Our favorite outdoor spaces in Maastricht
November 2021 — By Kenneth Colombe
Sometimes all you need is a little breath of fresh air during your day. Luckily, there are many places you can go in and around Maastricht, as it is situated in probably the most beautiful part of the Netherland: Limburg. We compiled our favorite places for you as a resource to use for when you are on campus. Maybe we will even run into each other on a nice nature walk!
Joep
If you want to stay in the city but go outside, maybe it’s a good idea to go to the Groene Loper, located between Wyck and Scharn. Until a few years ago, there was a highway running through the city 😷, but after building a tunnel for this highway, this part of the city was transformed into a green carpet throughout this neighborhood. It’s lovely to walk or run on, and there are loads of nice coffee places, bakeries, and restaurants located nearby it!
If you want to get out of the city, I’d recommend you to take a walk to Kanne: it is an approx. 10 km walk from the city center, and you’ll get past the St. Pieterberg (where caves and a former NATO base are located) and Chateau Neercanne. Walk back via St. Pieter and treat yourself to a coffee at one of the many coffee places in that neighborhood!
Merel
My favorite nature spot in Maastricht is without a doubt Frontenpark. Once the sun is out, most students head to Sint Pietersberg or Stadspark to enjoy their time. However, Frontenpark offers a calm place to hang out with friends, have a picnic, or enjoy the sun in summer. This park is unlike anything that you would expect from a city park. As it was abandoned and not taken care of for years, nature was free to grow and this turned it into beautiful scenery. It’s worth a visit once you move to Maastricht!
Nathan
My favorite nature spot in Maastricht is a spot the Chalet D’n Observant, just outside the city. It is about a 15-minute cycle outside the city, but the cycle brings you out into nature. You can then get to a quiet spot that’s on the far side of the quarry and has a small lake and a forest. I love to bike out with my friends and have a picnic and listen to some music. t’s never that busy and allows you some time to forget about college work! If you’re feeling more active you can go for a walk in the forest and explore more of Maastricht’s surroundings.
Bella
My favorite spot outside is right by a beautiful bridge in Kanne. Kanne is a small village right next to Maastricht and it only takes 15 minutes by bike to get there from the city center. If you need a place to relax from all the stress at university it’s the perfect place to wind down. One can have a picnic there or enjoy the water, even though it’s not allowed to swim in it.
Another place I love is right by the restaurant Noon at the Maas. Here you can sit on the stairs with some friends and have a drink while having the perfect view of the Maas! Also, if you are a sunset lover, you can’t miss the view from the Pietersberg! As you can see, it’s hard to decide on one favorite spot because Maastricht has so much to offer!
Javier
My favorite spot is St Pietersberg! It is our good old little Dutch Limburgish mountain! You get to see the entire city, and it truly is like being somewhere else entirely, while still being right in Maastricht! If you want to go for a run, or even just go to have a day-away while not biking more than 10 minutes from the center, this is the place to go!
Valeria
My favorite spot is close to the Hoge Brug: I could spend hours sitting at the Maas with my friends there, it is the perfect place for a drink or a quick coffee break. I also love crossing the bridge, especially at sunset, to stroll around Wyck. Besides lots of cafés, here you can do the best shopping ever: alongside the vintage shops you can find the latest collections, from clothing to interior décor.
Ken
My favorite place to get outdoors is right next to SBE and is the Tapijn Stone Wall that separates SBE from the town itself. The municipality has created a lovely walk on the old fortress walls that has defined pathways and edible plants all around. When in season you can find grapes, figs, rosemary, and much more! It is also centrally located so whether you want to escape from the library, clear your head after a lecture, or just take a scenic route to your next class, it is a great walk!
We hope this gave you a nice idea of the greenery that Maastricht has to offer. It is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle which you can maintain during your studies here. If there are any further question please let us know. See you out in nature!
Best,
Ken
