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Foto: picture alliance / DUMONT Bildarchiv | Rainer Kiedrowski

Foto: Maastricht Marketing

Schönste Buchhandlung Europas: Boekhandel Dominicanen (7) • Beautiful bookshop: Boekhandel Dominicanen (7) Erhabener romanischer Bau der Liebfrauenbasilika (10) • Sublime building of the Basilica of Our Lady (10)

Foto: picture alliance / ANP | „Marcel Van Hoorn“ Foto: Maastricht Marketing

Der zentrale Vrijthof (8) mit der Kirche St. Servatius (9) • The central Vrijthof (8) with the Basilica of St. Servatius (9) Wieder in Betrieb: die mittelalterliche Bisschopsmolen (11) • Back in operation: the medieval Bisschopsmolen (11)

I n Maastricht, the number of beautiful hotels is abundant, one of the most elegant r 17:00 – A ten-minute walk to the south is the Gouvernement (4) of Maastricht, also
being Chateau St. Gerlach located about ten kilometres from the city centre (see
known as the Limburg Provincial Building. This extensive monumental complex, situated
below): it is a former monastery with a baroque park, vineyard and rose garden. A directly on the Maas River, was completed in 1986 according to the plans of Dutch archi-
stylish alternative in the heart of the city is the Boutique Hotel Beaumont (1) in a listed tect Gerard Snelder (1913–2001). All 23 individual buildings are connected by tower-like
Wilhelminian-style building. This hotel, family-run since 1912, is located close to the staircases with sloping, diamond-shaped roofs. The Gouvernement serves as the seat
main train station. of the Provincial Council and the King’s Commissioner in Limburg, the only province in
the Netherlands where the latter is unofficially referred to as Gouverneur and his seat as
Saturday: East of the Maas River Gouvernement; a legacy from the time of military governors of Maastricht. The building
is best known as the site of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty (1992), which sealed the
r 10:00 – Maastricht Centraal (2) is an imposing structure built between 1913 and 1915, European Economic and Monetary Union. The premises also house more than 1,350
featuring a grand reception building designed by architect George van Heukelom. The works of art – a guided tour of the complex takes about one and a half hours.
old station clock, stained glass windows and arches attune visitors to the city’s historical
atmosphere. From here, it’s a ten-minute walk to Café Bikke, located in a 16th-century Sunday: Maastricht City Centre
building, serving Scandinavian-inspired snacks. After a quick refreshment, we reach the
city’s landmark after another ten minutes: the Bonnefanten Museum (3). The second day is dedicated to the districts on the western bank of the Maas River. From
the hotel, the route leads to a nearby important landmark: the historical St. Servatius
r 11:30 – The Bonnefanten hosts temporary exhibitions – Old Masters meet contemporary Bridge (5), the oldest bridge in the Netherlands, offering charming views of the river and
art –, but a visit to the iconic building designed by architect Aldo Rossi is definitely a must. the city.
The unusual dome-shaped structure, completed in 1995 and spanning three floors, fea- r 10:00 – The Romanesque bridge, named after Saint Servatius of Tongeren, is open only
tures an impressive staircase and dome room where visitors can relax on large cushions to cyclists and pedestrians. The 160-metre-long and nine-metre-wide limestone structure
and admire optical illusions on the walls. with seven distinctive arches was completed in 1298. Its predecessor, a wooden version,

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