Maastricht Travel & Vacation Guide

Old Masters & Modern Art. This iconic building, designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi, is home to an always exciting programme of temporary exhibits, museum tours, lectures, and children’s activities. The Bonnefanten Museum is also the place to find unusual art gifts (online too!), and to have lunch, at the famous Museumcafé Ipanema.

Steam Brewery De Keyzer, a craft brewery with equipment dating from 1900-1929, still operating in a building of industrial and archaeological significance. If you book ahead, you can get great tours here. And enjoy a real old-fashioned beer afterwards.

Architecture forum. Exhibitions and other activities in the field of architecture and design, with a social/sociological angle.

Do you dare go underground? Not afraid of the dark? Go exploring in the caves below the St. Pietersberg hill. No light, no sound, no smell, no radiation, no pollution, no mobile phone signal, no idea of time…Over the centuries, the mining of marl in the caves has created a labyrinth of more than 20,000 tunnels. 'Block breakers' and artists alike have left their marks here. The caves also served as a refuge for the people of Maastricht during the many sieges of the city, including during the Second World War.

Heirloom of Maastricht. Built from 1659-1664 by the architect Pieter Post; the tower dates from 1684 and houses a carillon with 49 bells that is still played regularly.

Step back in time and experience history on a tour of Fort St. Pieter. Your enthusiastic guide will take you to the well, the embrasures, and the cannon gallery while entertaining you with wonderful stories, anecdotes, and facts. The tour ends atop the Fort with a spectacular view of the city, the Meuse, and the surrounding countryside.

Memorable stories, exciting anecdotes and interesting trivia you might never have been able to uncover yourself. Why not discover the real Maastricht? Experience the tales of the city with a local guide who would be happy to show you our true highlights. Don’t miss the chance to take a walking tour of the city with a professional VVV guide.

Between 1575 and 1825, a network of underground passageways or mine galleries was created on the western side of Maastricht. In times of siege, these tunnels were used to surprise the enemy from underground. During the Second World War, the people of Maastricht spent many anxious hours here sheltering from the bombardments. Visit the vaulted chambers, powder rooms, and imposing bombproof shelters, and learn more about this unique monument of military engineering. You can also see the above-ground and underground fortifications in a single tour. The Fortifications Maastricht Foundation has developed two different tours to show you them: the Du Moulin Line tour and the Long Kazematten Walk.

Voted best cafe in the Netherlands 2012. The famously good service, unique menu with both regional and house specialities, and the four house secret recipe cocktails add up to make a visit to Café de Bóbbel a true experience. The house drinks are also available to take home or as a gift.

Café De Pieter is a nice old-fashioned cafe with a small terrace on a side street. You can enjoy food with reasonable and good atmosphere both inside and outside.

Café Falstaff is located alongside the romantic St. Amorsplein square in the heart of Maastricht. This cosy pub is famous for its extensive selection of beers, including no less than 70 specialty beers. The venue also has a separate upper floor for serving drinks and buffets or à la carte dinners. During the summer, you are also welcome to sit outside in the company of the statue of St. Amor which graces the square.

Café Forum combines good music with the most delicious craft beers, great food and a full bodied glass of wine. The ideal location for a drink, lunch, dinner, a live show and some socialising.

Café Local offers excellent food and a great panorama of the square from their terrace.

An authentic small typical Maastricht bar that's definitely worth a visit. Nothing fancy — just good honest staff, cheerful patrons and cold beer.

Café In den Ouden Vogelstruys (the ancient Ostrich) was the "cafe of the year 1996" in Holland. On its walls you find portraits of regular customers back in the olden days. Delicacies as the Maastricht cheese "Rommedoe" make a visit to this establishment a true feast.

Serving every generation since 1985, Take Five Bar has acquired landmark status in Maastricht. With an eclectic approach to drinks, music and food Take Five is a spot frequented by the bourgeois, bohemians as well as hipsters

Taste sensations you just have to try! The tastiest Maastricht souvenirs: mustards, jams, chutneys, dressings, mayonnaises, and much more. All of it artisan-made and organic.

The smells of fresh-baked bread and vlaai. You just can’t walk past that smell of fresh-baked spelt bread and Limburg’s favourite sweet tart, ‘vlaai’, without stopping in here!

Heavenly bookshop. Spectacular old church, and thankfully preserved as a bookshop due to the efforts of the people of Maastricht. Great coffee as well.

Fashion size 42 and up. An institution famous in Maastricht and beyond. Come by and discover for yourself that plus sizes don’t have to mean dressing out of style. Fashion consultants can offer honest, sound advice. Just give it a try, because if you change your mind they do take returns.

Dressed to the nines. British-oriented men’s clothing shop, with a dynamic mix of famous names in English fashion and lesser-known or new designers.

Vintage watches and jewels. This tiny shop has the atmosphere that everything on the Stokstraat should have! Gorgeous antique jewelry and watches.

Maastricht enjoys a temperate climate, with relatively mild summers and moderately cold winters.The best times to visit Maastricht for ideal weather are from mid-April to mid-October based on average temperature and humidity.

The Netherlands can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travelers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of Schengen countries can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.

Maastricht is served by the Maastricht Aachen Airport, which is located 9.3 km northeast of Maastricht and 28 km northwest of Aachen, Germany. Arriva bus line 30 takes you to the airport, with its bus stop conveniently positioned right in front of the terminal. It has 14 stops departing from Maastricht, Station Perron F and ending in Beek, Maastricht-Aachen Airport. Taxis are available on demand. You will find a taxi rank with a list of telephone numbers in front of car park P1, to the right of the passenger terminal. Car rental companies, such as Hertz, Sixt, and Europe car are also offered at Maastricht Aachen Airport.

The best way to get around Maastricht city centre is on foot, but there are buses and taxis available. Car parking is scarce in the centre. Bus timetables are displayed at all bus stops, and information is available from the Public Transport Travel Information operator. From the train station you can get to the centre of Maastricht easily by bus. You can catch any of the buses numbered 1 to 11 leaving from platform B (at the bus station in front of the train station).

Taxis are available from the airport and rail station, or by telephone. It is not allowed to hail a taxi on the street. Please note that taxi is not a common form of transport and is therefore quite expensive. It is also good to know that the drivers often not accept short fares.

230 Volts, 50 Hz

Pharmacies are generally open from 8AM or 9AM-5:30PM or 6PM weekdays, with Saturday and Sunday openings on a rota basis. Rotas are displayed at each pharmacy. Telephone 112 (local number) in the event of a medical emergency. Pharmacy Maastricht UMC+ Address: P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht Opening hour: 24 hours, seven days a week Phone: +31 43 387 6543

Post offices are located in grocery stores and bookstores. The mail boxes are orange coloured and for letters mailed to an international address, the left slot should be used.