Maastricht is a city and municipality in the province of South Limburg. The city is situated on both banks of the Maas river in the south-east of the Netherlands, near the borders of Belgium and Germany. As of latest measurement the city of Maastricht has a population of 120 thousand people.
First time visitors to Maastricht will experience locals that attach great importance to it’s quality of life, public safety and social occasions, while the city has many historical buildings and settlements the minds are set towards the future offering modern university with international ambitions and a high cultural landscape.
Maastricht city center is attractive due to its wealth of history, about 1450 monuments are protected by the law. It’s locals show great care to renovate the buildings, monuments to maintain its atmosphere and historical look and feel. Because of Maastricht’s heritage value the entire city center is now serving as a “protected area”. In the center of the city you can find the main square “Vrijthof” where you can admire several monuments as the beautiful “Basilica of Saint Servatius” or the famous “St. Pietersberg’ caves which are the left overs of centuries of excavation of marl. There’s a possibility to book a boat cruise through the over 20 thousand passages through the tourist information office VVV.
The city history, culture and sightseeing and day to day living includes a wide variety of shops, impressive monuments, theaters, entertaining bars, cafes and pubs in between spacious parks and squares and of course last but not least the hospitality of its locals. This makes what makes the oldest city within the Netherlands a truly unique travel destination.
Travelers to Maastricht need a valid passport and visa. American citizens are allowed to stay up to 90 days without the use of a visa. Maastricht is a city of decent size, it’s easy to get around in the city center. he most convenient time to visit Maastricht is during daytime summer, from June till August.