It was the first beautiful day of the year. Sun was promised to us and this time the weatherman was right. It was high time to pick up the good intentions again and explore my own, often overlooked, country. This time my destination was one of the oldest and Southernmost cities: Maastricht. It was once settled because it was an easy point to cross the Meuse river, hence the name. ‘Maas’ is the Dutch name for the river and ‘tricht’ is a place where the water level is low enough to cross.
Together with my mum I drove out to the edge of this, pretty small, city and from there we walked towards the Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein. Maastricht has a very strategic location, being very close to Germany as wel as Belgium. Over the years the city therefore had many armies come to its gates with the intention to take over. The inner city is surrounded by several walls, of which there are still some pieces left and you can even go for a stroll over parts of it. As you enter towards the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein, you are greeted by a row of old canons.
On the square Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein, you immediately see the basilica of our lady. It isn’t the most charming church from the outside and it was never meant to be. The church was built to house the city’s inhabitants in case of danger and functioned as a fortress. Right next to the church, at the entrance, there’s a little chapel with a beautiful statue of Our Lady. Entrance to the church is free, but there is also a treasury attached which you can enter for 3 Euro. Inside I found the usual treasures, like reliquaries and church objects, but also a dial with lots of buttons. I pressed a few buttons like headaches, love, travellers or carpenters, and this dial would show me which saint to pray to.
By the time we came out of the church it was almost 11.30AM and time for our f(r)ee tour. For the next two hours we walked all around the city. We didn’t just visit the center, but walked through other areas, like the Jeker quarter and Céramique, as well. One of our first stops was a 7th century water mill, that was still running. They make delicious spelt bread and gorgeous looking vlaai, a traditional type of pie from the South of the Netherlands which can be filled with all sorts of fruit, rice or custard.
Maastricht really surprised me. There were dozens of cosy looking outdoor terraces, where you can have lunch, or just enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. Even though I didn’t have time now, I’d like to come back and do some shopping. The main center has all the typical Dutch chain stores and a few surprise shops in between. There are some modern additions to the buildings like the Mosae Forum and the bookshop in the Dominican church. For some more exclusive shopping you could hop across the other side of the Meuse to the Rechtstraat or try your luck at Saturday’s flea market in the center. Last but not least, Maastricht is very pretty! There is so much history in this city and it was great fun to get to know it through the free walking tour.
Some of Maastricht’s history is not so easily visible though. About 45 minutes walking from the center, the cityscape makes room for the countryside. A short climb will bring you to the St. Peters Mountain, all of 171m high. This mountain consists of limestone and was therefore very popular. The landowners used to dig tunnels in the mountain to get the stone out. Now you can visit some of the more than 80km of tunnels that is still there. You can book an ordinary walking tour or you can make it a bit more exciting by going on a scooter.
Before we could enter the caves, we first had to ride up the little hill to get there. I can see people hesitating. Is this going to be strenuous? But as soon as we’re in the cave, with only our headlamps providing us with light, it gets a lot easier. We ride up and down through this labyrinth, glad we have a guide with us. The walls are filled with graffiti, mostly names, the oldest one from the 13th century. Some names are markers, so people can find their way back.
Every now and then we stop and our knowledgeable guide tells us more about the caves. We learn how much is left and how they were created. We see artworks that have been made over the years and hear stories of things that happened here. During the second world war these caves were even prepared to be air raid shelters. All inhabitants of Maastricht were meant to fit inside. Only part of them actually went in, when The Netherlands was almost liberated.
These caves tell a lot of stories and I loved hearing some of them. Not so long ago you could still enter the caves for free, without a guide, any time. At some point during the tour we turn off our headlamps. Never ever would I go in without knowing my way. It is pitchblack and I don’t even know what’s up or down anymore. People got lost in here because their lights died and I was glad when we turned on our lights again and pushed our scooters over the bumpy paths.
The caves have a café which serves drinks and meals and has a great view over the Meuse. It’s the perfect place for lunch or a drink at the end of a long day. A level down is a very small winery, where a bachelor party, all with black berets, learn about the grapes and wines. People come by bike and by foot, just to enjoy the sun and the views. This was only a taste of Maastricht for me. I would love to come back to do some shopping, see the fortress and perhaps some of the other tunnels. But as far as introductions go, this was a pretty good one.
