Maastricht holidays

How to reach Maastricht

• Flight time: Flights to Maastricht from London and other major UK airports typically take about 1 hour 15 minutes.

• Transfer time: From Maastricht Aachen Airport, 12km north of the city at Beek, it’s a 20-minute ride on bus #59 to the Markt and the train station.

• Price: A taxi from Maastricht Aachen Airport costs approximately €30, while the bus is just €5.

Best time to visit Maastricht

This will depend on what you want to do during your holidays to Maastricht; the weather is likely to influence your decision.

• March to May: Maastricht’s parks and gardens come into their own during April, when temperatures hover around 12°C, rising to about 18°C in May. You can expect 6–8 hours of sunshine although downpours are not uncommon.

• June to August: Peak season when temperatures can comfortably reach 22°C, making it a great time to enjoy alfresco dining, riverside walks and river cruises.

• September to November: Autumn is the ideal time to take in the city’s cultural attractions, especially now that the crowds have gone. Average temperatures fall from 16°C to around 8°C, and you can expect consistent rainfall.

• December to March: Winters in Maastricht are invariably long and cold, with temperatures averaging 2°C to 5°C, although the city’s Christmas markets and the always colourful Carnival in February do much to brighten up proceedings.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Dutch is the official language, but many locals also speak English and German.

• Local habits and customs: The Dutch are renowned for their liberal and laidback attitude, so there isn’t much in the way of etiquette to observe. Tipping is not usually expected and service charges are often added to the bill in restaurants.

• Currency: The Netherlands uses the Euro (€). Card payments are widely accepted, but it’s handy to have some cash for smaller purchases.

• Getting around: Maastricht’s compact centre is best explored on foot or by renting a bike for about €10–€15 a day. But public transport is efficient, with buses and trains connecting the city and nearby regions. A single bus fare within Maastricht costs around €3.50, and you can save with day passes.

• Electricity and plug types: The Netherlands uses 230V with type C or F plugs. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Maastricht is in Central European Time, 1 hour ahead of GMT. The city observes daylight saving time.

Best things to do in Maastricht

With its cobbled streets and fashionable boutiques in the old town, contemporary architecture in the Céramique district, a fantastic art fair and excellent cuisine, the city buzzes with excitement and its multilingual, multinational population epitomises the most positive aspects of the European Union.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• St Pietersberg: Located on the edge of the city, the flat-topped hill of St Pietersberg rises to a height of about 110m, thus providing breathtaking views of Maastricht and the surrounding countryside.

• St. Servaas Bridge: The city’s most iconic landmark, this fine Romanesque bridge affords stunning views of the Meuse River, particularly at sunset.

The best districts

• ’t Bassin: Spruced up inland harbour north of the Markt, where old industrial buildings have been converted into cultural attractions.

• Stokstraatkwartier: A small district of narrow streets, the Stokstraatkwartier quarter has an intimate feel, with its vermilion townhouses, scattered sculptures and Maasland-Renaissance-style houses in warm Namur stone.

Museums

• Museum aan het Vrijthof: Among the many stunning exhibits are statues and figurines, porcelain and applied arts and a handful of 17th-century paintings.

• Bonnefanten Museum: As well as holding a permanent collection of medieval sculptures, Old Masters and contemporary fine art, including works from the Minimal Art and Arte Povera movements, there are various temporary exhibitions: you could find anything from giant spider installations to Titians.

Parks and gardens

• Hoge Fronten Park: Popular green space featuring remnants of Maastricht’s old fortifications, this is the first port of call for locals seeking some respite from the city centre.

Historical monuments

• Basilica of Saint Servatius: Dating from 950, this superbly proportioned Romanesque church is both a place of worship and a treasure trove of relics and art; don’t miss its crypt and cloisters.

• Onze Lieve Vrouwe Basiliek: A solid, dark and deeply devotional place, the Gothic vaulting of the nave springs from a Romanesque base, while the galleried choir is a masterpiece of proportion, raised under a high half-dome, with a series of capitals exquisitely decorated with Old Testament scenes.

• City walls: The remains of the town battlements are strewn alongside the River Jeker, the best-surviving part being the Helpoort of 1229, close to a stretch overlooking the river at the end of St Bernadusstraat.

• Dominicanen: As impressive as the 13th-century Dominicanerkerk is, as good a reason to visit is to explore one of the country’s most beautiful bookstores - you’ll get a great view of the old restored frescoes while you browse.

Day trips in the area

• Valkenburg: A charming village set in the gently wooded valley of the River Geul, this is a welcome change from the rest of the Netherlands, with a feel more akin to a Swiss or Austrian alpine resort.

• Thorn: There’s a barnyard friendliness to Thorn that’s enhanced by its cobblestone streets, the closed-shuttered propriety of its houses and, at the centre, the Abdijkerk.

• Aachen, Germany: An easy 30-minute drive or train ride away, this historic city is famous for its impressive cathedral, thermal baths and Christmas markets.

Activities for families in Maastricht

Maastricht holidays are full of family-friendly adventures that are as entertaining for adults as they are for kids.

• River cruises: Family-friendly boat trips along the Meuse River offer a different perspective of the city. Rederij Stiphout runs hourly cruises from the bottom of Graanmarkt down the Maas, as well as trips to the St Pietersberg caves and Luik/Liège in Belgium.

• Bus tours: From April to December, guided tours on the solar-powered Zonnetrein depart from Kesselskade near the St Servaasbrug up to seven times daily; or there are tours aboard a yellow school bus offered by Rederij Stiphout.

• Caves of St. Pieter: Guided tours of these immense grottoes are an exciting, if unusual, way for children to learn about Maastricht’s history.

Free things to do in Maastricht

Exploring Maastricht doesn’t have to break the bank, as the city offers plenty of free activities that showcase its beauty and culture.

• Carnival: Maastricht is especially appealing during Carnival, with colourful parades and locals and visitors alike dressed up in the most creative outfits, mostly handmade.

• Markets: The city is much visited for its markets, notably the general market on the main square (Markt) on Wednesday & Friday, and the antique and curiosities market on Stationsstraat - spend as much, or as little, as you like.

• City walks: Wander through the historic Jekerkwartier and Wyck Districts, at the same time as absorbing the city’s innovative architecture - just don’t forget that camera.

Nature and outdoor activities in Maastricht

Maastricht and its surroundings offer a wealth of outdoor adventures, blending natural beauty with a sense of exploration.

• Cycling: Cycling is a perfect way to appreciate this rolling landscape and its un-Dutch hills, and on a leisurely cycle route east from Maastricht to Vaals, right on the German border, scenic villages nestle among vineyards and orchards, linked by quiet lanes dotted with shrines.

• River activities: For city folk here, the Meuse River is central to life in Maastricht, and there’s nothing that the locals love more than a spot of paddleboarding or kayaking along its mostly tranquil waters.

Local dishes in Maastricht

Maastricht is known as the culinary capital of the Netherlands, so options for good eating abound. French, Belgian and Dutch influences come together in a spectacular culinary potpourri.

Some typical dishes

• Zoervleis: A regional beef stew slow-cooked with vinegar and spices and served with fries or mashed potatoes.

• Erwtensoep (or snert): Thick pea soup with smoked sausage, served with smoked bacon on pumpernickel.

Meat dishes

• Rookworst: Smoked sausage eaten with stamppot, a hearty mashed potato and vegetable dish.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Maas River trout: A regional delicacy, prepared grilled or smoked and served with fresh herbs.

• Maatje herring: Eaten raw with onions in early summer: hold the fish by the tail, tip your head back and dangle it into your mouth, Dutch-style.

Street food

• Bitterballen: Crispy, deep-fried balls filled with meat ragout - perfect with a cold beer.

• Patat: Dutch fries served thick-cut and slathered with mayonnaise, peanut satay sauce or ketchup.

Sweets and desserts

Dutch cakes and cookies are always good, best eaten in a banketbakkerij (patisserie) with a small serving area or bought in a bag and munched on the hoof. Particularly delicious are stroopwafels, butter wafers sandwiched together with runny syrup; and vlaai, a fruity pastry tart from the nearby Limburg region.

Local drinks

• Beer: Maastricht is littered with craft breweries, but for starters, try a Trappist beer from the nearby Abbey of Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven.

• Local wine: Limburg is the only wine-producing province in the Netherlands, producing refreshing whites and rosés although its slightly sour taste might not be to everyone’s liking.

• Jenever: Dutch gin, drunk straight; oud (old) is smooth, jong (young) packs more of a punch.