POSTCARDS ROM A WEEKEND IN MAASTRICHT.
MY HISTORY WITH MAASTRICHT
It was 2010 when I first visited Maastricht. I say “visited”, but I was actually dropped off in the city by my very kind parents, ready to embark on a one year Masters degree studying at the University of Maastricht. It seems mad in retrospect, but I had never sat foot in the city until that day in late August. These days before even visiting a new supermarket, I’ve probably read Google Reviews about it and looked at photos. Yet in this more innocent time, nearly 15 years ago, we left things a little more to the imagination.
At first things seemed very strange for me – a Brit abroad if you will – I couldn’t pay for anything with card until I set up a Dutch bank account so I lived a life with cash for months until I could navigate the banking system. I had to get to grips with all sorts of weird and wonderful things in the supermarket – chicken became Kip, small pots of vegetables drowned in mayonnaise were called “salad” and it was perfectly acceptable to buy chocolate sprinkles to put on toast, as an adult. Not to mention that it seemed that everyone was about a foot taller than me.
Sooner or later, I settled into something resembling a normal life. I adored cycling around the city, buying coffee and being given a little stroop waffle to go with it, and found my favourite haunts – book stores, gyms, martini bars. And joined a sort of “sorority” – an American uni concept that has been adopted wholeheartedly in Dutch universities.
Most importantly, I came to love Maastricht. Days, as a somewhat broke student, were spent just wandering the gorgeous cobbled streets. Looking wistfully into the chic clothing store windows and expensive restaurants.
FAST FORWARD TO 2024
Fast forward to 2024 and team Lotus Eaters decided to spend a chunk of our summer walking the Pieterpad. This is a 500km trail running from the North of The Netherlands – close to Groningen. To the South – Maastricht.
It was hard not to think of the Pieterpad as being written in the stars for us. After all, one half of the Lotus Eaters team studied in Groningen, and the other in Maastricht. As avid long-distance trail trekkers, we knew that the Pietperad had our names written all of it – not literally, as we are not called Pieter.
It was at the end of walking this trail through stunning national parks, cheerful Dutch towns, flower fields and the green grass of the countryside – that we eventually made it to Maastricht. A reunion with my university city.
POSTCARDS FROM A WEEKEND IN MAASTRICHT
Our time in Maastricht was too short to do the entire city justice. A short weekend in Maastricht has left me hankering to return once again, this time lingering longer and wandering like I used to. But, if you do just have a short day or two, there are some city highlights to see.
Here’s everything we did in our weekend in Maastricht.
1/ MAASTRICHT’S BRIDGES
One thing that you’ll notice about Maastricht when visiting is that it the city is divided by the river Maas. Bridges connect Ceramique and Wyck to one side of the river, with the centre on the other.
Arriving into Maastricht by train means that you will most likely have the pleasure of walking across Sint Servaasbrug, the oldest bridge in the Netherlands. This is an arched stone structure dating back to the 13th century. It really is quite beautiful.
Further along the river, towards the Ceramique area of the city, you’ll find Hoge Brug (or “High Bridge”) – the modern bridge built across the Maas in 2003.
Personally, I like to walk across Wilhelminabrug, a little further up the river, pause here for the view point of Sint Servaasbrug and then stroll along towards Ceramique, before crossing back over on the Hoge Brug.
2/ WALKING TO SINT PIETER
Maastricht is a cosmopolitan city, yet it is surrounded by a fair bit of countryside, which is one of the things that I love about it. A great way to spend an afternoon in Maastricht is to walk out to Sint Pietersberg. A short distance from the city centre, but with a totally different vibe. You’ll find the iconic Sint Pietersberg fortress, walking trails and views out to the Belgian Hills.
If you’re interested in history, the underground limestone caves beneath Sint Pietersberg, used during WWII, offer guided tours that take you through a unique and eerie underground world.
This area is a favourite for couples enjoying a bit of a romantic date of a weekend in Maastricht. It is also the official end point of the Pieterpad trail and for us marked the end of our 500km walk across The Netherlands.
3/ WANDERING THE STREETS
Maastricht is an eminently walkable city. Not only is it quite compact, but there are so many nooks and crannies worth discovering. In a year spent in Maastricht, I was always amazed by what I could discover with a few hours exploring on foot.
Today, the city has evolved into districts- each with their own personality. The centre includes Grote Staat, Markt (a large square which hosts twice weekly markets) and the imposing Vrijthof. The places you’ll see in this section of the city are the most recognizable from photos. From Markt, you can walk to the Sphinx district of Maastricht – the up and coming area around the pretty Bassin (harbour).
The area of Stokstraat is perhaps my favourite to wander, take in the pretty cobbled streets line with expensive stores before arriving to Onze Lieve. This is a picture perfect square surrounding the enchanting Basilica of Our Lady.
Across the river, you’ll find the Wyck neighbourhood – a trendy area peppered with cocktail bars, breweries and coffee shops. Continue along the river to Ceramique – a once empty area, now home to the Bonnefanten museum.
4/ A BOOKSTORE WITH A TWIST
Back in the day when I lived in Maastricht, the book store Dominicanen was a little slice of heaven – a home away from home for me. It is not just a book store, but a converted church. I have spent many an hour cocooned by the walls of this sacred building with a hot coffee flicking through books I would never buy.
Now, on our latest visit, I felt a nodule of sadness to discover that the bookstore has been well and truly cemented it’s place on the tourist trail. I would still recommend a visit here, but do not visit on a Saturday if you can avoid it. Find a quiet moment if possible.
Find it here, just off the Vritjhof.
5/ CITY WALLS
As I strolled the city walls on my most recent visit, I was reminded about one of things that I always appreciated about Maastricht when I lived there. No matter how busy the city centre is – there’s always somewhere you can go to find peace and quiet. Often, this is the city walls area.
The city walls were originally built in the 13th century and they are remarkably well preserved and a walk along them gives a view of the city from above. Along the way you’ll find shaded areas and benches to perch for a while.
6/ A BEER CRAWL
As a former student of Maastricht, I of course had my favourite haunts for a beer. During my recent weekend in Maastricht, I swerved the student hang-outs to find some more sophisticated pubs, be-fitting of a couple in their 30s.
Maastricht’s location, close to Belgium, means that you’ll find a mix of Dutch and Belgian beers on the menu. As a first time visitor to Maastricht, I recommend grabbing a table at one of the pretty bars in the fabulous Onze Lieve square. Especially on the weekend, this is a livelys pot attracting a smart crowd.
Personally, I also love grabbing a drink at one of te terraced bars lining the Vrijthof. Unlike in many cities where the prices are much higher to sit in the main square, the bars in the Vrijthof are fairly priced. From here, head to the buzzy street of Platielstraat or Koestraat.
For a quieter vibe, consider Tribunal bar, close to the University and a quieter area on the weekend. Craft beer fans will want to head to Stadsbrouwerij Maastricht or Bosch Brewery, both making their own beer in Wyck.
7/ COFFEE IN WYCK
When I lived in Maastricht many years ago, Wyck was not a trendy area. I remember crossing the river to Wyck solely to get to the train station and to join pub quizzes at John Mullins Irish Pub (which thankfully is still around!)
Today, there’s a lot more going on in Wyck. I couldn’t believe the transformation. Although Wyck is buzzing and popular, it has a leafy feeling and the promenade of Wycker Brugstraat is very pleasant to walk along. We explored the various streetrs before settling in for a coffee and cake at Patisserie Royale.
8/ DINING OUT IN MAASTRICHT
First and foremost, if you plan to visit Maastricht on a weekend – think about securing a dining reservation early. I know this might seem a bit mad, but this is a very foodie city and locals here do dine out regularly. So, if you’ve got somewhere in mind that you want to eat and you don’t want to be left queuing, then book a table.
Here are a few of my suggestions for where to dine out in Maastricht:
- Petit Bonheur – a back street French bistro with a fairly priced and consistent set menu and a cute terrace area.
- Il Giardino – an Italian bistro just off Onze Lieve.
- De Comedie – a French restaurant with outdoor seating on Onze Lieve.
- De Pizzabakers Maastricht – lowkey pizzas. well priced and with some quirky toppings.
9/ AN AFTERNOON IN VALKENBURG
Valeknburg is a charming town, around 30 minutes on the train from Maastricht. Or a bike ride away. In fact, you can also walk between Maastricht and Valkenburg (a distance of around 19km), this stretch of the Piterpad is popular and very pretty.
Valkenburg known for the castle ruins and medieval centre. It is similar to Maastricht in many ways, but much smaller and easy to navigate in a few hours.
Arguably the most popular reason to visit Valkenburg is to bathe in the naturally occurring thermal spa pools. Try Thermae 2000 for a full day of relaxing.
10/ MORE THINGS TO DO IN MAASTRICHT
I’ll be honest and say that we spent a large portion of our weekend in Maastricht sampling beer and visiting points of significance to me as I went very far down memory lane. And perhaps less time trying to find new things to do on the city. But, here are a few you can consider on your visit to Maastricht:
1/ Dine at Michelin Star restaurant – Maastricht boasts five Michelin-starred options for foodies. That’s a lot of stars for one city. Find out more here on the Michelin guide.
2/ Museum of Illusions – I visited a similar museum in Belgrade and had a hoot. This is a great activity to consider in Maastricht if it’s raining, or you have children to entertain.
3/ Modern Art in Bonnefanten – For modern art lovers, this museum offers a great collection in a striking, modern building.
4/ Bassin – A picturesque marina where you’ll find cozy cafes and boutique shops lining the waterfront.
IS MAASTRICHT WORTH VISITING?
Maastricht is a cosmopolitan city. To me it has no direct comparison – it is a Dutch city, but doesn’t feel Dutch, at least not soley. It has French, German and Belgian influences mixing in a pop to create the uniquely Maastricht ambience.
Even though the city centre is quite compact, it has such varied architecture, that it could feel as though you’ve visited multiple places in the space of a five minute stroll. Settle in for a beer and you’ll notice a cacophony of international languages echoing around you. Waiters take orders in English, realising that this is a common denominator amongst the smartly dressed patrons.
Despite being in the very south of the country seemingly out on a limb, Maastricht is far from parochial. Affluent stores selling designer clothing and fancy interior goodies, teem with customers. Five Michelin Star restaurants entertain guests and it is often hard to find a space at a bar lining the vrijthof square.
In short – yes Maastricht is worth visiting if you fancy a chic city break, a quick cultural sheep dip with modern art museums, and countless interesting restaurants to try.
WHERE TO STAY IN MAASTRICHT
Maastricht has a range of delightful boutique hotels – I should know, I used to clean rooms in designer hotels around the city. Here are a few ideas for where to stay in Maastricht:
UBER LUXURY: For super luxury close to the Vrijof in the centre of Maastricht, is Kruisherenhotel Maastricht. Guests love the central location and friendly staff.
MID-RANGE: For a mid-range hotel, consider Hotel Beaumont. A trendy option found in the equally trendy Wyck area – just across the river from the historic centre.
BUDGET: Found close to the pretty area of t’basin, is The Social Hub Maastricht. A little more than “just a hotel”, this place offers a fitness centre and loads of great communal space. An ideal budget hotel in Maastricht.
HOW TO GET TO MAASTRICHT
The one draw back of a weekend in Maastricht is that there are no obvious airports to fly in and get to the city easily. There is an airport in Maastricht, but with very few international flights. If you want to fly, opt for Amsterdam, Brussels or Eindhoven.
Conversely, Maastricht is extremely well connected by train. A Eurostar to Brussels, followed by a short hop (1.5 hours) on the train to Maastricht would be an easy way to get here from London. Alternatively, the city is well connected with Amsterdam (2.5 hours), or Aachen in Germany.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
British travel writer and long-distance hiker, native to Kent. Emma has walked the Camino de Santiago more than ten times, completed trails across Europe from the Corfu Trail to the Fisherman’s Trail, and covered thousands of kilometres on foot. She always writes from first-hand experience. Her goal? Inspire just one person to go on their first long-distance hike.
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