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Maastricht is technically in the Netherlands, but it doesn’t quite feel like it. Tucked into the far south of the country, pressed up against Belgium on one side and Germany on the other, it has more in common with Liège or Cologne than with Amsterdam. The architecture is older, the cafés more French, and the pace slightly slower. It’s also one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, and criminally underrated by most international visitors.
Why it exists
Maastricht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands — Roman-era old. It sits on the Maas (Meuse) river, which was a trade route long before the Dutch Republic existed. The name is a direct corruption of the Latin Traiectum ad Mosam, “the crossing on the Maas.” It’s been a merchant city, a fortress city, and a religious centre for nearly 2,000 years. The centre is dense with churches, old squares, and medieval walls.
What to see in a day
Vrijthof square — the heart of the city, ringed with cafés and two imposing churches (the Romanesque Sint-Servaasbasiliek and the Gothic Sint-Janskerk). Come for morning coffee; you’ll end up staying an hour longer than you planned.
Boekhandel Dominicanen — a bookshop inside a 13th-century Dominican church. One of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, and the coffee on the mezzanine is surprisingly good.
The Saint Pietersberg caves — Maastricht sits on soft marl stone that’s been quarried for centuries. Underneath the city there’s a network of tunnels and underground chambers, once used as shelters during WWII and now visitable on guided tours. Wear warm clothes — it’s 10°C underground year-round.
A long lunch. Maastricht has an unusual number of genuinely excellent restaurants for a city of its size. This is where the Netherlands meets Belgium, Germany, and France — and the food reflects it. Expect thick stews, good bread, local beer, and river fish done simply.
How to get there
The direct train from Amsterdam takes 2 hours 30 minutes. It’s a long day trip from there, but it’s doable. If you can stay overnight, stay overnight — Maastricht is one of those cities where the real magic happens in the evening, when the tour buses have gone and the locals come out to sit in the squares.