Experience culture
Maastricht
35 km by car
35 minutes by train from Echt
Maastricht has a rich history, which you can see in the Roman buildings and plazas in the old city centre. It gives the city a sense of charm and tradition. The museums display objects from the Roman era as well as the most recent modern art. You should definitely include the most famous art museum in Maastricht, the Bonnefantenmuseum, the Basilica of Our Lady and Saint Servatius Basilica in your schedule! The most exciting attraction in Maastricht is a guided tour of the centuries-old underground caves resulting from mining operations. If you would prefer to stay above-ground, consider a boat tour of the Meuse river.
Everyone who has ever been in Maastricht wants to go back, even if it is just for shopping. The compact inner city harbours hundreds of shops, from trendy little boutiques and luxury shops to interior decorating shops, art galleries, and antiques and specialty food shops. The Bookshop Dominicanen, the world’s most beautiful book shop, is a must see. The shops are interspersed with street-side terraces where you can enjoy coffee with vlaai, a typically southern Dutch tart.
There is something for everyone: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Check the link for a tour.
( City tour )
Thorn
15 km by car
On bike (ferry) 8 km
Thorn, the little white town
The little white town of Thorn is popular among tourists and it has a rich history dating back to the late 10th century. The historic centre of Thorn is a protected heritage area. Sights include the cobbled streets, the beautiful Abbey Church and the Municipal Museum called ‘Het Land van Thorn’, with the Thorn Panorama, a 3D painting of the historic old town. You can also visit the ‘Kapel onder de Linden’ chapel, approximately two kilometres outside of town.
The history of Thorn
Over the course of time Thorn developed into a miniature convent ruled by an abbess and 20 ladies of noble birth. It had its own jurisdiction and its own currency, but this came to an end in 1794 with the arrival of the French. That’s when Thorn got its distinctive white colour. After the aristocratic ladies had fled, the French imposed a tax based on the size of the windows. The locals were often poor people living in large properties that previously belonged to the rich. To reduce the amount of tax they had to pay, many of them bricked up the windows and then whitewashed their houses to conceal the signs of their renovation work (‘scars of poverty’).
A Touris Office-authorised guide organises a themed walk on every third Sunday of the month. In addition, groups can pre-arrange guided tours all year round. For more information, contact VVV Thorn. Thorn is also the starting point for various boat trips to explore the splendid Maasplassen network of lakes.
Roermond
15 minutes by car
17 km by bike
The atmospheric, historic center of Roermond is an absolute must. Funshopping in the Netherlands is something you do in Roermond. There lies the largest designer outlet in the entire Benelux, comprising 150 stores, 200 designer brands such as Gucci, Prada, Moncler, Armani and Ralph Lauren. And this unique shopping experience is but the start of what Roermond has to offer: with its rich history as an episcopal diocese, its beautiful natural surroundings and excellent restaurants, Roermond is a perfect destination for an extended, multi-day shopping holiday. Shops are open 7 days a week. Follow the P-route to one of the car parks. The signs will tell you how many parking spaces are available.
(Kerststad) Valkenburg
30 minutes by car
From November 12, 2021 to January 9, 2022, Christmas City Valkenburg will be unleashed again!
Christmas town Valkenburg may call itself one of the 10 best Christmas markets in Europe and the best in the Netherlands! Christmas town Valkenburg achieved a nice 9th place in the “European Best Christmas Market 2020” competition, leaving cities such as Trier, Prague, Amiens and Cologne behind.
Christmas is the most enjoyable time of the year, which should never pass. That is why it is no less than 52 days of Christmas in Valkenburg Christmas City. The entire town is covered in Christmas atmospheres for that genuine Christmas feeling and there is so much to do! Visit the best Christmas destination in Europe and let yourself be carried away by the underground magic in the caves of Valkenburg. Hundreds of stalls, thousands of lights, impressive sand sculptures and meters-long miniature villages make the underground experience unsurpassed and be surprised by the absolute audience favorite: the Christmas parade.
Maaseik (België)
10 km by car
On the bike with the bicycle ferry 6 km
Maaseik has many fascinating museums. Such as the treasure room with the Codex Eyckensis, the oldest gospel book in the Benelux. The Regional Archaeological Museum depicts human life in and around Maaseik – from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The John Selbach Museum and the oldest private pharmacy in Flanders are also worth a visit.