When asked which city in the Netherlands they would like to visit for a weekend, the Dutch had an overwhelmingly clear answer: Maastricht.
We know that we praise Amsterdam all the time at the DutchReview, but today’s focus is on the beautiful historic Dutch city of Maastricht. ✨
A survey by Columbus Travel asked 3000 Dutchies what their favourite municipality is for a city trip within the country — and almost half of the respondent wants to discover Maastricht for a city trip in the Netherlands! 🥇
With all the upcoming public holidays and long weekends, Maastricht could be a perfect destination that is only a train away for most.
Why Maastricht?
Maastricht has a lot of charm with a historical city centre, nature all around, and boat rides along the river Maas.
The historical part of the city draws in a lot of visitors for a walk through the city. There’s also a unique, beautiful bookstore that’s been integrated into the vast old Dominicanenkerk.
READ MORE | A day trip to Maastricht: what to see, do, and eat
Besides all of the parks scattered around the city and along the river Maas, there are also boat cruises that you can hop onto and go up the Maas. From there, you actually go into Belgium for a few moments on the river and smell the crispy Belgian waffles.
Maastricht also has extra bragging points for having one of the highest points on the Dutch mainland. The Sint Pietersberg peak can be seen from most of the boat rides (even though it’s only 171 metres high). ⛰️
READ MORE | Why is the Netherlands so flat? The complete explanation
Who took second place on the podium?
The Dutchies voted for the cultural hotspot of Haarlem as the second most popular place to visit for a weekend away, snagging votes from almost one-third of the respondents.
Haarlem also has a beautiful historic city centre with plenty of cultural activities, including museums scattered around the city.
Many also say that they enjoy the gezellig Burgundian atmosphere in Haarlem.
READ MORE | 18 charming things to do in Haarlem
Staying in the Netherlands for a little holiday
The Columbus Travel editor-in-chief, Mark Mackintosh, says that “The Dutch have become more curious as a result of the corona crisis and are more willing to look beyond the calibrated tourist favourites.”
Charming cities that aren’t the usual big tourist destinations are attracting more and more Dutch visitors. Amsterdam is getting some competition now, as it ranks only 17th on the list for Dutchies.
| Ranking | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maastricht |
| 2 | Haarlem |
| 3 | Ede |
| 4 | Deventer |
| 5 | Leeuwarden |
| 6 | Groningen |
| 7 | Nijmegen |
| 8 | Den Bosch |
| 9 | Leiden |
| 10 | Arnhem |
What city would you recommend for a weekend away in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
