My husband and adult son and I will stay in Maastricht August 4, 5 and 6 as an addition to our Belgium trip. I would appreciate any advice on where to visit in and around Maastricht, including day trips. We have reserved accommodations, but have not planned any further.
Posted by
The Netherlands
1876 posts
I really love Maastricht, but I find your question a bit difficult to answer because it’s very generic. What made you decide to stay in Maastricht? What are your interests? What sort of things would you like to do?
Posted by
Oregon
399 posts
Will you have a car?
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Yes, we will have a car.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
2236 posts
Places worth visiting within easy reach from Maastricht are Thorn, a lovely village known for it’s white painted houses. Both in Germany Aachen and Monschau, the latter known for it’s half timbered houses. Very tourisitic, nevertheless charming.
Be aware that larger cities in Germany like Aachen have Umweltzones / Low Emission Zones, you need a special sticker for this, the Umweltplakette. If your car hasn’t this you can park at one of the P+R facilities outside the LEZ. However not all are outside of it, so get well informed before arriving there.
Further the hills of Zuid-Limburg are unique for the Netherlands and very scenic, the local TI can certainly inform you about the best itineraries.
Alden Biesen, lovely castle west of Maastricht in Belgium. Guided tours only, no idea there are English spoken tours too. Best is to contact their info team.
https://www.visitzuidlimburg.com/
https://www.alden-biesen.be/?lang=en
Interested in Roman history and prehistoric times? Tongeren (in Belgium too) is the place to go, topnotch museum about the Roman period and more there.
Posted by
Haarlem, Netherlands
131 posts
Besides the amazing churches and museums in Maastricht itself, you could consider wine tasting at the Aposthoeve (https://www.apostelhoeve.com/) just outside Maastricht or visiting Hoensbroek castle (https://www.kasteelhoensbroek.nl/en/).
Posted by
Virginia
370 posts
I haven’t visited it, but one of the US World War II cemeteries, with a visitor center and 8,291 graves plus the names of 1,722 missing, is in the village of Margraten six miles east of Maastricht, and reachable from there by bus, according to a directory of the war cemeteries I have. These cemeteries are very moving experiences. They are immaculately maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Posted by
Oregon
399 posts
Aachen can be accessed by train. It was the Capitol of Charlemagne's Empire.
Even 30 years ago, Hoensbroek Castle was one of the best castles I've visited in Europe.
When in Maastricht, look for the signs "Marx Ate Here" "Marx Slept Here".
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Many thanks for the responses. I'm excited about our trip as it comes together.