NH, Maastricht

Advantages: Beautiful city, everything at walking distance
Disadvantages: maybe the weather??

...If you want to know something about Maastricht, why not ask somebody who lives there. Where is it???? Well, almost lives there. I live in Berg en Terblijt, 3 miles away from the suburbs of Maastricht. This is definitely not Holland. Holland is flat with lots of canals. Maastricht lies in the province of Limburg, a hilly landscape in the lower right hand corner of the Netherlands. Belgium is right next to Maastricht, Germany is a 15 minutes drive away. Even the city of Luxemburg is closer than Amsterdam. If you want to get here you can fly directly from London almost everyday to Maastricht-Aachen Airport. Aachen is a German city 20 miles from Maastricht. You can also take the ferry to Antwerpen or Oostende in Belgium, or to Hoek van Holland (from Harwich), and drive to Maastricht in about one and a half hour. Third possibility... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Interesting, cheap and close to Maastricht
Disadvantages: Cold and dark with uneven, sandy ground floors

...The St. Pietersberg Caves are just on the edge of Maastricht and near the boarder of Netherlands and Belgium in the southern Province of Netherlands called Limburg. Maastricht is the capitol city of Limburg. The caves date from Roman Times, before Christ, but were used and lived in as recently as WWII as an escape from Hitler's occupying forces. There are 2-hour tours inside the caves, which are cold enough for the guides to offer 'loan' jackets for sightseers to borrow while inside the caves and also tours conducted in English are available. What you see is incredible drawings and artwork (drawings and paintings) and intricate sculpture from the soft pale yellow sandstone, of which the caves are made. The guides, carrying gas lanterns and flashlights, will give you detailed information about the history of the caves... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Small, friendly, very pretty
Disadvantages: Not easiest desination to get to from the UK

...Most people in the UK have only heard of Maastricht in connection with the EC treaty, they couldn't tell you what it's about, nor could they tell you even which country it's in! The city is tucked in the bottom left hand corner of the Netherlands, and surrounded on three sides by Belgium and Germany. It's also very close to France and Luxembourg is only a short car journey away. Don't make the mistake of thinking it's in Holland - that's in the north of the Netherlands, it's the capital of Limburg provence. I attended a business conference in the beginning of March 2003, and quite by accident managed to land in town at exactly the same time as 'carnival' - which they take very seriously - more about this later. The old town is about one kilometre square, and is a maze of narrow pedestrianised streets there's a bunch of old... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful