Discover Zuid-Limburg

Zuid-Limburg is a true Mecca for hiking enthusiasts. The region is famous for its many fascinating cycling routes and hiking trails. These routes take you through forests, creek valleys, sunken roads, and hills, treating you to beautiful panoramic views along the way. Additionally, anyone can design their own hiking trail by choosing a route marked with coloured posts, or cyclists can choose a route along the cycle interchange network, and determine the distance themselves.

Zuid-Limburg is the most southern part of the Provence Limburg, which is most southern Provence of the Netherlands, and has many geographic characters.
In the south of Zuid-Limburg you can visit the ‘three country point’ located in Vaals. Here the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany come together. Not far from the ‘three country point’ you ca visit the highest point of the Netherlands (322,5 meters) at the Vaalserberg.
Because of the many hills Zuid-Limburg has gained the name ‘Litlle Switserland’. The whole area is ideal and perfect for hiking and bike trips.

An other Zuid-Limburg characteristic is the yellow coloured Marlstone. This soft but strong sand rock that is used to built houses and even castles came into existing about 70 to 80 millions years ago. The marlstone is located in many caves in Zuid-Limburg where the inhabitants latterly break them out using simple tools. Nowadays in the city Valkenburg, also known as the ‘Marlstone-town’, you can visit many caves. In the caves of Valkenburg many things can be done, like mountain cycling underground, paintball shooting, quad-riding, or reach the castle ruins of Valkenburg by secret medieval passages. Valkenburg is also called ‘Christmas town of the Netherlands’, around Christmas time the caves turn into a underground Christmas market, a real must see!

In the east of Zuid-Limburg lays Parkstad. For a while ago there used to be a black cloud over Parkstad because of the coalmining industry. After the mines closed the area went from black to green. Nowadays this region is the fastest growing touristic area of the Netherlands. Here you will find many international top attractions, top events, funshopping and beautiful green parks for hiking and cycling.

In the west of Zuid-Limburg you can find the city Maastricht, the capital of the Provence Limburg and a culinary city par excellence. From north to south the river Maas floats through the city and provides visitors with many activities and cultural possibilities like Kano riding and boat trips that give a great perspective over the city. Also the Maas is, next to the river the Rhein and Schelde, the most important river of the Netherlands.

Zuid-Limburg has been inhabited for many centuries. For example, the Roman built baths in Heerlen, which can be revisited today as the Thermenmuseum. In Savelsbos, a woodland area near the village of Eijsden, you can visit prehistoric flint mines. Despite many wars and sieges in the Middle Ages, Zuid-Limburg has retained a wealth of many historic churches, half-timbered houses, watermills, castles, farmsteads and chateaux.

The town of Sittard, given its first charter in 1243, has a wonderful historic church of much renown. The history of Valkenburg aan de Geul dates back to the start of the 12th century when the castle of Valkenburg was the highest, most strategic and one of the most formidable fortresses in the Netherlands. Nowadays all that is left are its beautiful ruins. Visitors to Kasteel Hoensbroek, one of the oldest and largest surviving castles in the Netherlands, can get a true taste of the past.

At the beginning of the 19th century Limburg was split up amongst several different countries. In 1839 it was divided into Dutch and Belgium provinces of Limburg respectively. Down the centuries, the region was subject to many cultural and linguistic influences (including Dutch, German and French) and this is still reflected in the culture and cuisine of the province today.

Zuid-Limburg has been populated for many centuries. For example Roman soldiers build a spa in Heerlen that nowadays can be seen at the Thermenmuseum in Heerlen. In the forest called Savelsbos by the village Eijsden you can visit prehistoric Flintstone mines. Cause due the many wars and sieges in the middle ages Zuid-Limburg is filled with many beautifully historic churches, craftsmanship houses, watermills, castles, historic farms and land houses.

For example the city Sittard (1243) is famous because of their wonderful historic church. In the marlstone town ‘Valkenburg aan de Geul’, the story goes back to the start of the 12th century when the castle of Valkenburg was, the highest, most important/strategic and one of the strongest fortresses in the Netherlands. Nowadays al that is left are beautiful historic ruins. In the Castle Hoensbroek, one of the Netherlands biggest, oldest and largest still visit able castle you can go back in time.

In the beginning of the 19th century Limburg was split up into multiple Nations. In 1839 the Provence Limburg was divided into a Dutch and Belgium Provence. Throughout history the Provence had many different influences like Dutch, German and French which can still be discovered by cultural activities and typical Limburg food.

Details of Zuid-Limburg
Zuid-Limburg can be divided into five different regions.. Every region had his own particular characteristics. Click on one of the links below and discover al regions.

• Parkstad Limburg
• Valkenburg aan de Geul
• Heuvelland (Hill-land)
• Grensmaasvallei
• Maastricht