Provincie Limburg Favorite Tips by tompt Top 5 Page for this destination

Mistletoe

Favorite thing: In many trees in Limburg you will see a round ball of branches. They look like birdnests. But it is mistletoe. It is a protected plant and it is forbidden to cut the mistletoe, and even to take mistletoe home that has broken off by storm or something.

Meerssen

Favorite thing: Meerssen was an important place in 870 when the Frankisch Empire was split in the treaty of Meerssen.
In the middle of the 10th century Meerssen was owned by Gerberga, daughter of emperor Hendrik 1 and wife of the king of France. In 968 Gerberga gave her belongings including the chapel to the Benedict Abbey in Reims.
The chapel became a church and in 1222 a wonder occured here, when blood flooded from a host during the Holy Sacrament.
In 1465 the church burned down, but a farmer rescued the relic, without a burnmark.... this is called the wonder of fire.
The chapel was extended and became a basilica, a major pilgrimage church in our country.

Burn a candle

Favorite thing: Burn a candle in the Onze Lieve Vrouwe church in Maastricht. Walking through Maastricht on a sunday you will see many people go inside the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk.
They go there to burn a candle, in honor of the Holy Mary.

Why light a candle?
A candle is a light in the darkness.
The more candles the more power it has, especially when its coming from the heart.
You can light a candle for someone that has a difficult time, or someone you care about. Candles are also lit for people who died. And ofcourse you can lght a candle and ask the holy mary for your health or the health of someone close to you.

The good life

Favorite thing: Being in Limburg you can?t miss it. People like to enjoy life. They like their beer.

There are many beerbreweries in Limburg:
- Lindeboom, in Neer http://www.lindeboom.nl
- Brand bier, in Wijlre, part of the Heineken group,
http://www.brand.nl
- Alfa bier, in Schinnen http://www.alfa-bier.nl
-St Christoffel, in Roermond, http://www.christoffelbier.nl
-Gulpener brouwerij, in Gulpen http://www.gulpener.nl
-Hertog Jan Brouwerij, in Arcen, part of the Interbrew group, http://www.hertogjan.nl
-Leeuw bieren, in Valkenburg, http://www.leeuwbier.nl

Some breweries have tours, please check their websites.

Carnival

Favorite thing: The event of the year in Limburg is Carnival. Everybody dresses up in a silly way and the party starts. It is all about beer and fun.

The picture was taken during the big parade at sunday, march 2nd 2003 in Maastricht.

Religion

Favorite thing: Limburg is known for its religious believes. Most people in Limburg are Roman Catholic. One can see this in the entire provincie: lots of religious statues and roadside chapels.
This is a monument on the Gulpenerberg.

Walking in the dutch mountains

Favorite thing: Limburg is the only dutch provincie to have (what we call) mountains. The landscape of
south Limburg is just right for cycling or hiking. The footpaths are good and many routes are well marked by colored poles. Just follow the yellow, the red or blue route. They are mostly roundtrips.
If you see markers with red and white horizontal striping, this is the symbol for longdistance walkingroutes. The most famous dutch one starts in Limburg at the Pietersberg and leads to Pieterburen in the extreme north of country, it is called : Pieterpad. It will take you 480 kilometers to reach the end!

Maastricht

Favorite thing: Maastricht, the capitol of Limburg, is one of the best cities in our country.
The people are friendly and warm, and they know how to enjoy life.
Maastricht is an old city and one can still see the old citywalls in several places.