk, Boschstraat 99. Sat: 17:30; Sun: 11:15; Tue-Fri: 08:30
  • Sint Petrus Banden, Oude Kerkstraat 10 (Maastricht Heer). Sat: 19:15; Sun: 08:30, 09:45; Mon-Fri: 19:00

Directory of Christian churches in Maastricht

[edit] Get out

Dutch countryside, heading south toward Belgian border
Dutch countryside, heading south toward Belgian border
  • World War II Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial: take the N278 9.5 kilometers (6 miles) east of Maastricht. The cemetery is located just west of the village of Margraten. Open daily except for December 25 and January 1; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cemetery is the final resting place for 8,301 American military dead. A monument is inscribed with the names of 1,723 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The site contains a chapel and museum with three engraved operations maps describing the European Campaign.
  • Caves in the Sint Pietersberg: Although the limestome caves are actually mines, it is nice to take a guided tour through the belly of the berg. In the Second World War, the Dutch stored their national arts collections in a vault in the hill, and a lot of engravings - some more old than the other - are to be admired. Entrances lie at several places on the mountain, and are well within walking distance of the town center. Plan in advance to make sure you can get in.
  • Fort Eben-Emael: A Belgian WW2 fort no longer in use, but open to the public on certain weekends. Very close to Maastricht, just south across the Belgian border.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

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