The collection of streets between the city centre and the Jeker quarter is known as the Stokstraat quarter. It’s that historic corner of the city between two statues, ‘De Mestreechter Geis’ and ‘Slevrouwe’. All of these streets ultimately lead to the ever-charming, intimate and romantic Onze Lieve Vrouweplein. In this part of the city, you can find the warmth and charm of a classic Maastricht pub on virtually every corner. The quarter takes its name from what may be the city’s most famous (or infamous) street. Today, Stokstraat is known as the place for the most exclusive and luxury shops in the Netherlands, but it was not always so. If there’s any street that has seen its fortunes turn over the years, it’s this one. In the Middle Ages, its reputation was dubious thanks to its many bathhouse-brothels; later, the street enjoyed a renaissance with many reputable merchants established in it, until, as the Industrial Revolution took hold and the city centre became overpopulated with wave after wave of migrants from the countryside, the street became synonymous with grinding poverty. Living conditions here became so dire that there was even talk of demolishing the entire street. The Stokstraat quarter of today is the result of a dramatic redevelopment between 1950 and 1973, which succeeded in preserving its historic character but transforming it into a fashionable address for living, shopping, and dining.

Not far from the Church of Gesù Nuovo, Basilica di Santa Chiara is a religious complex dating from the 1300s, which includes the Church of Santa Chiara, a monastery, tombs, and a museum, that collects historical documents, sacred relics, and marble statues.

Set inside The Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest in the world, with a 10-million-litre tank that houses more than 140 species of marine life, including the planet’s biggest collection of sand tiger sharks. A stroll through the 48-metre walk-through tunnel gives you a front-row seat as sharks and rays glide overhead, while the underwater zoo upstairs introduces visitors to everything from otters to penguins.

Agde and Pézenas have the expertise gained by the craftsmen who live and work there. Around the Maison des Métiers d’Art and the Galerie de la Perle Noire, these “Pôles des Métiers d'Art d'Agde et de Pézenas” are a showcase of crafts in the area of fashion, heritage restoration and theatre.