"Maastricht - the most european dutch... " a Maastricht Travel Page by csordila

Saint Servatius was the first bishop of the Netherlands. His tomb, in the crypt at the Basilica of Saint Servatius, is a favoured place of pilgrimage. The golden gilt shrine containing some of the saint's relics is carried around the town every seven years. During the medieval period these processions caused such rioting that they were forbidden. The Basilica lies at the Vrijthof which is an important square in the city centre.
The city center is split in two by the river Maas, with the train station located in the smaller part of the center.

Very popular with the locals is the petting zoo, which contains numerous pygmy deer and goats, along with ornate chickens and ducks.

The centre of the city is especially attractive, due to its wealth of historic buildings; some 1450 monuments are protected by law. Care is taken that both new and renovated buildings maintain the period atmosphere of their surroundings. Because of its heritage value, the whole of Maastricht city centre has been declared a 'protected area'.

Visit the main square (Vrijthof) or the Market, and admire the beautiful Basilica of Saint Servatius, Basilica of Our Beloved Lady, O.L. Vrouweplein or the famous 'St. Pietersberg' caves, which are the result of centuries of excavation of marl, a building stone, resulting in an enormous labyrinth of more than 20,000 passages. Visit the VVV tourist office for guided tours - even tours by boat through these enormous caves are possible.

Of course, there are many opportunities to just relax, shop in one of many small streets with nice tourist shops and little pubs. No other Dutch city has so many bars per square kilometer!