Maastricht - The culinary hub of the Netherlands

Want to visit a beautiful historic city brimming with culture, creativity and welcoming charm? Then Maastricht is the ideal place for you. A hidden gem set amongst rolling hills, the capital city of Limburg exudes a unique ambience.

Like a local
Discover Maastricht from the inside

Discover Maastricht from the inside

Maastricht view from the bridge to the city with monumental buildings.

Maastricht has a rich history. It’s a city filled with historic monuments and beautiful architecture, such as the 13th-century St. Servatius Bridge and the Basilica of Our Lady, which is thought to be built on a site once occupied by a Roman temple.

Speaking of the Romans, the old city wall and the ancient Helpoort city gate also point to Maastricht’s history as a former Roman fortress. This capital of Limburg has a very classic appearance and exudes history. If the streets of Maastricht could talk, what a story they could tell.

Maastricht is the number two cultural city of the Netherlands. It hosts numerous cultural events and is home to a wide range of cultural institutions. Many very popular and successful events are held here every year, such as the Dutch Dance Days, the TEFAF European art fair and the museum night.
Maastricht also has a fantastic range of museums and theatres. These include Bonnefanten, the striking museum where every conceivable form of art is exhibited or the Theater aan het Vrijthof, which shows both small and quite well-known performances.

Maastricht Museum aan het Vrijthof mother and daughter standing in front
Sphinxkwartier Maastricht lady on a bicycle

Fans of arthouse films will enjoy the surprising Bassin Lumière Cinema, where visitors can watch arthouse films, documentaries and Hollywood blockbusters. Music lovers won’t feel left out. De Muziekgieterij music venue is one of many places where both emerging talent and well-known names perform.

A creative city

Maastricht is bursting with creativity and craftsmanship. Craft production was important to the economy for centuries, but today this student city is home to a thriving creative manufacturing industry, with clothing and product designers, jewellery makers and dedicated artists. Maastricht is an inspiring place where creative minds come together. You’ll find artisan and handmade creations in many locations throughout the city.

Finally, Maastricht is a very internationally-oriented city. It is with good reason that the European Union was officially established here in 1991, which meant the start of the Euro currency and the European Parliament as a legislative power. The city therefore has a lot to offer to international students and expats. Maastricht University alone offers more than 20 international bachelor's degree programmes. This city along the river Maas is also home to many international companies and organisations, with the MECC as an indispensable location for conferences and congresses.

Maastricht Stars of Europe

Sustainable
Relax in the rolling hills of Limburg

Relax in the rolling hills of Limburg

Maastricht may be a city of culture and historic architecture, but it’s also home to a one-of-a-kind green environment in and around the city. In the centre alone, you will find several parks where you can enjoy a lovely piece of nature. Some parks have been around for decades, others
have emerged in more recent years.

Maastricht attractive street with city wall and houses
A former highway turned into a green zone, improving air quality and the standard of living of residents, while reducing noise pollution.

In addition, investments are being made to make residential areas greener. For example, the Groene Loper is a great project that focuses on green solutions for homes, passageways for cyclists and pedestrians, and biodiversity. It’s a truly great initiative. Nature plays a major role not only in Maastricht itself, but also in the surrounding area. The city is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, where people like to go to escape the daily hustle and bustle and unwind amongst the gorgeous scenery.

The hilly region feels quite different from the rest of the Netherlands and provides opportunities for plenty of outdoor activities, such as walking, cycling, e-biking, running or mountain biking.

Mount Saint Peter offers a beautiful stretch of nature, just outside the city centre. A hilly landscape with forests, impressive caves and the special ENCI quarry, this area is ideal for nature lovers and sports enthusiasts. Extra tip: the Chalk Walk, where you can admire the typical limestone landscape of South Limburg.

The ENCI quarry is a limestone quarry on the Meuse side of Sint-Pietersberg in Maastricht.

Hidden gems
Stroll through the Sphinxkwartier

Stroll through the Sphinxkwartier

Maastricht Sphinxkwartier

Explore the most surprising and dynamic neighbourhood in Maastricht. Hidden in the industrial Sphinxkwartier are stories from the past that we are bringing back to life. This hotbed of creativity will surprise you with contemporary shops and restaurants in unique settings. It’s a wonderfully real and rugged area, where you can roam around discovering new spots.

The district exudes culture. It’s home to the Bassin Lumière Cinema, Bureau Europa and the Muziekgieterij. As a presentation and network institution, Bureau Europa organises exhibitions, lectures, projects and other activities in the fields of architecture, design and urbanism. Muziekgieterij is the place to go for music. It’s the perfect place to discover old and new music, and fans of indie, rock and pop music can visit Maastricht’s temple of pop day and night.

Muziekgieterij Maastricht interior

Another must-see in this district is the iconic Eiffel building, the former well-known Sphinx factory that’s now a vibrant national monument. It’s where you’ll find the Sphinxpassage, a 120-metre-long covered tiled passage, where almost 30,000 tiles map Maastricht's long history of ceramic production.

Enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at the BOLD Rooftop bar on top of the Eiffel building, with a beautiful view over the city. Around the Eiffel building, the Sphinxkwartier is developing into a modern, bustling city district.

Maastricht mural song thrush

Finally, there’s the street art. Art in public places, made with brushes, spray cans, stickers and markers – created by known and unknown artists who tell the story of the city through the years. The Maastricht Street Art route takes you to the cradle of street art in Maastricht.

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