Page 385 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

LIMBURG  383

e Valkenburg
Road map D6. * 5,500. £ @ 36,
47, 63. n Th. Dorrenplein 5 (0900-
5559798). ( Mon am, Tue am.
The old fortified town of
Valkenburg, situated in an area
dotted with castles, is popular
with visitors. In addition to
sights such as the old gates of
Berkelpoort and Grendelpoort,
a 13th-century Romanesque
church and the ruins of a
12th-century castle, there are
many new attractions, such
as a casino, catacombs, the
Fluweelen cave, Gemeentegrot
(a Roman quarry and cave Picturesque sloping streets of the Maasland village of Elsloo
complex), a cable car, the
Prehistorische Monstergrot and built on the site of a Roman Master of Elsloo. Remnants of
the Steenkolenmijn (coal mine). temple from 2,000 years ago, Elsloo’s earliest castle can be
is now a hotel and restaurant. seen in the middle of the river
T Gemeentegrot Beside the castle is the at low water. Of the later Kasteel
Cauberg 4. Tel 043-6012271. Neubourgermolen mill, with Elsloo, only one tower survives.
Open 11am–5pm daily Closed 1 Jan, a fish ladder for trout. The
Carnival, 25 Dec. & 8 guided Gulpen brewery is worth a
tours only. * visit. The common kingfisher y Eijsden
can be seen here.
Road Map C6.
r Gulpen * 4,800. £
@ 58, 59.
t Elsloo
Road Map D6. * 7,500. @ 150. n Diepstraat 31
n Dorpsstraat 27 (0900-5559798). Road Map D6. * 8,650. £ @ 93. (0900-5559798).
( Thu morning. n Kitzraedhuis, Rosmolenstraat 2, ( Thu pm.
Sittard (0900-5559798).
Gulpen lies at the confluence Eijsden, the
of the Geul and Gulp streams. Artifacts from the prehistoric southernmost Kingfisher
The town’s surrounding pottery culture found at Elsloo municipality in the
countryside, with its half- are on display in the Maasland Netherlands, is a protected rural
timbered houses, water mills local history museum, De area. There is a pleasant walk to
and orchards, is probably the Schippersbeurs. In the be had along the Maas quay.
prettiest in Limburg. Hiking Waterstaatskerk, dating from Kasteel Eijsden was built in 1636
routes are marked. The 1848, is the 16th-century in the Maasland Renaissance
17th-century Kastell Neubourg, St-Anna-te-Drieën by the style on the foundations of an
earlier stronghold. The castle is
not open to the public, but the
park makes for a nice stroll.
u Vaals
Road Map D6. * 9,600. @ 50.
n Landal Maastrichterlaan 73a
(0900-5559798). ( Tue am.
Vaals’ wooded countryside is
known for the Drielan denpunt,
from which three countries are
visible. At 322 m (1,058 ft), it
is also the highest point in
Holland. Worth visiting are
Kasteel Vaalsbroek and the
Von Clermonthuis; both date
from the 18th century. De
Kopermolen, once a church,
Limburg’s scenic countryside, with the meandering Jeker river is now a museum.

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