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.

Discover the fascinating life of reptiles at Zoo de Mescoules. Here you can admire crocodiles, iguanas, giant pythons and other big snakes. Enjoy a guided educational tour that lasts one and a half hours. Outside is an inflatable outdoor game for children.

As a member of one of the prestigious Carnegie Libraries, Centralia Timberland Library was built with donations from 19th-century industrialist Andrew Carnegie. After browsing through the extensive reading sections, you can also browse the internet on the public use computers. Special events are held throughout the year for all ages, such as the annual Christmas Tree Lighting.