What to do in Maastricht
There is definitely a lot of fun things to do in Maastricht. There are wonderful restaurants where you can sample local dishes and different dishes from all over the globe, trendy shops for shopaholics and souvenir shops for tourists. Maastricht has it all for the visitor willing to discover every inch of the city.
1. Go for a canal cruise on the River Maas
For many, it will be an absolute highlight when visiting Maastricht. Just drop off the Maas with a cruise. On the banks of the Sint Servaas bridge, you will also find several boating companies that offer round trips. These vary in duration and destination. You can take a short cruise to the marl caves or the longer version via the Meuse to the Belgian Ardennes and Liège. There are even day trips departing from Maastricht. On many tour boats there is the possibility to have lunch or dine extensively on the boat. Some boating companies even offer round trips at night. While enjoying a snack and a drink you can then enjoy the many lights visible from the water.
2. Join the Baja Bikes Cycling Tour of Maastricht
If you want to explore Maastricht, then a cycling tour with Baja Bikes is the best start to your day out or weekend away. The entire city exudes an atmosphere of enjoyment. Do you want to see more than just the Vrijthof, the St. Servaas Basilica, and the shopping streets? Also, discover the hidden places of this Burgundian City on the Maas? Then take a bike ride with Baja Bikes! Baja Bikes’ experienced guides know the way all around the city and are happy to take you on the Highlight Tour. Your guide uses a mix of historical and current facts and anecdotes to make the story of this beautiful city personal and interesting and to reveal the secrets of Maastricht.
Order your tickets via Baja Bikes with the discount code ‘BB0825’ for a 5% discount.
- Vrijthof Main square
- River Maas
- Historic city center
- Onze Lieve Vrouwe basilica
- Old city gate
- Jeker neighborhood
- Modern architecture in the Céramique neighborhood
- City hall
- Plein 1992 square
- St. Servatius Castle
3. Go chill on the Vrijthof Square – Maastricht’s most popular square
The Vrijthof is the most famous square in Maastricht and is one of the most pleasant squares for relaxation in the Netherlands. In addition to the cosy terraces that can be found on the square, various entertainment activities are held here. For example, André Rieu regularly gives concerts there. During these concerts, the whole square is packed with people and some even watch from the windows of the surrounding buildings. The Vrijthof also plays an important role during the Maastricht carnival. Every year, the “Mooswief” is hoisted and the carnival monument is the “Het Zaate Herremenieke” on the Vrijthof. Other major events that are organized there are the Maastricht fair and the Preuvenemint. The Preuvenemint is one of the largest and oldest culinary festivals in the Netherlands. Every winter during “Magisch Maastricht,” a large ice rink is built on the square for locals and visitors to skate on. Next to the ice rink, are several stalls where oliebollen, Flemish fries are sold. The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings and churches such as the Sint Servaas Basilica, the Sint-Janskerk, the Theater aan het Vrijthof, the old post office and the Spanish government.
4. Go shopping in the heart of the city
Shopping in Maastricht is an attraction in itself. For the true fashion store, there are more than enough shops to choose from. Shopping in Maastricht is roughly divided into three categories in terms of clothing. There are the cases of the well-known couturiers such as Addy van de Krommenacker, Edgar Vos and Christian Lagerwaard where you can find truly unique pieces. The large chains are well represented in Maastricht. There is a beehive, H & M and much more. And then, of course, the nice little boutiques that you not only find in the direct centre but especially in the small streets. The real shopping heart is mainly around the Muntstraat, Nieuwstraat, Grote Straat, Kleine Straat.
5. Go cycling in Maastricht
Besides all the sights and activities in Maastricht, there is of course much more to do in this Burgundian border town. For example, Maastricht and its surroundings are also a paradise for cycling enthusiasts and hikers. The city is part of many signposted long-distance routes, such as the Ravel route (across the border to Liège) and the LF6 (east to Aachen).
6. Attend the Maastricht carnival and enjoy the festivities
The Carnival in Maastricht is one of the biggest popular festivals in the city. Those who do not like beer and big fancy dress parties should avoid the city around this time. There is no escaping it in the city centre. In Maastricht, the carnival starts on Sunday and after the Mass on Sunday morning, the festive noise begins and both young and old dressed up in the most diverse costumes to mark the beginning of the festivities. Mud straps provide the necessary atmosphere and conviviality, a large pot of beer does the rest. The highlights of the carnival are the procession held on Sunday afternoon and the announcement of the carnival song on Friday. On Tuesday evening at twelve o’clock, the curtain falls and a lot more drinking marks the end of the carnival.
7. Discover Maastricht’s Christmas market
During the Christmas season, everything is organised in Maastricht. The heart of all these events is, as is often the case, the Vrijthof. In the month of December, the square is filled with wooden chalets, an ice rink, various catering establishments and a mega Ferris wheel. If you walk across this Christmas market you can smell the mulled wine, the Liège waffles and other food sold in the Christmas market.
A lot of things can be bought at the Christmas market. From handmade wooden figurines to gloves and of course all kinds of nice Christmas stuff. The Christmas market of Maastricht is by far not the largest in the Netherlands or the area but it is one of the nicest in Limburg.
For the children, there is a mega slide, a merry-go-round, a caterpillar and a nostalgic train.
The rest of Maastricht is beautifully decorated with various Christmas trees and beautiful light artworks. Especially on the market and at the shopping centres Mosae Forum it is beautifully decorated.
8. Visit Coal Mine Valkenburg and discover the nearby town of Valkenburg
Looking to dive into the world of coal mining in the Netherlands? Experience the hard, impressive and adventurous life of coal miners in the heart of Valkenburg! Take a journey into the world of mining in a mysterious underground environment. Unique film material about the mining industry in Valkenburg can be seen at the mine as ex-mineworkers tell their stories during a tour of the Valkenburg Coal Mine.
Note: The Valkenburg Coal Mine and the Jan Kruysen Gallery are accessible for disabled and wheelchair users.
9. Visit the Valkenburg Cave Experience
The Cave Experience consists of a tour with a guide by train or on foot where you can learn about the origin and history of the cave and a light spectacle where past and present go together in a spectacular way. During the tour, visitors will pass mural paintings, plaques, sculptures and shelters from the cold war period. They also see where the locals of Valkenburg hid during WWII and a romantic chapel dating from the period of French rule.
Undergo the timeless power of the imagination in the form of a light show in the Valkenburg municipal cave. 30,000-year-old cave art comes to life in a unique way and confronts contemporary art. This imaginative narrative technique with spectacular light and sound effects immerses you in the artworks and takes you to another world of experience.
The combination of nature, history and culture supplemented with an imaginative narrative technique makes up a unique experience that visitors are never going to forget. This combination creates a totally new experience in an ancient environment.
10. Explore the Fort Saint Pieter
Step back in time and relive the history during a tour of Fort St. Pieter! The enthusiastic guides take you on a journey of discovery, lead you around the well, the shooting holes and the canon gallery, the numerous chambers and corridors under the castle and then enjoy beautiful stories of Maastricht in the times of the sieges and check out the view of the city from the top of the hill.
The Fort Sint Pieter is located on the south side of the city, high above the River Maas and is partly connected by corridors with St. Pietersberg. The fort dates back to the beginning of 1700 and is largely intact or somewhat restored. Outside is the view of the city, the Maas and the surrounding landscape of impressive beauty! Don’t miss out on this spectacular journey into the historyof Maastricht!
11. Explore the North Caves Maastricht Underground
Do you dare to go underground and are you not afraid of the dark? Then go on an adventure in the caves of Sint-Pietersberg! No light, no sound, no smell, no radiation, no pollution, no telephone coverage, no sense of time … Just you deep underground and discovering the history hidden deep beneath the foundations of Maastricht.
In a labyrinth of more than 20,000 steps under, a professional guide takes you underground in the 80 kilometres long North cave underground system. Unique sights of the North Caves are the enormous dome, the ancient shelter of the inhabitants of St. Peter’s, the dark gothic corridor and the Kluis (where treasures and other valuable works of art were hidden/stored during WWII). Rembrandt’s Nightwatch was stored in this cave! Also, see the beautiful painting and other works of art that different artists have left behind over the years.
Note: The cave is too big so it’s not possible to have a complete tour of it. If you have a request to see something specific, please ask the guide at the beginning of the tour!
