The city’s long history meets the eye everywhere and the historical character of the city centre has been wonderfully preserved, just like in many other Dutch cities. The Maas River, from which Maastricht gets its name, flows right through the heart of the city. The Dutch themselves sometimes even regard Maastricht as slightly ‘foreign’. Its architecture is more like the kind found in Belgium and Germany and the city’s ‘bon vivant’ lifestyle is unique to the Netherlands.
Maastricht has something to offer every visitor. The city is well known for its restaurants, cafés and bistros, all essential ingredients of any culinary trip. In Maastricht it’s all about enjoying the good life! And there’s plenty of options for shoppers too. Maastricht has many unique and cosy boutique stores. A very special feature is the fact that there is lots to do under Maastricht as well, with many caves, quarries and secret passageways that are worth exploring.
Maastricht is a popular event location, partly because of its proximity to both Belgium and Germany. Each year, major events are organised in various event locations in the city, including the European Fine Art Fair {TEFAF}, a prestigious international art fair in MECC Maastricht where art lovers come to view and acquire the crème de la crème in fine art, antiques and design. Maastricht is also the home of the internationally renowned violinist and conductor André Rieu, who performs here each year on the Vrijthof square. Another very popular attraction is Maastricht’s Christmas market, when the city centre is beautifully illuminated with Christmas lights.