SHOPS ARE OPEN THIS SUNDAY! MAASTRICHT HAS A SUPERB CAR-FREE SHOPPING DISTRICT!
Situated on the Meuse River close to the Belgian border, Maastricht is by far the oldest city in the Netherlands. It has been continually inhabited since about 500 B.C. It still has many traces of its Roman period, but strangely enough it never received Roman city rights. The naam Maas-stricht comes from Mosae Trajectum, which means ‘crossing at the Meuse’ (indeed the same river as Liège, Namur and Dinant).Â
Maastricht is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities of the country. For many Europeans, and Brussels expats in general, the city is especially known for the famous 1992 Maastricht Treaty that formed the European Union and the single European currency, and possibly also for the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol). At just 1,5 hours driving from Brussels, it’s about time that we put it on our calendar. All the shops are open today, and this is a marvellous shopping city!
We start our day as usual at Place Schuman and travel by luxury 4* coach in one go to Maastricht. It’s not a long drive, but rest assured that we only make use of the most comfortable buses that we can find (on-board toilet, AC, reclinable comfort chairs with extra leg space). This one even has private video screens, so you can take your Dr Beats or Skull Candy headphones with you to enjoy the best sound.
Upon arrival we first visit the impressive Sint Pieter Caves. This underground labyrinth was once comprised of more than 20.000 corridors with a total length of 230 kilometers (longer than Maastricht to Amsterdam!). Luckily a professional guide will show us around, so we don’t have to worry about getting lost. Needless to say that these caves have played a very important role throughout history, but especially during war times.
After parking the bus on the edge of the city center we will meet our second guide of the day who will tell us much more about the history of Maastricht, its citizens, culture, economy and architecture. During our guided tour we will discover the picturesque streets of the Stokstraat quarter, the charming Onze Lieve Vrouweplein square, and the famous Vrijthof square. (this is where the world famous violinist André Rieu from Maastricht always performs a magnificent show). We will also see the city ramparts, the Helpoort, and the Jeker quarter. The official guides will tell us the fascinating stories and amusing anecdotes while teaching us about’s Maastricht’s history and its progression from Roman settlement to important garrison city and early industrial powerhouse. S/he will also tell us Maastricht’s typical way of life, which is known as the ‘Mestreechter Geis’ (the Spirit of Maastricht).
You will be pleasantly surprised by its beauty and its stylish shops. Since we are using a professional individual tour guide system you can listen to the guide perfectly without standing very close to him/her.
Our guided tour ends at the Vrijthof where we will have lunch in a nice restaurant. As with any Expat Club joining for lunch is optional and we always make sure to find a good and affordable restaurant. The menu is not yet known, but we will communicate it asap. During the checkout process you can indicate whether you would like to join (normally 90% joins).
After lunch you have free time until our departure around 18h30. You can go shopping. As said, Maastricht has an attractive shopping district with many lovely shops and boutiques. You can also visit one of the many museums, including the famous Bonnefantenmuseum with old, modern and contemporary art. Of course we finish our day again on the Vrijthof square for a nice drink and late afternoon snack (or light early dinner) before returning to Brussels around 19h00 with arrival around 20h30.
SHOPS ARE OPEN THIS SUNDAY! MAASTRICHT HAS A SUPERB CAR-FREE SHOPPING DISTRICT!
Situated on the Meuse River close to the Belgian border, Maastricht is by far the oldest city in the Netherlands. It has been continually inhabited since about 500 B.C. It still has many traces of its Roman period, but strangely enough it never received Roman city rights. The naam Maas-stricht comes from Mosae Trajectum, which means ‘crossing at the Meuse’ (indeed the same river as Liège, Namur and Dinant).Â
Maastricht is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities of the country. For many Europeans, and Brussels expats in general, the city is especially known for the famous 1992 Maastricht Treaty that formed the European Union and the single European currency, and possibly also for the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol). At just 1,5 hours driving from Brussels, it’s about time that we put it on our calendar. All the shops are open today, and this is a marvellous shopping city!
We start our day as usual at Place Schuman and travel by luxury 4* coach in one go to Maastricht. It’s not a long drive, but rest assured that we only make use of the most comfortable buses that we can find (on-board toilet, AC, reclinable comfort chairs with extra leg space). This one even has private video screens, so you can take your Dr Beats or Skull Candy headphones with you to enjoy the best sound.
Upon arrival we first visit the impressive Sint Pieter Caves. This underground labyrinth was once comprised of more than 20.000 corridors with a total length of 230 kilometers (longer than Maastricht to Amsterdam!). Luckily a professional guide will show us around, so we don’t have to worry about getting lost. Needless to say that these caves have played a very important role throughout history, but especially during war times.
After parking the bus on the edge of the city center we will meet our second guide of the day who will tell us much more about the history of Maastricht, its citizens, culture, economy and architecture. During our guided tour we will discover the picturesque streets of the Stokstraat quarter, the charming Onze Lieve Vrouweplein square, and the famous Vrijthof square. (this is where the world famous violinist André Rieu from Maastricht always performs a magnificent show). We will also see the city ramparts, the Helpoort, and the Jeker quarter. The official guides will tell us the fascinating stories and amusing anecdotes while teaching us about’s Maastricht’s history and its progression from Roman settlement to important garrison city and early industrial powerhouse. S/he will also tell us Maastricht’s typical way of life, which is known as the ‘Mestreechter Geis’ (the Spirit of Maastricht).
You will be pleasantly surprised by its beauty and its stylish shops. Since we are using a professional individual tour guide system you can listen to the guide perfectly without standing very close to him/her.
Our guided tour ends at the Vrijthof where we will have lunch in a nice restaurant. As with any Expat Club joining for lunch is optional and we always make sure to find a good and affordable restaurant. The menu is not yet known, but we will communicate it asap. During the checkout process you can indicate whether you would like to join (normally 90% joins).
After lunch you have free time until our departure around 18h30. You can go shopping. As said, Maastricht has an attractive shopping district with many lovely shops and boutiques. You can also visit one of the many museums, including the famous Bonnefantenmuseum with old, modern and contemporary art. Of course we finish our day again on the Vrijthof square for a nice drink and late afternoon snack (or light early dinner) before returning to Brussels around 19h00 with arrival around 20h30.
