Maastricht is a gem of a city.

Within 10 minutes of arriving, this southernmost Dutch city had already wiggled its way to the top of my list of favorite European cities. I found myself immediately captivated by its quaint streets, medieval city center + pan-European flair. People here are easygoing and energetic—always out in the plaza drinking by 5pm, which I'm sure is partly due to being nestled between Belgium + Germany. There's a term here called bourgondisch, which loosely translated, is an attitude for enjoying life. In Maastricht, there's always time to stop for a snack and a drink with friends.

What I'm trying to say is that I may have found my spirit city.

Maastricht boasts a well-regarded university as well as great museums, parks, ancient churches, shopping and eating ( so.many.waffles. ). Plus, it has a gorgeous train station, which, to me, is the marker of any good European city. The history of Maastricht is everywhere. Spanish and Roman ruins can be found dotting the city, and being so close to Germany, it still bears scars from World War II. And—nerd alert—in 1991, it was the site of the official formation of the European Union.

In other words, this place has everything.

Ideally, I'd budget three to four days to truly enjoy Maastricht and linger through its charming streets, although two days will suffice. I made two day trips to Maastricht, so I can't vouch for places to stay, but you can find a good list here. This house + this apartment on AirBnB look pretty rad too. Also, you should eat waffles...lots of them.

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EAT

Start your day with breakfast at BISSCHOPSMOLEN, a local flour mill + bakery. They have the best spelt waffles ( see above ) and a small, sit-down breakfast menu. If you head to the back of the shop, you'll see it's still powered by a 7th century water mill. CAFÉ ZONDAG is an eclectic café that's perfect for breakfast, lunch or good coffee for take-away. REITZ is the only place to go for frites. I got a cone topped with mayo and onion gravy—a shop specialty—for about 4€.

For sweets, the café at MUSEUM AAN HET VRIJTHOF is a lovely stop. The atrium is open and airy, and the pastries are quite good. I recommend ordering the apricot tart + a latte for afternoon sustenance. If you're looking for a pint, I say pull up a chair and grab a BRAND beer ( the oldest brewery in the Netherlands ) anywhere along the VRIJTHOF, one of the city's main squares.

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SEE

If you're an art lover like me, your first stop must be the BONNEFANTENMUSEUM. Now through June, they're running an exhibit of Dutch painter Henri de Fromantiou's still lives that is not to be missed. My second stop would be SINT JANSKERK, a small church located off the Vrijthof. Climb to the top for 2€ for sweeping views of the city. Exit the church and to the right is the MUSEUM AAN HET VRIJTHOF. This museum tells the history of Maastricht, as well as showcases local artists + artisans. A must see, if only for the cutest old ladies who greet you at the door.

All Harry Potter fans will love the SELEXYZ DOMINICANEN BOOKSTORE. Originally a Gothic church built in 1294, it now houses endless shelves of books and is truly stunning. A trip out to FORT SINT PIETER makes for an afternoon excursion. It's about 1.25 miles south of the city center, and offers a gorgeous walk along the old city walls and through neighborhoods. I hear a tour of the fort's underground tunnels + caves is pretty cool, although I didn't have time to go.

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SHOP

I found RECHSTRAAT to be the street for shopping. It houses a collection of restaurants + shops, with one of my favorites being DE HEPPIE STORE, an adorable kids boutique. I wanted to buy my nephew one of everything there. GROTE STAAT is another shopping lane that's enjoyable to browse, although the city is sprinkled with cute shops + stores nearly everywhere.