Maastricht is probably the most non-Dutch Dutch town: it is in the very Southern part of Limburg province, hugging the border with Belgium and a stone’s throw from Germany. Here, it is all about quality of life. No surprise that Maastricht sometimes feels more French or Belgian than the more business-like atmosphere found in the Northern part of the country.

Maastricht is the oldest city in the Netherlands and the capital of Limburg province, the southernmost of the twelve Dutch provinces. This lively university town straddles the river Maas (Meuse). Maastricht is considered a culinary, fashion and cultural capital. Historical buildings, beautiful churches and basilicas and charming squares offer the perfect backdrop for a day of exploration, culture and excellent meals.

A few of my favorite things to do are a walk across the St. Servaas bridge (named after the city’s first bishop) into the old town. Shop in the Stokstraat, a tiny narrow street with tiny boutiques rather than big chain stores. You must “rest” on one of the many picturesque squares. The Onze Lieve Vrouwe (“Our Lady”) square is a perfect place to have a beer or glass of wine while watching the world go by. Drop by in the basilica on the square to see the gorgeous statue of Our Lady. Vrijthof, the other main square also perfectly exhibits the Maastrichtenaar’s priorities in life: culture, history and religion on one hand with the big churches on one side of the Vrijthof and then a whole row of charming and historical cafes and outdoor terraces on the other. The square is often referred to as the “Living room” of Maastricht – and a favorite place for Maastricht’s native son Andre Rieu to perform with his orchestra.

Limburgers will proudly tell you that they live in the only “mountainous” part of the otherwise flat Netherlands. A bit of an overstatement, as the “mountains” are not more than hills –but they make for a stunningly beautiful landscape. If you have more than just a day and want to explore outside of Maastricht, you could rent a bike or car, or take a train into Southern Limburg. My favorite time to visit this rural area is in the spring and early summer, when sheep and their lambs graze on grassy hills, when the fruit orchards are in full bloom and when Dutch bike-enthusiast climb hill after hill, knowing that at the end a cold local beer or a cup of coffee with a fresh fruit pie known as “Limburgse vlaai” served in an outdoor café overlooking the landscape. Gorgeous!

Nowadays, Maastricht is included on certain river cruise itineraries, although it is also easily visited by train from Amsterdam. Give us a call and we’ll help you explore the Netherlands.

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Keukenhof flower gardens

Streaks of purple, lilac and white hyacinths painted the landscape just a few miles away from the famed Keukenhof gardens.  I stepped out of the car and was immediately enveloped by their gorgeous fragrance. Yellow and red dots on the green patch on the opposite side of the canal indicated the colors of the tulips that were getting ready to impress the world. Did you know that the Netherlands produces about 62% of export flower bulbs?

If you’re looking for what most people associate with the Netherlands, you don’t need to go any further than the Keukenhof, the famous flower exhibit in the small town of Lisse, about 40 minutes from Amsterdam.  Every spring, Dutch flower and bulb growers display their wares in a cacophony of color and smells that draws in thousands of visitors each day. It is a magnificent flower display in stunning gardens, wooded areas, lakes and canals, just a few miles from the bulb fields – and something that shouldn’t be missed if you visit Holland in the springtime.

In addition to the flora, you’ll find many other characteristically Dutch things in the Keukenhof; canals, a windmill, wooden shoes galore (some of them large enough to sit in).  We enjoyed listening to the wide range of traditional and modern songs played by an old-fashioned music organ while we were resting our feet in one of the open air cafes.  (The Dutch will enjoy their coffee or adult beverages outdoors as soon as a ray of sun peaks through the clouds!) Want to enjoy some Dutch treats? We came across stroopwafels (the typically Dutch and gorgeous “syrup wafers” now also available at Starbucks in the USA – and on some United Airlines flights!), broodje kroket (bread roll with a croquet), patat met (fries with mayonnaise), licorice (drop) and some more unusual items that even caught this born-and-bred Dutchman off-guard: brown beans in a cup, anyone?

Dutch flower fields

But truly, the star attractions of the Keukenhof are the flowers: orchids in a rainbow of color; tulips of any kind imaginable; fragrant hyacinths; blood red anthuriums; lilies and daffodils; crocuses and more.  You’ll find them in beds dotted around the gorgeous park, in special displays that vary by year (don’t miss this year’s “Delft Blue” display that combines the famous pottery with flowers in white and blue) and in big pavilions named after members of the Dutch Royal family. Another themed display this year combined gorgeous flowers with fashion, including hats by royal milliner Philip Treacy that were adorned with live flowers.

Want to visit the Keukenhof? We walked around the entire garden in about four hours, with a break for coffee (of course), although some horticulture fans may take longer. Many river cruise lines include it in their spring itineraries to/from Amsterdam, although of course we can also plan a separate trip for you to explore the Netherlands.

Best time to visit Keukenhof? As the gardens are outdoors and open from late March until May, the flowers on display vary based on the weather and seasonality.  We were there in early April and riots of daffodils and crocuses greeted us. A few weeks later, tulips and other plants would add color.  In addition, the pavilions have a more controlled climate which allows for a wide range of flowers to be available throughout the entire opening season. Keukenhof is popular with foreigners as well as the Dutch, so try to visit Keukenhof on a weekday to avoid big crowds.
 

You can visit the Keukenhof on a river cruise, an ocean cruise or by land. Clients of ĐÓ°É´«Ă˝ benefit from local insight, hotels that provide extra benefits (daily breakfast for two; room upgrades, early check-in and/or late check-out if available and a local amenity per stay). And our local partners can create a truly personalized, authentic experience for you. Want to learn more? Just give us a call.

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But I am not the only one who loves Amsterdam: in fact, the city is so popular with tourists from around the world that the Dutch government and Holland Tourism Board make a concerted effort to get visitors to explore beyond Amsterdam.

The Netherlands flag: Red, White and Blue

And that is a wise move: compared to the United States and many other countries, Holland is tiny: you can easily travel from the East to the West in about two hours, or from North to South in 3-4 hours. And if you’re looking for canals, historic buildings, quaint towns – they are all over the place!

What’s more: the (mostly) excellent Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) Netherlands train system makes exploring Holland easy and worry free. Much like the Swiss railways, trains in the Netherlands are typically timed for frequent departures – you may find as many as two to four departures per hour between Amsterdam Central Station and larger cities like Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht – all less than an hour away. And even the southernmost city of Maastricht is only about a 2.5 hour by direct train from Amsterdam, with its train station conveniently located in the heart of the historical city.

In our ĐÓ°É´«Ă˝ blog, I’ll start describing some of my favorite areas in the Netherlands “beyond Amsterdam” – keep an eye out for the posts!

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