© Lonely Planet Publications

271

Noord Brabant &

Limburg
The Dutch southeast belies most clichés about the Netherlands: tulips, windmills and dykes
are scarce. Noord Brabant is primarily a land of agriculture and industry peppered with a few
pleasant towns, including Den Bosch. It’s also home to the Netherlands’ most popular tourist
draw, De Efteling theme park, and the biggest street fair in Benelux, the Tilburgse Kermis.

Meanwhile, Limburg is home to beautiful Maastricht, contender for the title of Finest
Dutch City, as well as – drum roll – hills. It also hosts Europe’s biggest art sale, the European
Fine Art Foundation show.

Neither province has its roots in the asceticism of the north, a fact made obvious during
carnaval, when the streets fill with fireworks, bands and impromptu parties. And both prov-
inces’ proximity to Belgium and all those indulgent Catholic monasteries – most of which
doubled as excellent microbreweries – mean there are many chances to imbibe.

NOORD BRABANT
In fact, the Dutch call the southeastern lifestyle bourgondisch: like the epicurean

& LIMBURG
inhabitants of Burgundy in France, people in these parts love to eat and drink heartily.

HIGHLIGHTS

„ Thrill to the rarefied vibe in Maastricht Den Bosch

(p278), a world apart from the north. Breda

„ Scare yourself silly in the tunnels at Sint

Eindhoven
Pietersberg (p280).
„ Take it easy in laid-back Den Bosch (p272).
„ Admire European modern art at Eindhoven’s
Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum (p274).
„ Do the day-trip thing in lovely Breda (p275).
Maastricht
&
Sint Pietersberg
Tunnels
Ὀ
272 N O O R D B R A B A N T • • D e n B o s c h ( ‘ s - H e r t o g e n b o s c h ) www.lonelyplanet.com Book
w w waccommodation
. l o n e l y p l a n eonline
t . c o mat lonelyplanet.com N O O R D B R A B A N T • • D e n B o s c h ( ‘ s - H e r t o g e n b o s c h ) 273

NOORD BRABANT & LIMBURG 0

0
30 km
20 miles
Information Take the opportunity to climb the 73m
E19 To Amsterdam A28 To Zwolle To Apeldoorn
Bosch Medicentrum (%699 20 00; Nieuwstraat 34) tower (admission €3.50), with its carillon and great
Den Haag
(The Hague)
(30km)
Utrecht (90km) A30 (12km)
Regional hospital. views.
A12
Nieuwegein
A12 A50 GELDERLAND Library (%612 30 33; Hinthamerstraat 72; internet per The Stadhuis (town hall) was given its clas-
Monster
Hoek van
Oudewater Arnhem hr €3; hnoon-4pm Mon, Tue-Sat 11am-8pm) sical baroque appearance in 1670. There’s a
E25 Lek
Holland Post office (Kerkstraat 67; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, statue of Hieronymus Bosch at the front of
E25 E35
ROTTERDAM A325 9am-2pm Sat) the building.
Waal
A15
A2
Woudrichem
Tourist office (%09001122334; www.regio-vvv.nl; The Noordbrabants Museum (%687 78 77; www
ZUID
HOLLAND
A15 Maas Markt 77; h1-6pm Mon, 9.30am-6pm Tue-Fri, 9am- .noordbrabantsmuseum.nl; Verwersstraat 41; adult/child
Zaltbommel Nijmegen
Dordrecht 5pm Sat) €6.50/3.50; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, noon-5pm Sat), in the
To
A27 Oss Oberhausen 18th-century former governor’s residence,
A29 A16 A50 (59km)
E19 E311
A59
Cuijk
Sights & Activities features a sculpture garden and exhibits about
A4
Willemstad Den Bosch
A77 The main attraction is Sint Janskathedraal Brabant life and art, including drawings and
A261
A59 To Duisburg
(47km)
(%613 03 14; www.sint-jan.nl; Choorstraat 1; admission other work by Bosch.
Breda A73
A17 free; h10am-4.30pm Mon-Sat, 1-4.30pm Sun), one of Boat tours leave from the canal by Sint Janss-
A2 Overloon
To Middelburg
Roosendaal E312 Tilburg the finest churches in the Netherlands. It took ingel. Check the tourist office for times.
Venray
(32km)
Zundert
A58 E25 from 1336 to 1550 to complete, and there’s
Bergen
op Zoom
NOORD
Helmond
To
an interesting contrast between the red-brick Sleeping
E312 BRABANT Eindhoven Duisburg
(38km)
tower and the ornate stone buttresses. The Hotel Terminus (%613 06 66; fax 613 07 26; Boschveldweg
A67 interior is also of interest, with late-Gothic 15; s/d €31/60) As its name suggests, it’s close
A4 E34 Venlo
N1 A67

ὈὈ
stained-glass windows, an impressive statue to the station. The simple, brightly coloured
ZEELAND A2
of the Madonna, and an amazing organ case rooms are decent enough, plus there’s an
A12 A1 LIMBURG from the 17th century. appealing bar (well, the owners call it a ‘folk
NOORD BRABANT

NOORD BRABANT
To Mönchengladbach
Turnhout (10km) Unfortunately, Protestants destroyed the pub’) and regular live folk music.
E25
& LIMBURG

& LIMBURG
A21
Roermond cathedral’s paintings in 1566. Thankfully, two Hotel Euro (%613 77 77; www.eurohotel-denbosch
Thorn
N69 by Bosch remain. .com; Kerkstraat 56; s/d from €65/85) This business hotel
Antwerpen
l
naa

A11

ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈὈ
aka

0 500 m
DEN BOSCH
ian

0 0.3 miles
Jul

N71
A14 N74 GERMANY
A B C D De IJzeren
BELGIUM A2 Prins Vrouw

n
A12 A1 Hendrikpark

aa
e
A76 tr

kad
gs

ell
A3 Heerlen u

d
Br

els
INFORMATION

ta
nd

Ci
A79

Boschveldweg
Kerkrade Bosch Medicentrum.............1 C1

Ha
Emmapl
Maastricht To Aachen 1 Jan Z
Leuven Valkenburg Hein Zu uid- Library.................................2 C2
(7km) s Str Zu id-W W
Brussel id- i illem Post Office...........................3 C2

De Dommel
Havensingel

Buitenhaven

Smalle Haven
nenlaan
W llem sv Tourist Information..............4 B2
ille s aa

tr
A2 Margraten

els
ms vaa rt

k
Chr H va rt

erc
Drielandenpunt uygen a

Koningin
rt SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

nB
sweg
To Luik (Liège)

str

Va
11 1 Aa
Bosch Statue........................ 5 B2

ug
(18km) De
Kard V Noordbrabants Museum...... 6 C2

lbr
train Rossumpl

To
16 station Stationspl Stationsweg St Janskathedraal.................7 C2
19

wstr
Visstr Stadhuis...............................8 B2

Ho enwe
DEN BOSCH (‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH)

Ste
Lepelstr
NOORD BRABANT

og g
ulaan

Nieu
e Pe
18 13

Ὀ
ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
Ὀ ὈὈ
Ὀ
20 4 SLEEPING
%073 / pop 134,000

Nassa

Karr
Eerste All Inn.................................9 C2

nsma
Kruis
This sweet old town has a top-notch church,

gel
Korenstr

enstr
Markt Hintham 2 15 Hotel Euro.........................10 C2
erstr

rkt
str
ssin
nlaan

2 Hotel Terminus...................11 A1

tr
The Netherlands’ largest province spans the a good museum, outstanding cafés and

Gassels
5

Sne
r
Julianapl

t Jan

Postelst
r 9 10 Hintham

rkt -
t
ins

ma apen
istrate

llest
17 erstr

Clarastr
bottom of the country from the waterlogged restaurants, and atmospheric streets that eg 8 nte EATING

Sin
Fo 14

r
7

Sch
Kerkstr

Torenstr
Het
yw
r Café 't Bonte Palet...........(see 17)
west to the elevated east. The towns here have make for plenty of enjoyable strolling. The Choorstr
Mag

12 te
eg
Ach dhuis
Ma

Sta Compas.............................12 B2
gsw
Parade

l
ge
3
mostly transformed from wealthy medieval official name of the town is ’s-Hertogen-
sin
De Raadskelder..................(see 8)
nin

ois
Lange Putstr De Truffel...........................13 B2
leb

an
Ko

fiefdoms to laid-back shopping, student and bosch (Duke’s Forest), but locals call it Den

ὈὈ
ὈὈὈὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈὈ
ὈὈὈ
6

Peperstr

lla
Wil

Triniteitstr
Ve
r D'Orient Üskudar..............14 C2

ke
rst

rw
es s De

tourism precincts. Den Bosch is the main city Bosch (den boss). It’s the birthplace of the Restaurant Nescio..............15 C2

He
te

e rss
gh
e
al
Do

Vu Restaurant PuntNL.............16 A2

tr
tw

and, along with Breda, is an interesting place well-known 15th-century painter Hierony-
er
nD

Bastion
to spend the day. mous Bosch, who took his surname from Sp
Va

inh ENTERTAINMENT
Baselaar

Pe
n uis De Muzerije.......................17 C2

tte
aa wa
Despite its size, Noord Brabant won’t hold the town. ark
l

laa
Willenpl P cht l wal Baselaarspark
Zuid

rse
3 gra Bastion
you up. It’s primarily a land of agriculture gel TRANSPORT

we
Sin

g
Oranje Boat Tours..........................18 B2
and industry, peppered with a few towns Orientation Wilhelminapl
Bus Information.................19 A2
Bus Station.........................20 A2
pleasant and engaging enough to use as way The town’s pedestrianised centre is based
stations on your pilgrimage to Limburg or around the Markt, 600m east of the train Bastion
Vught
beyond. station.
 274 N O O R D B R A B A N T • • E i n d h o v e n
is part of a chain, but it’s still got a certain
degree of warmth, even if the rooms are draped
in chintzy corporate pastels. The location is
central and next to a warren of great cafés and
eating houses.
All Inn (%613 40 57; Gasselstraat 1; s/d from €35/50;
hclosed Aug & carnaval) On the lovably shabby but
clean side. Note: midnight curfew.
Eating & Drinking
Try the local speciality, a heart-failure calorie-
fest known as the Bossche bol (Den Bosch ball).
It’s a chocolate-coated cake the size of a soft-
ball, filled with sweetened cream.
De Truffel (%614 27 42; www.detruffel.com; Kruisstraat
37; mains €10-25; hdinner) Located in a restored
warehouse, De Truffel serves top-notch Medi-
terranean food in a relaxed atmosphere. Try
this: whole roasted trout with browned al-
monds and a stuffed potato. Now that’s atten-
tion to detail you don’t see everywhere.
Restaurant Nescio (%610 09 00; www.nescio
-restaurant.nl; Hinthamerstraat 80; dishes from €4; hdinner)
NOORD BRABANT
Nescio only serves appetisers, the idea being
& LIMBURG
to emphasise taste via concentrated, small
portions, as well as the notion that to sample
several experiences is preferable than one
main one. Try fancies such as the ‘preserved
Oriental duck bolts’ or ask the chef for a ‘wild
card’: be sure to tell him your boundaries
(no bulls’ penises, for example) and let him
surprise you.
Compas (%614 20 20; Postelstraat 79; mains €12-18;
hlunch & dinner) Perched on a little square a few
streets behind the Markt, this is a very charm-
ing and classy little option. Expect Mediter-
ranean food with an oh-so-delectable flourish
and sense of panache.
Restaurant puntNL (%623 44 55; www.restaurant
puntnl.nl; Magistratenlaan 100; mains €7-15; hlunch Tue-
Sun) If this relaxed place was any more Dutch,
it’d rust. Try local favourites such as roasted
aubergine with sugary stroop (syrup), grated
radish, chopped chives and giant shrimp – just
the kind of taste clash that is favoured here.
Wash it down with jenever (Dutch gin) or
elderberry juice and you’ll be wearing clogs
in no time.
Café ‘t Bonte Palet (%613 25 32; Hinthamerstraat
97) Talk about quirky: the front window of
this little hole-in-the-wall bar is stuffed with
all kinds of trinkets including miniature car-
illons, toy cars, tiny theatrical sets, and the
crowning glory: an Asterix triptych. There’s
sometimes live music.
Book accommodation
w wonline
w . l o nate lonelyplanet.com
lyplanet.com
Other options:
De Raadskelder (%613 69 19; Markt 1A; hTue-Sat
10.30am-5pm, dinner Sun 5.30-10.30pm) A 16th-century
Gothic cellar kitchen/restaurant right under the town hall.
The ambience is nothing short of inspirational.
D’ Orient Üskudar (%614 20 20; Verwersstraat 3;
mains €8-15; hdinner) Great Turkish food; lots of goats
cheese throughout.
Entertainment
De Muzerije (%614 10 84; Hinthamerstraat 74) This
all-in-one venue features different kinds of
theatre, dance and film.
Getting There & Around
The train station is new and brimming with
services, including a good grocery store aimed
at travellers. Lockers are on the concourse
over the tracks. Sample fares and schedules:
Destination Price Duration Frequency
(€) (min) (per hr)
Amsterdam 12.70 60 2 Maastricht
Maastricht 18.00 90 1 Rotterdam
Nijmegen 6.80 30 4 %09005222444; Willemstraat 17; h1-6pm Mon, 9am-
Utrecht 7.50 30 4 TILBURG
Buses leave from the area to the right as you
exit the station.
A bicycle shop is located below the station.
EINDHOVEN
%040 / pop 209,286
A mere village in 1900, Eindhoven grew ex-
ponentially thanks to Philips, founded here
in 1891. During the 1990s the electronics
giant found it was having trouble recruit-
ing employees to work in its home town; it
solved the problem by moving to Amsterdam,
although its research and engineering arms
remain here. That sums up the fortunes of this
huge industrial town: while it’s not the most
thrilling place, it’s not without merits.
Electronics aside, Eindhoven is best known
for its football team, PSV, who routinely dom-
inate the national league.
There’s a tourist office (%297 91 00; www
.vvveindhoven.nl; Stationsplein 17; h10am-5.30pm Mon,
9am-5.30pm Tue-Thu, 9am-6.30pm Fri, 10am-5pm Sat) next
to the train station.
Eindhoven’s main attraction is the excel-
lent Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum (%275 52 75; www
.vanabbemuseum.nl; Bilderdijklaan 10; adult/child under 12
€8.50/free; h11am-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, until 9pm
www.lonelyplanet.com
Thu). With a wonderful, first-rate collection of
20th-century paintings – including works by
Picasso, Chagall and Kandinsky – it almost,
but not quite, matches the greatness of the
Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam or the Boi-
jmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam.
There’s a unique nightlife district, Het Stra-
tumseind, where more than 30 cafés, bars and
restaurants within a single stretch of street
make it one of the most concentrated such
areas in the country. There are many options,
and obviously bar-hopping is easy to do.
Eindhoven Airport (www.eindhovenairport.nl) is
6km west of the centre, and aimed at busi-
ness travellers.
The train station is at a junction of lines to
Amsterdam, Maastricht and Rotterdam.
Sample fares and schedules:
Destination Price Duration Frequency
(€) (min) (per hr)
Amsterdam 16.70 90 2 There are two tourist offices (www.vvvbreda.nl;
14.10 80 2 Grote Markt %09005222444; Grote Markt 38; h10.30am-
15.30 70 2 5.30pm Wed-Fri, 10.30am-5pm Sat; Willemstraat
%013 / pop 198,000
With one of the highest ratios of students in
the Netherlands (almost 15% of the popula-
tion), you’d expect a more progressive vibe.
But Tilburg, a former textile town, is in flux,
now that the mills have closed due to foreign
competition, and its centre bears the scars of
unfortunate 1960s urban renewal schemes
(think East Berlin).
People generally make a beeline to Tilburg
in the middle of July, when the Tilburgse Kermis
(Tilburg Fair; www.tilburgsekermis.com) takes place for
close to two weeks. Basically an enormous
street party, it’s a massive celebration of street
fair and street fare. Rides, beer, bad music,
sugary treats, stalls offering stuffed prizes for
games of ‘skill’… It’s the biggest fair in Benelux,
and for that reason alone it’s remarkable.
DE EFTELING
Near Tilburg, in the unassuming town of Kaats-
heuvel, is De Efteling (%0416-288 111; www.efteling
.nl; Europalaan 1, Kaatsheuvel; admission €26; h10am-6pm
Apr-Oct, until 9pm 10 Jul-27 Aug), the biggest domestic
tourist attraction in the Netherlands. This
‘Dutch Disneyland’ pulls more than three
million visitors annually, proving its 40-year
history as a family favourite is undiminished
N O O R D B R A B A N T • • Ti l b u r g 275
by the emergence of newer competitors such
as Flevoland’s Six Flags.
All the usual suspects are here: huge, scary
rides, walk-through entertainment with ani-
matronic robot models, scenes from popular
stories and fairy tales, live shows performed
by ‘talent’, sticky hands, crying kids…
There’s on-site accommodation – the web-
site provides full details.
To get to De Efteling, take bus 136 or 137
from Tilburg or Den Bosch train station.
BREDA
%076 / pop 167,908
Lovely Breda has a wealth of attractions: inter-
esting streets, flower-filled parks and a stun-
ning main church. Its present peace belies
its turbulent past, where its proximity to the
Belgian border meant it has been overrun by
invading armies many times.
The town centre is 500m south of the station
through the large, leafy park, the Valkenberg.
NOORD BRABANT
& LIMBURG
6pm Tue-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat) and a post office (%522 55
20; Willemstraat 30; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1.30pm
Sat) further down from the Willemstraat
tourist office.
Sights & Activities
The Valkenberg (Falcon Mountain) is the huge
park between the station and the centre. Hunt-
ing falcons were trained here for royalty. On
the south side is the 12th-century Begijnhof,
a home that sheltered unmarried women.
Breda has wonderfully preserved examples of
these homes, which were found throughout
the Netherlands.
The Breda castle is worth a quick look
(though note that you can’t go inside); ap-
proach from the south and you’ll also see the
Spanjaardsgat (Spanish gate), a reminder of
just one of the various incursions the town
has endured.
The Grote Kerk (admission €2; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat,
1-5pm Sun) recently emerged from years of resto-
ration, its now-gleaming white stones free of
grime. This beautiful Gothic church was built
between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Festivals & Events
The Bloemencorso (www.bloemencorsozundert.nl) is a
huge annual parade of gorgeously decorated,
 276 N O O R D B R A B A N T • • B re d a Book accommodation
w wonline
w . l o natelonelyplanet.com
lyplanet.com Book
w w waccommodation
. l o n e l y p l a n eonline
t . c o mat lonelyplanet.com N O O R D B R A B A N T • • S l o t L o e v e s t e i n 277

BREDA 0
0
500 m
0.3 miles
Hotel van Ham (%521 52 29; hotel.van.ham@hetnet Mezz (%515 66 77; www.mezz.nl; Keizerstraat 101)
.nl; Van Coothplein 23; s/d €45/65) John and Sylvia This armadillo-shaped nightclub has a great
A B C train station D To Hotel de
Fabriek (500m) van Hooydonk are the proud proprietors of bar and cool staff to match its eclectic pro-

M. Verhoeffstr
Spoorstr
this charming hotel, which is also home to a gramme – everything from drum ’n’ bass

Emmastr
3 2

Willemstr
11 ge
l delightful café-restaurant. It’s in a building nights to Latin swing and rock.
Academies sin
ingel at
1
De
lpr that’s been a prominent meeting point for Kerkplein (www.kerkpleinbreda.nl) A bangin’ club,
el
ger
we
g
gs
ing more than 100 years. The rooms are OK, but located right behind the Grote Kerk on Kerk-
Slin eli
el
Se the bar is grand. plein, that stays open well into the morning.
g
sin Hotel de Fabriek (%581 00 08; Speelhuislaan 150;
NW
am Soph

E.
Tr iastr
s/d €65/80) This is a laid-back, quiet place with Getting There & Around
Pr
in
s
en
5 comfortable rooms. The train station has all the usual services.
ka

an
de
7 Valkenberg

y La
n
ell
aa Some fares and schedules:
idd
Eating

ed
M str

nn
h
Cingelstr sc

Ke
Bo
v.Be
rgenstr Sultan Lounge (%520 30 50; www.sultanlounge.nl; Haven Destination Price Duration Frequency

an
Kraan

JF
Adr.

Plein
Kaats 13

erla
2 Vi
10; mains €11-18; hdinner) OK, you know what (€) (min) (per hr)

Scho
sm Baan 4

ost
ark Catharinastr
str Reigerstr to expect with a name like this. An ‘Arabian
olstr

Klo
Havermarkt

Ann
6
9 Nights’ feel spread over two floors is reflected Amsterdam 18 110 4
tr

16

astr
plein Grote
Vissers

Kerk
INFORMATION 17 Markt
tstr in the décor and the attitude: the ground Den Bosch 6.80 33 2
ATM........................................1 C3 mark
Lange Brugstr Vee floor has tables and chairs, upstairs has cush- Roosendaal 5 17 2
Post Office...............................2 D1
Schors

Karr

Claud
str
Weerijssingel

Tourist Office...........................3 D1
Jan
ius Pri
nsen ions and a lounge. Eat your Middle Eastern Rotterdam 8.50 32 3
estr

Tourist Office......................(see 17) tr St laan

ers
Mole

ὈὈ
Ni
Rid
d kebabs, tapas, tajines (slow cooked stews),
Ma

eu Ha
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES w 15
dolmades and spiced, stuffed aubergines on Buses leave from the area to the right as you
n

str
rke

lstr
1
Eind

Begijnhof.................................4 C2
n

Da
either level. exit the station.

Ch
Breda Castle.............................5 C2 als
str

as
NOORD BRABANT

ew
Oude

NOORD BRABANT
k

s
Grote eg
3 oij Kerk...............................6 C2 t
Chocolat (%533 59 75; Torenstraat 9; mains €15-30;

é
tmark A bicycle shop is right next to the station.

Pr
ag
Spanjaardsgat.......................... 7 C2 Oede va Karnemelk Hou
Ha

om
& LIMBURG

& LIMBURG
n Hoornestr
hlunch & dinner) Part of the Hotel Bliss com- For information on a 52km bicycle route,

en
llen

rstr

Nonn

ad
SLEEPING Akke

e
plex (opposite), Chocolat is as classy as the the Baronie Route, which begins and ends at
e Sta
Ginnek

8
Golden Tulip Keyser Breda.......8 D3 nve
e ld
accommodation, with its Frenchified menu Breda, see p73.
at Markendaalseweg

Lang

Hotel Bliss................................9 C2

ὈὈ
enstr

Hotel van Ham......................10 C4

delivering the goods: hares, truffles and cro-
r De

Pension Singel........................11 D1 Co
en

n
SLOT LOEVESTEIN
rstr
eld

Fell
quettes feature prominently, as does veal and
Achte
co

eno
isv

erk
rdia

Keize

EATING ord
u

Doelst 18
l
olw

ge
fine wine. Near the tiny, beautiful little walled town of
th

str

l
str

ge
Al Dente................................ 12 C4
s

sin
Ga

tB

sin
se

14 in
Café De Beyerd..................... 13 D2 Restaurant Bukowski (%529 75 55; www.restaurant Woudrichem you’ll find the 14th-century
He

ple
ina
as

Seelig
Irenstra

h Vi
Ch

Chocolat................................(see 9) ot
elm

Kazerne Van er
Co bukowski.nl; Halstraat 21A; mains €16-22; hlunch & dinner) castle, Slot Loevestein (%0183-44 71 71; www.slotloeve
lo str

Gong.....................................14 C4 10 W
ilh

in
W

de
4
Nieuwe Gi

Restaurant Bukowski..............15 C3 Wilhelmina

Bukowski’s slick haute cuisine is a real treat, stein.nl; Loevestein 1; adult/child €6.30/4.80; h 10am-
er

i
Dr v M n
W Park
Sultan Lounge........................16 B2 12 r ilh
rst
Van
Go o
elm
in
ap
presented in an informal, though elegant set- 5pm Mon-Fri, 1-5pm Sat & Sun May-Sep; 1-5pm Sat, Sun &
ENTERTAINMENT ar ting. The duck breast, pan fried and served with Wed Oct-Apr). The ancient keep is wonderfully
nnekenstr

Kerkplein...............................17 C2 k
Mezz.....................................18 C4
To Camping
a vegetable purée of beets, artichoke and carrots evocative, perhaps more so for the difficulty
Liesbos (8km)
plus honey-thyme sauce, is a clear winner. involved in getting there. It’s been a prison,
Café De Beyerd (%521 42 65; www.beyerd.nl; residence and toll castle, though more recently
multicoloured floats – each one of them MIDRANGE Boschstraat 26; hlunch & dinner Thu-Tue) The Beyerd it has hosted a varied calendar of cultural
constructed entirely from flowers – that Hotel Bliss (%533 59 80; www.blisshotel.nl; Torenstraat 9; is a highly regarded beer café, with more events (check the website). It’s best accessed
passes through the streets of Zundert, 20km ste from €112.50) This funky new designer hotel than 122 brews. It’s also the perfect place to by the ferry from Woudrichem, which stops
southwest of Breda. It takes place in early is head and shoulders above the rest of the try some bitterballen (small crumbed, deep- right out front.
September. Breda competition. The spacious, comfort- fried pureed meatballs) or other typical beer-
able suites are filled with the kind of interior- accompanying snacks. WEST NOORD BRABANT
Sleeping design touches that will make you feel like a Other options: Near the border with Zeeland, Noord Brabant
BUDGET mover and shaker: interesting art; angles and Al Dente (%520 43 33; Nieuwe Ginnekenstraat 20; mains more closely resembles its soggy neighbour:
Camping Liesbos (%514 35 14; www.camping-liesbos.nl; planes; retro-futurism bisected with industrial €11-18; hlunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat) Excellent canals and rivers crisscross the land, and every-
Liesdreef 40; sites €8; hApr-Oct) If you’re a camper, chic; bold reds mixed with deep browns. Italian fare. thing is absolutely flat.
this place is your best bet. Take bus 10 or 111 Golden Tulip Keyser Breda (%520 51 73; www.hotel Gong (%521 66 96; www.restaurantgong.nl; Van Roosendaal is a major rail junction for lines
(direction: Etten-Leur) to the Boswachterij keyser.nl; Keizerstraat 5; r from €79) Although it’s part of a Coothplein 24; mains €16-20; hdinner) Great Asian and north to Rotterdam, south to Belgium, east to
Liesbos stop. chain, the Golden Tulip Keyser Breda (say that Pacific Rim fusion cuisine. Breda and west to Zeeland.
Pension Singel (%521 62 71; pensionsingel@planet.nl; 10 times fast after a few ales) sets itself apart by Bergen op Zoom was plundered at various times
Delpratsingel 14; per person €25) Simple but charming its attentive staff – its strongest asset. Rooms Entertainment by the Spanish, French and even the British. The
singles and doubles. It’s a short walk from are standard business-hotel types, with all the There’s a concentration of places around the results are a hodgepodge of buildings and styles.
the station. trimmings. Prices plunge on weekends. Havermarkt, mostly of varying quality. It’s an unremarkable place except for one week
 278 L I M B U R G • • M a a s t r i c h t www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com L I M B U R G • • M a a s t r i c h t 279

ingel

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a year. If you want to see the aftermath of a way by rail or road to Belgium, you’d be doing

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LIMBURG

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28 29 30
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Make no bones about it: Maastricht is utterly library, as well as earthenware displays and a scale model

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beautiful. The Crown Jewel of the south – of Maastricht.

35
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as far from windmills, clogs and tulips as MEDICAL SERVICES

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33
& LIMBURG

& LIMBURG
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Vrouweplein
you’d want. Much of the Netherlands has a Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht (%387 65 43;

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breed apart from the north; by the same token, TOURIST INFORMATION

22
4

Stiphout Cruises.........................35 D1
Klooster

Bus Station..................................34 F1
earthy northerners see posh Maastricht as Tourist office (%325 21 21; www.vvvmaastricht.nl; en
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N278
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Spanning both banks of the Maas river, A bts
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with a host of pavement cafés and lovely old Sights & Activities

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cobblestone streets, Maastricht is renowned Maastricht’s many delights are scattered along

Kruisherengang

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Maastricht (3km)

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TRANSPORT
for world-class dining and an elegant atmos- both banks of the Maas, but it’s always a pleas- tr

Restaurant O..............................25 E2 Waldeckpark

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To Stayokay

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phere that’s exquisitely addictive. Hemmed ant stroll from one side to the other. There’s so l

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in between Belgium and Germany, it has much historical information to digest around en
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a pan-European flavour: the average citi- the Vrijthof while strolling the beautiful streets D1

D1

D3
D2

D3

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D1

Night Live..................................33 D1
C1

C2
C2
C2

C1

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C2
23 C2
Restaurant Jean La TBrouche.......24 C2

Take Five...................................26 C2

In Den Ouden Vogelstruys.........27 C2

Cinema Lumiere.........................31 C1
Matuchi...................................(see 20)
r

B2
l
E2

E1

E3

E3

E2

E3

John Mullins...............................28 E1

Take One....................................29 E1
Zondag.......................................30 E1

Derlon Theater...........................32 E3
s st ge

N278
zen bounces easily between Dutch, English, winding through and around it. There are also str
St N
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Centre Céramique........................1
Plantage Boekhandel....................2
Post Office....................................3
Post Office...................................4
Tourist Office...............................5

Bonnefantenmuseum....................6
7
8
Ramparts......................................9
Sint Janskerk..............................10
Sint Servaasbasiliek....................11
Spanish Government Museum...12

Minckelers..............................13

str 14
15
16
Hotel la Colombe.......................17
Kruisherenhotel Maastricht.........18
Maison Du Chêne......................19
Matuchi.....................................20

Beluga........................................21
22
He weg
nlaan

Helpoort......................................
Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek..........
Elisabeth Strouve
French, German and Flemish (maybe more). some great museums and remnants of the

Hotel & Tapperij De Poshoorn....

der

Mestizo......................................
Botel Maastricht.........................

Hotel Derlon..............................

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Appropriately, the city hosted two key moments medieval city in the Wyck district.

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Statue of Johannes Petrus
MAASTRICHT

in the history of the EU: on 10 December

lem

ong
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Wil
1991, the 12 members of the then European BONNEFANTENMUSEUM

ENTERTAINMENT
Community met to sign the treaty for eco- The Bonnefantenmuseum (%329 01 90; www.bonne
INFORMATION
A

nomic, monetary and political union; they fantenmuseum.nl; Ave Céramique 250; adult/child under 12yr

DRINKING
SLEEPING

reconvened the following February to sign
the treaty creating the EU.
No Netherlands itinerary is complete with-
EATING
€7/3.50; h11am-5pm Tue-Sun) features a 28m tower
that’s now a local landmark. Designed by
Aldo Rossi, the museum opened in 1995,
2

3
1

4
out visiting Maastricht. If you’re heading this and is well laid-out with collections divided
 280 L I M B U R G • • M a a s t r i c h t
into departments, each on its own floor: Old
Masters and medieval sculpture are on one
floor, contemporary art by Limburg artists on
the next. A dramatic sweep of stairs beckons
visitors to both floors.
Space is devoted to special exhibitions and
shows, of which there are usually four annu-
ally, two following classical/historical themes,
two on more contemporary material. It also
espouses an ongoing commitment to solo
exhibitions by young and emerging artists,
and is the patron of the major biannual Vin-
cent Van Gogh Award for Contemporary Art
in Europe. Temporary exhibitions are revela-
tory, such as the recent ‘Travellin’ Light’ show,
focusing on Dadaist lineages.
From 2006 until 2008, while Amsterdam’s
Rijksmuseum is undergoing renovation, the
Bonnefantenmuseum will display Rijksmu-
seum classics from the southern Netherlands,
Antwerp and Bruges.
VRIJTHOF
NOORD BRABANT
The large square of Vrijthof is surrounded
& LIMBURG
by lively cafés and cultural institutions. It’s
dominated by Sint Servaasbasiliek (admission €2;
h10am-5pm Apr-Oct, Sun Nov-Mar), a pastiche of
architecture dating from 1000.
Sint Janskerk is a small 17th-century Gothic
church, one of the most beautiful in the
Netherlands. A remarkable red colour, it
photographs beautifully. Climb to the top
(€1.15) for gorgeous views.
The 16th-century Spanish Government Mu-
seum (%321 13 27; www.museumspaansgouvernement
.nl; Vrijthof 18; admission €2.50; h1-5pm Wed-Sun) is
where Philip II outlawed his former lieuten-
ant Willem the Silent at the start of the Eighty
Years’ War. The exhibits feature statues and
17th-century paintings.
STREETS, SQUARES & BRIDGES
The best way to see Maastricht is to just stroll.
Streets not to miss include those south and
east of Vrijthof: you’ll be rewarded with a
medieval labyrinth punctuated by interesting
shops and cafés.
Onze Lieve Vrouweplein is an intimate café-
filled square named after its church, the Onze
Lieve Vrouwebasiliek (treasury adult/child €2/1; h10am-
5pm), which has parts dating from before 1000
and may well be built on the foundations of a
Roman cathedral. There is a separate treasury
area that houses gaudy jewels and riches; these
you can see for a small and worthwhile fee.
www.lonelyplanet.com
The statue at the north end of the Markt is of
Johannes Petrus Minckelers, who holds a flaming
rod – he’s the chap who invented gas light.
The busy pedestrian Sint Servaasbrug dates
from the 13th-century and links Maastricht’s
centre with the Wyck district.
FORTIFICATIONS
At the end of Sint Bernardusstraat, the Hel-
poort is the oldest surviving town gate in
the Netherlands (1229). The remains of 13th-
century ramparts and fortifications are across
the Maas in the new Céramique district.
Much of Maastricht is riddled with defensive
tunnels dug into the soft sandstone over the
centuries. The best place to see the tunnels
is Sint Pietersberg, a Roman fort 2km south
of Helpoort. This is a really beautiful area,
pastoral and peaceful – the fort is an arresting
sight peeking over the charming hillside –
and it’s a very relaxing walk from town. If
you must, take bus 29, which goes past the
fort from Vrijthof.
The Romans built the Northern Corridor
System Tunnels (see the boxed text, opposite)
throughout the hills over a period of 2000
years; at one stage, the tunnels extended under
the Netherlands–Belgium border. Thirteen
species of bats have been found living below
the surface.
The tourist office leads spooky, thrilling,
and educational cave tours (%321 78 78; €3;
h3.30pm daily Jul-Aug & school holidays) – this ex-
perience is highly recommended. Although
tours are supposed to be conducted in Dutch,
ask for Kitty, an extremely knowledgeable,
English-speaking guide.
Tours
The tourist office can arrange all manner of
walking tours and cycling expeditions.
Stiphout Cruises (%351 53 00; Maaspromenade 27;
adult/child €6/3.75; hdaily Apr-Oct, Sat & Sun Nov-Dec)
runs boat cruises on the Maas. On certain
days there are day-long round-trip cruises to
Liege in Belgium (adult/child €18.95/11.25),
although you can get a one-way ticket.
Festivals & Events
Three events stand out from the busy Maas-
tricht calendar:
Carnaval Celebrated with greater vigour in Maastricht
than anywhere else in Europe save Venice (Italy) and Sitges
(Spain). The orgy of partying and carousing begins the
Friday before Shrove Tuesday and lasts until the last person
wBook
w waccommodation
. l o n e l y p l a n eonline
t . c o mat lonelyplanet.com L I M B U R G • • M a a s t r i c h t 281
GOING UNDERGROUND
The Romans developed the Sint Pietersberg tunnels by quarrying soft marlstone at a painstaking
rate of just four blocks per day, creating an underground system that provided refuge during the
numerous occasions when Maastricht found itself under attack. During WWII, for example, the tun-
nels housed a well, a storeroom, a chapel, a kitchen and a bakery – even a pen for livestock.
The component called the Northern Corridor System Tunnels is an amazing feat of pre-industrial
engineering: at one stage there were 20,000 separate passages, adding up to a length of 200km
and stretching past the Belgian border – until the French blew up a large chunk of it, thinking
they were under the Roman fort of Sint Pietersberg. Instead, the French army only succeeded in
entombing hundreds of their own men. There are prehistoric fossils of fish and other creatures
down here, a reminder of an inland sea that once held sway.
Walking through the tunnels is an eerie experience and you’ll feel a deep chill, not only from
fear of ghosts but also because it’s extremely cold and dark, perfect for growing mushrooms –
which some people do. People hiding down here during sieges would often die of exposure.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the tunnels is the graffiti from throughout the ages.
You can see generations of drawings on the walls, everything from ancient Roman stick figures to
wartime depictions of movie stars like Bette Davis, to ‘70s hippy nudes (the tunnels were barred
from general access from the ‘80s on, before Dutch rappers could lay down some murals).
The VVV guides like to play little tricks, asking your permission first to ensure you won’t
completely freak out. A favourite is to take your gas light away from you – the guide then walks
around a bend until they and all available light completely disappears into a black hole. You
are then left in the stillest, thickest, heaviest darkness imaginable – a blackness you can literally
NOORD BRABANT
feel. You are then asked to make your way to the guide, using your sense of touch to follow
& LIMBURG
the curves of the wall.
As our favourite guide, Kitty, loves to relate, this little game can make grown men cry. When
a Swedish, all-male TV crew filming a documentary on the tunnels took up the dare, Kitty took
away all the lights and disappeared around a corner, asking them to feel their way around the
bend. But they couldn’t do it and all three broke down in tears.
‘But once you were mighty Vikings’ Kitty admonished, ‘and now you cry like babies.’
collapses sometime on Wednesday. Everything stops for the perimeter of a nature reserve, a 3km walk
carnaval. from the town centre. Take bus 11 (Monday to
Preuvenemint As befitting its culinary reputation, each Friday) or 8 or 18 (Saturday and Sunday) from
year Maastricht hosts this foodie festival, which takes over Maastricht station to the Dousberg stop.
the Vrijthof for four days, with 40 stands featuring the
best food and wine from all over the region. It’s called the MIDRANGE
largest ‘open-air restaurant in the world’. Matuchi (%354 06 92; Kleine Gracht 34; s/d €50/65) These
European Fine Art Foundation Show (TEFAF; www rooms, above the supersmooth bar of the
.tefaf.com) Europe’s largest annual art show is held in same name (p282), are elegant, minimal and
late March at the cavernous MECC exposition centre, just stylish, and surprisingly large for the price
south of Céramique. More than 200 exhibitors converge range. All include flat-screen TVs for your
on Maastricht offering masterpieces to those with a few supine pleasure.
million euros to spare. The event is open to the public. Maison Du Chêne (%321 35 23; www.maastrichthotel
.com; Boschstraat 104; s/d from €40/58) In an elegant
Sleeping 1855 building, the Maison’s rooms are very
Maastricht is a popular weekend destination clean and the brasserie on the ground floor
throughout the year, so reservations are a is class and a half. Beware: it’s right on the
must. The tourist office has a list of private Markt, which can make for a noisy Friday or
rooms travellers can book. Saturday night. Ask for rooms at the back.
Hotel la Colombe (%321 57 74; www.hotellacolombe
BUDGET .nl; Markt 30; s/d €61/80) Also on the Markt, in a
Stayokay Maastricht (% 346 67 77; www.stayokay simple, white building, la Colombe has rooms
.com/maastricht; Dousbergweg 4; dm from €24; s) On that are equally unadorned, but all have a TV
 282 L I M B U R G • • M a a s t r i c h t
and bath. This unassuming but friendly hotel
has a decent café.
Botel Maastricht (%321 90 23; Maasboulevard 95; s/d
€37/58; i) Two barges lashed together make
up the Botel, the smaller vessel acting as an
exemplary deck for beer drinking when the
sun’s out. Inside, rooms are narrow and port-
holed for that sea-dog feel, but comfy enough.
There’s a beaut little shipshape bar inside.
Hotel & Tapperij De Poshoorn (%321 73 34; www
.poshoorn.nl; Stationsstraat 47; s/d €57.50/70) This is a
good, simple place with a great café.
TOP END
o Kruisherenhotel Maastricht (% 329 20
20; www.chateauhotels.nl; Kruisherengang 19-23; s/d from
€85/145; i) This stunning option is housed
inside the former Crutched Friar monastery
complex that dates from 1483. The publicity
calls it a ‘designer hotel’, but the past hasn’t
been overwhelmed. Where there are modern
touches, like moulded furniture and padded
walls, they accent the historical surrounds.
NOORD BRABANT
The rooms feature flat-screen TVs and wall-
& LIMBURG
length paintings. Sumptuous.
Hotel Derlon (%321 67 70; www.derlon.com; Onze
Lieve Vrouweplein 6; r from €155; i) The sleekly luxu-
rious and smartly suave Derlon boasts slim-
line and slyly singular rooms and enthusiastic
staff, and the breakfast room in the basement
is built around Roman ruins. A pampering
and luxurious experience.
Eating
Maastricht has four restaurants with Miche-
lin stars – this is a very classy dining scene.
To put this into perspective, Amsterdam,
with four times the population, has six such
establishments.
RESTAURANTS
Beluga (%321 33 64; www.restbeluga.com; Plein 1992;
hlunch Tue-Fri, dinner Tue-Sat) With two Miche-
lin stars, Beluga leads the pack. This sleek,
angular, elegant designer restaurant not far
from the Maas features excellent service and
Frenchified cuisine that never fails to im-
press with its attention to detail. A recent
menu sample included lightly steamed sole
with pan-fried langoustines and pommes à la
tsarine filled with caviar, butter asparagus and
a sour cream and black pepper sauce.
Restaurant O (%325 97 47; www.restaurant-o.nl;
Rechtstraat 76; mains €18-21; hlunch & dinner) This
(mainly) seafood restaurant wins us over with
Book accommodation
w wonline
w . l o nate lonelyplanet.com
lyplanet.com
striking, stylish decor, and ever-present, ever-
tasty aquatic meals. Lobster soup with mussels
and shrimps, anyone? Pan-roasted moonfish?
There’s even a separate fruits-de-mer (seafood)
menu – grand! Fresh and delightful.
Ginger (%326 00 22; Tongersestraat 7; mains €10-20;
hlunch & dinner) Super-smooth and healthy
Asian noodle soups come to Maastricht. And
Ginger’s the place to get them. Fabulous, fresh
ingredients in a serene and wonderful con-
temporary setting.
Restaurant Jean La Brouche (%321 46 09; Tongerse-
straat 9; 3-course menu €28; hdinner Mon-Sat) This is
classic cuisine in a quiet, lovely part of town.
Think white tablecloths and cutlery with a bit
of heft to it. If you’re a fan of old-style French
cooking, give this place a whirl.
Mestizo (%327 08 74; www.mestizo.nl; Bredestraat
18; mains €12-19; %lunch & dinner) Need a break
from French and Dutch cuisine? Try Mes-
tizo, a very inspired Latin restaurant serving
up terrific Spanish and Mexican food. Now,
exactly who among us can resist marinated
lamb steaks roasted with garlic and chilli?
Well, vegetarians, obviously – but there’s a
reasonable selection for them, too.
CAFÉS
Take Five (%321 09 71; Bredestraat 14; lunch €6; hlunch
& dinner) Situated on a quiet street parallel to the
cramped terraces of heaving Platielstraat, Take
Five combines fusion cooking with a stark
interior, chill-out music and engaging staff.
Expect live jazz on many nights.
Drinking
Take One (%321 64 23; www.takeonebiercafé.nl; Recht-
straat 28) Cramped and narrow from the outside,
this 1930s tavern is manages to stock well over
100 beers from the most obscure parts of the
Benelux region. It’s run by a husband-and-
wife team who also organise beer tastings and
refer to their customers as ‘victims’. Relax,
though, they’ll willingly help you select the
brew most appropriate to your tastes. Some
of these beers have a huge kick, attaining 10%
alcohol volume in some cases. Take One also
stocks what’s termed the ‘world’s bitterest
beer’ – indeed, sucking lemons is milder but
less pleasurable.
Matuchi (%354 06 92; Kleine Gracht 34) This
venue bills itself as an ‘Orient Style Lab’,
but it’s a bit more than that: there’s a dash of
A Clockwork Orange in the interior design,
mixed with de rigueur Arabian themes. All
www.lonelyplanet.com
in all, a hot joint in which to have a cool
drink.
Zondag (%321 93 00; www.cafézondag.nl; Wyckerbrug-
straat 42) Here the cool is a bit more standard:
the interior is a little more old-fashioned,
though still jaw-achingly hip. Chow down on
light lunches, tapas and other bar snacks, as
well as musical accompaniment such as live
Latin music or breakbeat DJs.
John Mullins (%350 01 41; www.johnmullins.nl;
Wyckerbrugstraat 50) This superfriendly Irish pub
features a very popular but challenging quiz
night on Tuesdays. Sample questions might
include this: ‘What was the first to feature seat
belts: cars or planes?’ The collective groans
can be heard for streets around.
In Den Ouden Vogelstruys (%321 48 88; www.vogel
struys.nl; Vrijthof 15) On the main drag, this antique
bar is a little bit naughty and a little bit nice.
The entrance has big, old, heavy red curtains,
and inside there are photos of big, old, heavy
men on the wall, big, old, heavy light fittings,
and big, old, heavy Trappist beer.
Entertainment
Night Live (%09002020158; Kesselskade 43) A night-
club in an old church that opens after mid-
night at weekends; eclectic musical policy.
Derlon Theater (%350 50 50; Plein 1992) Near the
new library, Derlon has drama and music. The
café has fine river views from the terrace.
Cinema Lumiere (%321 40 80; Bogaardenstraat 40B)
Offbeat and classic films are screened on a
regular basis at this cinema.
Getting There & Away
Maastricht Airport is a small facility served
by KLM subsidiaries, which have flights to
London and connecting flights to Schiphol.
It is 10km north of the centre – see p304 for
more information.
Sample train fares and schedules:
Destination Price Duration Frequency
(€) (min) (per hr)
Amsterdam 26.70 155 1 the Netherlands American Cemetery & Memorial
Rotterdam 25.70 140 2 (hsunrise-sunset) is dedicated to US soldiers
Utrecht 23.10 120 1 who died in ‘Operation Market Garden’ and
There is an hourly international service to
Liege, from where you can catch trains to
Brussels, Paris and Cologne.
The bus station is to the right as you exit
the train station. Eurolines has one bus a day
L I M B U R G • • A r o u n d M a a s t r i c h t 283
to/from Brussels. Interliner has hourly buses
to/from Aachen.
Getting Around
There is car and motorcycle parking in mas-
sive underground lots by the river.
A bicycle shop is in a separate building to
the left as you exit the station.
AROUND MAASTRICHT
The hills and forests of southern Limburg
make for excellent hiking and biking. The
Drielandenpunt (the convergence of the Neth-
erlands, Belgium and Germany) is on the
highest hill in the country (323m), in Vaals,
26km southeast of Maastricht. It’s an excellent
driving or biking destination.
Valkenburg
%043 / pop 18,000
This small town in the hills east of Maastricht
has possibly the most overcommercialised
centre in the Netherlands, attracting hordes
NOORD BRABANT
of tour buses. But away from the town are
& LIMBURG
excellent trails and cycle paths through the
nearby forests.
The tourist office (%09009798; www.vvvzuid
limburg.nl; Walramplein 5) has a huge selection of
maps of the area and can assist with bicycle
hire. You might start at the over-restored
castle (admission €6; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct) above town
from where trails radiate out through the
countryside.
ASP Adventure (%604 06 75; www.aspadventure.nl)
gives 90-minute guided tours (€22, minimum
10 people) of the networks of caves that rid-
dle the soft sandstone of the hills. There are
many options, including riding bikes under-
ground.
Valkenburg is easily reached from Maas-
tricht by train (€2.50, 12 minutes, two per
hour).
Netherlands American Cemetery &
Memorial
In Margraten, 10km southeast of Maastricht,
the general Allied push to liberate the Dutch.
It’s a sombre memorial with row after row of
silent white crosses – a stark but necessary
testament to the futility of war.
The bus service to the cemetery runs from
Maastricht’s train station.
 © Lonely Planet Publications
284 L I M B U R G • • N o r t h L i m b u r g www.lonelyplanet.com

NORTH LIMBURG Germans as part of ‘Operation Market Garden’

Clinging to the Maas river, the northern half
of Limburg, barely 30km across at its widest
point, is a no-nonsense place of industry and
agriculture. Venlo, the major town, has a small
historic quarter near the train station. Venlo
along with Thorn and Roermond are worth a
quick look if you are changing trains for the
hourly service to Cologne.
Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum
Overloon, a tiny town on the border with
Noord Brabant, was the scene of fierce bat-
tles between the Americans, British and the
NOORD BRABANT
& LIMBURG
in 1944. The heart of the battlefield is now the
site of the sober Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmu-
seum (National War & Resistance Museum; %0478-64 18 20;
www.oorlogsmuseum-overloon.nl; Museumpark 1; adult/child
€6.50/5; h10am-5pm), a thoughtful place that ex-
amines the role of the Netherlands in WWII.
To reach the museum take the hourly train
to Venray from either Roermond (€7.20, 40
minutes) or Nijmegen (€6.20, 25 minutes).
Then call a treintaxi (see p309) and buy your
ticket (€4.10) from the ticket machine. The
museum is 7km from the station. Make ar-
rangements with the driver for your return.

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