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SERIEN EIN WOCHENENDE IN ... • WEEKEND IN ...

Fotos: Hugo Thomassen Foto: Guy Houben

Komfort im alten Gemäuer: Im Kruisherenhotel (13) ... • Comfort in old walls: Kruisherenhotel (13) ... Einst Kloster, heute ein Hotel: Château St. Gerlach (14) • Once a monastery, now a hotel: Château St. Gerlach (14)

L

Foto: Maison Rowena

... lässt es sich himmlisch speisen und nächtigen. • ... is a heavenly place to dine and spend the night. Geschichte der Keramikindustrie: Sphinxpassage (15) • History of the ceramics industry. Sphinx Passage (15)

is said to have been built by the Romans as early as 50 BC. The route continues to the Basilica of Our Lady: the historical Bisschopsmolen water mill (11) in the idyllic Jeker
right towards the Mosae Forum shopping centre (6). quarter is not to be missed! Since 2005, the mill has been back in operation. In the
r 11:00 – From the Café Alley Cat Bikes & Coffee, the route leads 300 metres westward, adjacent traditional bakery, visitors can trace the centuries-old production chain from
past picturesque façades and small shops, to the Boekhandel Dominicanen (7). This is farmer to miller to baker.
arguably one of the most beautiful bookstores in Europe, housed in a over 700-year-old r 14:30 – The well-preserved city wall (12) was already built in 1229. Particularly note-
former Dominican church built in Gothic style. Here, tens of thousands of books are worthy is the city gate (Helpoort), the oldest in the Netherlands.
stacked up on huge shelves made of black steel under the impressive church vault. The r 15:00 – A stop at the Kruisherenhotel (13) is worthwhile, a former 15th-century monas-
walk-in shelves were designed by Keijsers Interior Projects, the overall interior by Amster- tery with a Gothic church transformed into a five-star design hotel by architect Rob Brou-
dam-based Merkx+Girod Architecten. wers. The atmosphere is unique, thanks in part to the elegant lighting design by Ingo
12:00 – Next, we head to the Vrijthof (8). This most prominent square in Maastricht’s Maurer. Another hotel alternative is the aforementioned Château St. Gerlach (14) in Val-
old town is surrounded by numerous historical buildings, such as the Gothic St. John’s kenburg.
Church with its red tower, the Museum at the Vrijthof, once known as the Spaans Gou- r 16:00 – In the afternoon, Maastricht offers plenty of options: The Stokstraat quarter is
th
vernement Museum, and beautiful old trees from the 19 century – but above all, St. a pleasant place to stroll through small shops and boutiques, architecture fans can visit
Servatius (9), a Romanesque basilica built in several stages over a period of more than “La Fortezza” by Mario Botta, nature lovers can walk through the Aldenhof Park and those
100 years since the first half of the 11th century. who have explored enough can enjoy some time out at the Sanctum Spa or SpaSereen.
r 12:30 – After a short walk, we reach another historical landmark from the 11th century: In bad weather, the Sphinx Passage (15) also offers refuge. Here, on an area of 120 by five
the Romanesque Basilica of Our Lady (10) marked the centre of the city upon its comple- metres, 30,000 tiles tell the story of the ceramics industry in Maastricht.
tion. There is said to have been a church on this site as early as the fifth century, which r 18:00 – Maastricht is considered the culinary capital of the Netherlands; the Mes Amis
can be sensed in the unique atmosphere of the sacred building: a mystical place where restaurant (16) offers excellent and exclusive dining with four to nine-course menus. For
one can momentarily forget the bustle of the city. classic fine dining with a Mediterranean touch in an elegant atmosphere, Au Coin des
r 14:00 – A wonderful engineering highlight of the city lies just two minutes from the Bons Enfants (17) is highly recommended.

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