How was your weekend? We spent ours in Maastricht, the Netherlands’ southernmost city close to the Belgian border. Our first trip to Maastricht two years ago was not the most fun experience (thanks to an expensive food festival and crappy weather) but even then we agreed that this is the kind of place that deserves a second chance. This time around, Maastricht did not disappoint.
Some impressions of Maastricht: its medieval architecture and cobblestoned streets make it a picturesque and pretty place to spend a day or a weekend.
Maastricht is known for excellent food—walking into a restaurant or cafe here isn’t the hit-or-miss proposition that it typically is in Amsterdam. If I was planning a road trip further down south, say Belgium or France, I’d definitely make Maastricht a pit stop for lunch.
However, Maastricht’s culinary pleasures don’t come cheap; residents simply seem more willing to pay a premium for good food. As you’ll observe when you walk around, this is one wealthy, and thus, expensive city.
It’s stylish in its own way, too—it feels like there’s higher concentration of preppy Dutchies in Maastricht than anywhere else in the country. The look is very blond, very old, and very Ralph Lauren: just stepped off my sailboat in my red blazer and white jeans (I also saw a lot of mint green blazers with pink trousers). Well, there is a lot of sailing and boating going on here, so I guess it’s to be expected.
Still, there are exceptions, and those are fun to spot.
And there are free pleasures to be enjoyed, as I discovered (and will share in upcoming posts).
One of the best things to do in Maastricht for free is to sit in its expansive Vrijthof square, which is lined with old bars, cafes and restaurants. During our visit, the Vrijthof was hosting a huge tournament of jeu de boules, so we sat there and watched for a while. I can’t pretend I understand the rules or find it terribly exciting, but I always like people-watching anyway.
Then there’s always the pleasure of aimless discovering: walking around the old town and along the river, browsing museums, bookstores and more.
Did you do anything fun this weekend?
