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.

Winterfest has developed into one of the biggest festivals for modern circus artistry in the German-speaking world. From the end of November until the beginning of January, only the very best circus troupes get to perform under the big tents in the Volksgarten. Visitors can look forward to an exciting program of side events, compelling acrobatics and a colourful culinary offer.

The Archaeological Site of Nora is located in the southwestern part of the Gulf of Cagliari and was one of the main centres of the settlement during the Phoenician times. After several years of oblivion, Nora was unearthed during the 1950s and opened again to the public shortly after being examined by researchers.