Maastricht, Netherlands

Maastricht is located in the province of Limburg, in the southern-most point of the Netherlands. It is known as the oldest city in the Netherlands The city is also the capital of the province with an estimated population of 120,000 people. The romantic and antique characteristics are a direct result of its Roman history. Although some people regard Nijmegen as the oldest city, Maastricht was first settled in 500 BC and has had uninterrupted habitation since Roman times a claim Nijmegen cannot make. It was also my home for six months when I studied abroad in Maastricht University. I am very excited to share everything I know about my second home!

Pro-Tip #1: In 2019, I traveled back to Maastricht. Three years after my exchange. Maastricht is laid back town, it is the perfect city escape. You can spend anywhere from one day or up to five relaxing days in this city.

Here is our three-five day recommended itinerary

A Brief History of Maastricht

The languages spoken in the city is mainly English, French, German and Dutch. During the 16th and 17th century the city fell under first Spanish rule, and later French rule making the town both culturally and historically rich. The town became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815. The Netherlands is among the most English proficient countries in Europe behind Denmark and Sweden. Maastricht's close proximity to Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany makes the town very diverse and lively. Fun fact, the Maastricht Treaty was signed here leading to the creation of the European Union and the Euro.

How Do I Get Here?

Maastricht does not have an airport that can be reached from the United States, you can travel to Maastricht by arriving in Brussels's Zaventem Airport or Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. From Brussels, you can travel by Belgian Rail for €13 Euros, and from Schiphol for €30 in both airports you can find the train station on the lowest floor of the airport. There are usually two connections from Brussels airport, you can take the train to Leuven, from Leuven to Liege, and from Liege to Maastricht. Note: Liege is sometimes stated as the train station name Luik-Guillemins. You can find more information on Belgian rail here. From Amsterdam's airport usually there is only one connection, you can travel from the airport to Utrecht Central, and from Utrecht Central straight to Maastricht. Sometimes you can find direct train rides from Amsterdam to Maastricht. You can also take the same route going back to those airports.

Bonus-Tip: You can see an exchange students first moments in Maastricht here.

Where to Stay

Maastricht offers plenty of lodging options. If you prefer to stay at a hotel, The Derlon Hotel is definitely a unique hotel to consider. They're located in a plaza (pictured above), the hotel provides great amenities with plenty of close by restaurants and shops. There are ruins from the Roman Empire in the basement you can visit and it is neighbor to the Basilica of our Lady. We had an amazing experience with Airbnb. It was located in the Wyck area and it was just 2-3 blocks away from the train station. We were given the entire top floor and they provided and small cooking area, and a full bathroom. If you are traveling by train, staying near the station is key since you will avoid a long walk dragging your luggage through the cobblestone streets.

Fun Fact #1: " Maastrichtian" is a term in the ICS geologic timescale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous period. It spanned the interval from 72.1 to 66 million years ago.

Pro-Tip #2: Don't rent a car but instead walk. The cobblestone roads in this city aren't forgiving but it is truly a pleasure to walk the various pathways. You will find various hidden gems when you walk explore this city.

Things to See: Maas River, The Vrijthof, Basilica of our Lady, the Bookstore and Markt

My favorite site-seeing destinations are the river, Vrijthof Square and the Markt (pictured above). I spent countless amount of hours (often with a cup of ice cream) people-watching and admiring the architecture at these locations. Assuming you take the train, you will see the train station first (obvi). The train station is nicely decorated with letters of the city you can take selfies with. Walking though the Sint Servaasbrug Bridge you will encounter the Maas River. The Sint Servaasbrug Bridge was constructed in honor of the city's first bishop Saint Servatius and it is also the oldest bridge in the Netherlands. The Romans named the city after the river when they created a settlement here. This is a reconstructed bridge as the original was destroyed during WWII. You can take beautiful pictures of the city along the bridge. If you keep walking straight passed the bridge and turn right where it ends, you will soon reach the Markt. This is home to the biweekly farmers market, a shopping center, countless bars/cafes, and the municipal building in the center. You can spend time here walking around, shop and eat the various food options! After your belly is full, you can head south-west towards the Vrijthof Square. I loved this location to sit and relax. The Vrijthof is home to two churches, the red a Protestant and the other a Catholic Church also named after Saint Servatius. In this square, you can also find many shops and restaurant cafes. The most famous of which is "Cafe in Den Ouden Vogelstruys" which has been there since 1730. Near the Vrijthof is the Dominicanen Bookstore, regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The bookstore is a refurbished church from the 13th century. You can find many books here in various languages and a fantastic coffee shop located in the former alter. If you turn back towards the bridge, and you head south from the Markt you will find the Basilica of our Lady. The Basilica of our Lady is one of the many Roman contributions that are still visible today in this city. The church was dedicated to our lady of Assumption and dates back to the 11th century. The main attraction is the miraculous statue of Our Lady, Star of the Sea. I believe it to be one of the most beautiful attractions in the city, it is definitely an icon and can be unmistakably identified from the various bridges and many vantage points throughout the city. The neighborhood of ceramique is one of the most modern places in Maastricht, you can find a library and many restaurants and cafes there.

Pro-Tip #3: Don't be surprised by the lack of customer service at Dutch restaurants. They don't work for tips so they are more relaxed in ensuring you're okay. The best thing to do is remember that you're in another country so try to order everything you need together and make sure you're not in a rush.

What to Do After Site-Seeing?

Once you have walked around this city you can take some time to enjoy a drink at the many cafes or spend the afternoon shipping. Maastricht attracts many visitors from the neighboring cities and countries as the city center is home to hundreds of shops. It is also estimated there are nearly 350 bars in the city so technically locals can experience a new bar every day of the year! You can also spend time at the Bonnefantenmuseum, you can see a football match by the local team MVV Maastricht, and you can visit the caves of Sint Pieter caves (two different locations). The Natural History Museum is small but you can find the remains of a Mosasaurus which was first discovered in the caves of Maastricht! You can also visit the oldest gate in the Netherlands named Hells-Gate, which has a similarity with the Basilica of our Lady. You can get more things to do by visiting the city's tourist center in the city center.

Fun Fact #2: Maastricht has 1677 national heritage buildings, second only to Amsterdam.

Pro-Tip #4: walk and explore throughout the various small streets in the city center. You may find your next favorite boutique or bar!

The caves of Sint Pieter was one of the things I missed when I lived in this city. Therefore, when I was fortunate enough to visit again it was something I could not miss! The experience was memorable, a guided tour is provided for a small fee and you explore part of the cave system for about an hour. As you can see from the pictures above, the cave system is extensive! The guide was a local and was very nice, he had many great stories about the history of Maastricht. He told us that these systems were created by farmers who owned the land above. In order for them to distinguish themselves from the neighbor they created these purposefully as a maze. During your visit, you will notice many paintings on the walls these were commissioned by those farmers to attract visitors. One of the greatest surprises during our tour was the history of the Mosasaurus dinosaur (top left). It was first discovered here in these caves by the miners who first believed they had found the remains of demons. You can find a Mosasaurus in the Natural History Museum in Maastricht. This is a must have experience during your visit!

Fun Fact #3: Mosasaurus Was first discovered in the caves of Maastricht Saint Servatius

Bonus-Tip: Remember caves are cold.

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Food Game

One of the research areas I focused on before coming to Maastricht was researching what kind of food was available around Maastricht. I am a big fan of sushi, Mexican food, Asian food, Italian food and fast food restaurants. I was a little sad they don’t have any Mexican restaurant in town with the exception of a small burrito place in the Markt that serves over priced cafeteria-style (and tasting) burritos. My favorite restaurants in town were Pet Thai for Thai food, Patty n’ bun, Burgerlijk I think both have the best burgers in town. Ginger a small Asian fusion restaurant near SBE has amazing student lunch discount menu, very tasty. Dadawan is an awesome place near the train station where you can also eat Asian fusion plates (I recommend the Beef Stonebowl) it is my favorite restaurant in town. For dessert I had the best hot chocolate in my life at the "Chocolate Company", although they are a bit pricey they have a unique flavor I feel bad I discovered this place two weeks before going back to the US. The famous bakery “Bisschopsmolen” makes the best bread and small pastries in town. There you can also find the only water-mill in Maastricht and many of the local desserts like Vlaai. “Pop up Smores” on the other side of the river has the best macaroons in town (must try the Nutella), they also have my favorite coffee drinks in town and they also serve homemade gelato. For drinking I love Café Falstaff they have an awesome alcohol menu along with one of my favorite beers on draft (Triple Karmeleit). The Hoppy Brothers is a Bevmo-like store located south of the city center where you can find a good selection craft beer. For low-budget meals I recommend McDonalds which strangely tastes better here in Europe (and also accepts American Express), "Dadawan 2 Go" (Asian fusion), "Deli Belge" (for cheap sandwiches) and "café Isis" an awesome restaurant with friendly staff and good cheap food. The best known coffee in town is perhaps “coffeelovers” who gets there coffee from the famous Blanche Dael who also have a shop in Maastricht. Other nice places to get coffee include Douwe Egberts, Teazone, Sap, and Chocolate Company. "Sap" is the closest thing to a Jamba Juice in Maastricht, they also have a nice set up that is good place to study and have a cup of fresh juice. I recommend the Bitch sandwich substituting the garlic sauce for the pesto sauce.

Fun Fact #4: It is the birthplace of the European Union and the Euro. (see Maastricht Treaty)

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Interesting Finds

Margraten American Cemetery

The Cemetery is a WWll memorial not far from Maastricht. It is also known as the Netherlands American Cemetery and it was dedicated in 1960. The 65 acre Cemetery is the burial ground for over 8 thousand American troops whom died in the war. I didn’t know about this memorial and was incredibly surprised that Maastricht University organized a road trip for us to visit. We had a guided tour from an elderly gentleman who took us around and stopped at certain points. He told us about the history and about the stories of a few soldiers buried their including General x who actually led his infantry into battle himself. What makes this place special is the yearly commemoration and connection with the Dutch people. Every year since 1945, local residents adopt a grave site. They bring flowers to the cemetery and research the life of the fallen as a way to honor them. It is an incredible gesture and tradition and I was heartfelt to know of this. Maastricht was the first city to be overtook by the Nazi’s but it was also the first to be liberated by the allied forces. This is a place you can come pay your respects and learn a piece of history.

A Memorial for WWII Jewish Victims

During World War II the German army quickly occupied the town in 1940 and was the first Dutch city liberated by allied forces in 1944. When walking around Maastricht, you may notice many of these golden plates on the street in front of different homes/businesses. These are a tribute to the Jewish people who lived in the Maastricht. It is estimated that around 80% of the Jewish people of Maastricht were killed in concentration camps during WWII. Incredibly, the city was able to track where people loved and placed these golden plates with their names, year of birth, and the year of death with the name of the camp. I was moved by this gesture and it is something very unique to this city. When you walk around take a moment to acknowledge these and being careful not to step on them.

Basilica of Our Lady

One of the most spiritual experiences you can have in Maastricht can be found inside the Basilica of our Lady. In the entrance, you will find a prayer room filled with many candles. It is a tradition to take some moment from your day to make a donation for a candle, light the candle and make a prayer for yourself and your family's wellbeing. Once you are done with your prayer you can exit, or enter the basilica to see the interior decorations. Be respectful as you will encounter both tourists and locals praying.

Fun Fact #5: The patron saint of the city is Saint Servatius

Christmas in Maastricht

Christmas in Maastricht is special, the people and the city take part in decorating the city. Many plazas are decorated beautifully with lights and the Vrijthof hosts the yearly Christmas market. In the Market, you will find many shops where you can purchase decorations and food stands who sell delicious desserts such as freshly made stroopwafels. If you're lucky you may also see a Christmas parade where the main attraction is Santa Claus's carriage which is partly pulled by real reindeer. Cologne and Aachen Germany are also not far away, they also host bigger Christmas markets if you would like to see more of these attractions.

Carnaval Maastricht and Andre Rieu Concerts

I haven't had the opportunity to attend either of these events but they are very popular. If you visit during spring, holidays such as Liberation Day and King’s Day both are very unique events. During the fall, you can experience awesome events as well such as 11-11 which marks the beginning of carnaval. The actual event is held before Lent, the festival "carnaval" which typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party. Participants wear homemade costumes/outfits with bright colors. It is one of the most famous traditions of the city along with the annual concert by hometown musician Andre Rieu. Rieu is a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. He has held an outdoor concert in the Vrijthof square for the last fifteen years in December.

Maastricht University (SBE)

Since this city is regarded as a university town I must acknowledge Maastricht University. I was accepted to study abroad in the School of Business and Economics (SBE) in 2016 and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. Maastricht University was founded in 1976, it was ranked #21 in the list of the best universities in Europe by Business Insider. Maastricht University (UM) is the most internationally diverse university in the Netherlands with more than 16,000 students and 4,000 employees, more than 50,000 alumni and it is still growing. The university stands out for its innovative education model (problem-based learning), international character and multidisciplinary approach to research and education. The Maastricht University School of Business and Economics provides high-quality education to students and conducts excellent research, offering an international perspective in the fields of economics and international business administration. See a quick virtual campus tour here. SBE’s approach revolves around small-scale teaching methods supported by an electronic learning environment, a portfolio of international study programs, and strong incentives for top-quality research. The focus lies on educational innovation. All degree programs make use of "Problem-Based Learning", with an emphasis on skills development – problem solving, group work, and self-directed learning – to prepare students optimally for the European and international knowledge society.

Fast Facts:

SBE is one of only 1% of business schools worldwide to be triple-crown accredited (EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA)

SBE is welcomes approximately 500 exchange students and sends 700 SBE students abroad each year

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Final Thoughts

I love Maastricht, it was a place i never heard of until a friend of mine studied there and told me all about it! I applied to study abroad and the rest is history. I wanted to share with you my knowledge of this city and hope that you give this place a chance whether you have an extra day while visiting Amsterdam or if you plan to study here yourself. If you do plan to study here check out my other article where i go more in detail about SBE and where you can buy certain things such as American brand soap. You can find that article here. This is a beautiful and romantic town, it is a rare city you can visit and find that is can be relaxing. The atmosphere here is laid back and i am confident you will enjoy your stay!

Email me at ofriceandcities@gmail.com if you enjoyed the article, if you went to Maastricht and tried anything I mentioned or if you did something I totally missed!

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