You’ll feel like you’ve crossed the border, but you’re not quite there yet. Of course, you’re aware that Maastricht’s central location in the Euregio means you can be in Belgium very quickly. But you don’t really feel it until you see how the city, and the countryside around it, is layered with a unique mix of foreign influences. With the Sint Pietersberg hill, the historic caves, the vineyards, Fort Sint Pieter, and Château Neercanne as backdrop, this part of the city has everything you need to capture that holiday feeling. Sint Pieter was its own municipality until 1920. This part of the city was always outside the city walls (and so had it the toughest in times of war). Then, it was mainly farmers who lived here; now, it’s mostly families, epicureans, and a few descendants of the inhabitants of that old Sint Pieter. Today, Sint Pieter is Maastricht’s most popular residential district, not just for its beautiful houses but because of its ideal location between city and green. And it still feels like its own town, with its own social life, and charm, even though it’s just a stone’s throw away from the city park. In fact, it has the best of both worlds: village and city. Nature and culture.

The Castello Sforzesco was built in the 15th by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Until the beginning of the 20th century it was a symbol of power and the nobility used it as their residence. Today the castle houses a wide selection of cultural sights, such as museums and exhibitions.

This square is flanked by two of the city’s most interesting buildings, as opposite the impressive cathedral of Murcia is the Palacio Episcopal from the 18th century. Constructions on the Episcopal started in the 14th century, and today, its impressive tower reaches over 300 feet high.