GO CITYBREAK: With its Dutch, German, Belgian and French influences much in evidence, a visit to the Dutch city made famous for giving its name to a European treaty is a bit like visiting all four countries at once, writes
ADRIENNE CULLEN
MAASTRICHT is a city of multiple personalities: it’s Dutch, of course, but on the border with Belgium, a stone’s throw from Germany, and at various times over the centuries it’s been captured and held by France – so a holiday here is a bit like visiting all four countries at once.
As if that weren’t enough, this is a city divided in two by the mighty River Maas, with the medieval old town on the west or left bank and the chic antique and architectural design quarter directly opposite on the eastern side or right bank.
And to avoid confusion later, yes, the river that runs through Maastricht does have two distinct names: in Dutch it’s called the Maas, hence Maastricht – but it actually rises in France, where it’s called the Meuse, which is also used in English.
Strangely though, this Dutch masterpiece has never really been a tourist-magnet, perhaps because it doesn’t look like a typical city in the Netherlands: there’s not quite the same proliferation of canals, diminutive bridges and windmills – and what’s more, because it’s in the southern province of Limburg, it actually has . . . hills!
This, of course, is where the Maastricht Treaty – which caused so much political upheaval in Ireland – was signed on February 7th, 1992, turning what had been the European Economic Community (EEC) and then the European Community (EC) into the European Union (EU), and paving the way for the creation of the euro.
So a well-meaning sceptic in the world of politics or economics might plausibly nowadays issue this dismal warning to prospective visitors: if you want to see charming Maastricht before monetary union collapses, and the EU itself is torn asunder by the fallout, go now!
It’s too late, on the other hand, to visit Maastricht if what you have in mind is a wide-eyed visit to one of Holland’s infamous “coffee shops”, essentially low-key drugs bars where limited quantities of cannabis or other “soft” drugs can be bought and consumed legally on the premises.
At the start this month, a new law was introduced banning foreign tourists, other than Belgians and Germans, from using the 700 coffee shops, on the grounds that the business was getting out of hand, with about 6,000 people visiting them daily.
IN MAASTRICHT though, there are plenty of other ways of relaxing. It’s a shopper’s paradise, packed with boutiques, bookshops and world-class art galleries. If you’re not a shopaholic, there’s history on every corner, from the city’s origins as a Roman settlement on the banks of the Meuse, right up to the second World War.
If gastronomy is your way of relaxing, you’re in luck. Unlike the rest of the Netherlands – which seems to exist on a diet of broodjes (attractive-looking but tasteless bread rolls of various descriptions) and saus (pronounced “sowz”, a generic term for sweetened gloop in a variety of colours) – Maastricht loves its food, and has no fewer than five Michelin-starred restaurants. So you know there’s something tasty to look forward to at the end of a long day’s exploring.
The best place to start that exploring is the Vrijthof, the heart of the city, a magnificent square on the old western side of the river surrounded by lively cafes, restaurants and photogenic churches. The largest and most photogenic is Sint Servaasbasiliek (the Basilica of St Servatius), the earliest sections of which date to the 11th century.
Size isn’t everything, though. For my money, the neighbouring 17th-century Gothic gem, Sint Janskerk, is one of the most perfect churches in all of the Netherlands – and inevitably, as in almost every church in this country, you can climb to the top for breathtaking (in more ways than one) panoramas.
That climb will give you a bird’s eye view of the streets around the Vrijthof, including Maastrichterbrugstraat, Wyckerstraat and Grote Straat, which form the Bermuda Triangle of Maastricht shopping, from which, it is said, some foreign tourists never emerge.
At ground level, keep your eyes peeled, in particular, for the magnificent Selexyz bookshop located in a 13th-century former church, the Dominicanenkerk, justly described as “the most beautiful bookshop in the world”, with high-vaulted ceilings and impeccably maintained frescoes. It’s hard to believe it was used as a bicycle shed before it was restored.
Believe it or not, the centre of Maastricht has not just one thousand-year-old basilica, but two. Southeast of the Basilica of Saint Servatius – just a few streets away, in fact, in the Stokstraatkwartier – you’ll find Onze Lieve Vrouweplein or The Square of Our Dear Lady, which was voted the most beautiful square in the Netherlands in 2002. The Basilica of Our Dear Lady was built on the site of a Roman temple, the excavated remains of which can be seen in the grounds of the four-star Derlon Hotel, which has a “museum cellar”.
SO MANY DUTCH city centres are about districts built around large squares, and here in Maastricht the third big square on the western side of the river is the Markt, the second-largest town square in the country, which is dominated by the majestic 17th-century blue-stoned stadhuis or town hall.
The other sight really worth seeing in the old city is the Helpoort – Hell’s Gate – an ancient gate with two imposing towers which form part of the remaining city ramparts dating back to 1229, the oldest fortifications of their type in the Netherlands.
And then right next door on the riverside you’ll find the historic inner harbour known as ’t Bassin, a stylishly renovated docklands area of shops, restaurants and houseboats – which the locals say gives the city “a dash of Manhattan mixed with the Latin Quarter”.
While Maastricht may not have many of the typically Dutch diminutive bridges, it has its fair share of larger ones, no fewer than five in all across the Meuse, the oldest being the St Servaas Bridge, which dates to the 13th century, and the most recent being the De Hoge footbridge, a suspension bridge for pedestrians and cyclists only, built in 2003.
However, if you cross from west to east by way of the John F Kennedy Bridge, you’ll be perfectly positioned for a visit to the Bonnefanten Museum on Avenue Céramique. It features a stunning collection of early Italian painting from the 14th and 15th centuries and Dutch old masters from the 16th and 17th centuries, along with works by more modern artists.
And if even that doesn’t float your boat, go along anyway to take a close-up look at the remarkable building with its rocket-shaped tower designed by architect Aldo Rossi . . . which you’ll probably have seen from along the banks of the Meuse well before you get there.
The Bonnefanten Museum is in the Céramique district, called after an enormous ceramics manufacturing plant that used to cover much of the riverside. Céramique is now one of the coolest parts of the city, known for its “quality-of-life architecture”, the focus of which is the Centre Céramique, a concrete and glass public building which includes a library, exhibition space, theatre, restaurant and cafe.
Adjoining Céramique to the north is the equally trendy Wyck district, a paradise of antiques shops, art galleries, restaurants and delicatessens. Rechtstraat or Right Street is the main drag here, it being the right bank of the river. And it’s here that you’ll find Take One, a bar stocking more than 150 different Dutch and Belgian beers, and the ideal place to stop for refreshment.
Maastricht is a university city, which means some 13,000 of its roughly 120,000 inhabitants are students, so there’s a young, exciting buzz pretty much no matter where you go. But the cultural centre is undoubtedly the Theater aan het Vrijthof, which has everything from music and drama to movies and dance, though there are good music and theatre venues dotted all over the city.
If you feel like really spoiling yourself, why not head for Beluga in the Centre Céramique, the only restaurant in the city with two Michelin stars and a tribute to chef-patron, Hans van Wolde’s business and culinary skills.
On the other hand, how about a restaurant that gave back its Michelin star in 2009 because chef, Michèl Kagenaar, and his wife, Suzan, believed it was putting customers off because they expected it to be too posh and expensive? Located at 89 Dorpstraat, it used to be called In de’n Dillengaard, but now it’s called simply Eten Bij Michèl or Dinner at Michèl’s.
Get there
Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies from Dublin to Brussels and Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Eindhoven, both just an hour away.
Maastricht where to . . .
Stay
Value:Botel Maastricht, 95 Maasboulevard, 00-31-43-3219023, botelmaastricht.nl. If you're looking for a real Dutch hotel experience, this is it – a houseboat hotel or botel. Breakfast is optional on weekdays but included at the weekends. The one catch is that there's no hotel parking. However, you can stop to drop off your cases and then park in an underground garage a few minutes' walk away. From €48 a night for a room with a shower and toilet, excluding breakfast.
Mid-market: Hip Hotel St Martenslane, 6 Sint Maartenslaan, 00-31-43-3211111, st-martenslane.com. Disinclined as you might reasonably be to stay in any place that described itself as "hip", the St Martenslane is in fact a design hotel at modest prices. It's cool, colourful and welcoming, and well located in the Wyck district. Double rooms cost from €68 a night without breakfast to €88 a night with breakfast.
Upmarket:Kruisherenhotel, 19-23 Kruisherengang, 00-31-43-3292020, kruisherenhotel.nl. This four-star hotel located in a former 15th century monastery is quite spectacular, inside and out. It has 60 luxury minimalist rooms, with lots of designer furnishings by the likes of Le Corbusier and Philippe Starck. A room for two adults costs €225 a night, excluding breakfast.
Eat
Value:Eetcafe de Preuverij, 6 Kakeberg, 00-31-43-3250903. This is a big, friendly, comfortable Dutch eetcafe, which is more or less a gastropub. It specialises in favourites such as pasta, lasagne, chicken sate, and salmon. It's reasonably priced and child friendly.
Mid-market:Eten Bij Michèl (Dinner with Michèl), 89 Dorpstraat, 00-31-45-5245594, etenbijmichel.nl. It's a brave chef who gives up a Michelin star, but Michèl Kagenaar did just that, to convince enthusiastic foodies that he wasn't outside their price bracket. It was a good recession strategy – and it has paid dividends. Good food and friendly service.
Upmarket:Beluga, Centre Céramique, 12 Plein 1992, 00-31-43-3213364, rest-beluga.com. The only two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Maastricht. Run by chef-patron, Hans van Wolde, it's minimalist, and, like beluga caviar, expensive too. This is one for a special occasion – like a trip to Maastricht perhaps.
Shop spot
The inner shopping area of the city is called the Binnenstad, which includes Maastrichterbrugstraat, Wyckerstraat, Grote Straat and Stokstraat. In the same network of streets, you’ll find Entre Deux, a modern shopping centre which has won several international awards and attracted all the big designer names. If you’re a dedicated shopper, set a day aside.
Night spot
Theater aan het Vrijthof, 47 Vrijthof , 00-31-43-3505555, theateraanhetvrijthof.nl. This beautiful building on the north side of the Vrijthof is the cultural heart of Maastricht, where you’ll find everything from drama to music to film to dance, including the Dutch National Ballet. A former palace – and it looks it – it opened as a 900-seater theatre in 1992 and does storming business.
