Built above and around the shrine of St Servaas (Servatius), the first bishop of Maastricht, the basilica presents an architectural pastiche whose…
Southeastern Netherlands
Things are different below the rivers: the provinces of Noord Brabant and Limburg have a character that's more Catholic, more relaxed, and in the case of southern Limburg, hillier than elsewhere in the Netherlands. Among the obvious southern influences are a preference for good beer and food, as embodied in the concept Bourgondisch: eating and drinking with a verve worthy of the epicurean inhabitants of France's Burgundy.
Maastricht's medieval ramparts, delicate brick towers, polyglot inhabitants and its role in brokering the Eurozone all suggest a closer kinship with Europe than with a Dutch town. And the hilly terrain to the east makes for panoramic (if strenuous) cycling and hiking.
Noord Brabant is a discordant combination of historically evocative towns like Den Bosch and Breda, and post-industrial urban centres like Tilburg and Eindhoven which are forging new identities as havens of design, culture and technology, within cycling distance of tranquil landscapes.
Explore Southeastern Netherlands
- SSt Servaasbasiliek
Built above and around the shrine of St Servaas (Servatius), the first bishop of Maastricht, the basilica presents an architectural pastiche whose…
- WWoudrichem
Ringed by grassy medieval rampart-banks, the charming citadel-village of Woudrichem became famed as the set for popular TV drama Dokter Tinus. Its small…
- SSt Janskathedraal
One of the finest churches in the Netherlands, this cathedral took from 1336 to 1550 to complete. The interior has late-Gothic stained-glass windows, an…
- EEfteling
Is Efteling Europe's greatest theme park? The Dutch certainly think so. Their 'Disneyland' pulls in more than four million visitors annually and offers a…
- PPhilips Museum
From Keith Richards' tape-recorder to a wide-screen projector that once won an Oscar, this engaging museum tells the extraordinary story of the light-bulb…
- HHeusden
Picture-postcard little Heusden features antique tile-roofed houses, post-mills, minibridge and lovely inner yacht-harbour all wrapped in a fortified…
- JJheronimus Bosch Art Center
Housed in the grand, century-old St Jacob's Church, this remarkable museum has reproductions of all 29 known Bosch paintings, brought to life by an…
- OOnze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek
Dominating an intimate cafe-filled square, this millennium-old basilica-church is a fabulous example of Mosan architecture, made 'extra authentic' through…
- GGrote Kerk
Finished in 1509, the ornate tower-spire of this soaring Gothic church is one of the Netherlands' most beautiful. At 97m it still forms the iconic focus…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southeastern Netherlands.
- See
St Servaasbasiliek
Built above and around the shrine of St Servaas (Servatius), the first bishop of Maastricht, the basilica presents an architectural pastiche whose…
- See
Woudrichem
Ringed by grassy medieval rampart-banks, the charming citadel-village of Woudrichem became famed as the set for popular TV drama Dokter Tinus. Its small…
- See
St Janskathedraal
One of the finest churches in the Netherlands, this cathedral took from 1336 to 1550 to complete. The interior has late-Gothic stained-glass windows, an…
- See
Efteling
Is Efteling Europe's greatest theme park? The Dutch certainly think so. Their 'Disneyland' pulls in more than four million visitors annually and offers a…
- See
Philips Museum
From Keith Richards' tape-recorder to a wide-screen projector that once won an Oscar, this engaging museum tells the extraordinary story of the light-bulb…
- See
Heusden
Picture-postcard little Heusden features antique tile-roofed houses, post-mills, minibridge and lovely inner yacht-harbour all wrapped in a fortified…
- See
Jheronimus Bosch Art Center
Housed in the grand, century-old St Jacob's Church, this remarkable museum has reproductions of all 29 known Bosch paintings, brought to life by an…
- See
Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek
Dominating an intimate cafe-filled square, this millennium-old basilica-church is a fabulous example of Mosan architecture, made 'extra authentic' through…
- See
Grote Kerk
Finished in 1509, the ornate tower-spire of this soaring Gothic church is one of the Netherlands' most beautiful. At 97m it still forms the iconic focus…