Meuse & Ardennes - from Maastricht to the Semoisfrom Maastricht to the Semois

Maastricht is the oldest city in the Netherlands, where the Meuse enters the country. On the Vrijthof, the bookstore is located in the thirteenth-century Dominican church, and under the Sint-Pietersberg, guided tours run through the marl caves. The city does not have an environmental zone; park on the outskirts and explore the center on foot.

Namur is the place to sleep: the city lies where the Sambre meets the Meuse, beneath the citadel that generations of military engineers have carved into the limestone. The cable car takes you to the top in a few minutes; downstairs, you can eat in the streets around the cathedral.

The houses of Dinant seem to be compressed by the massive rock face rising directly behind the quayside. Those who climb the 408 steps reach the citadel for a panoramic view over the green Meuse Valley. Below, the Collégiale Notre-Dame stands out with its pear-shaped church tower rising above the rooftops. On the Pont Charles de Gaulle, colorful saxophones stand as a tribute to inventor Adolphe Sax. The quayside is a lively spot where you can enjoy the sight of passing pleasure boats.

Han-sur-Lesse takes you into an underground world where the river Lesse flows through deep limestone caves. A historic narrow-gauge tram from the early twentieth century transports passengers over creaking rails to the entrance of the domain. In the depths, the Caves of Han reveal enormous halls such as the spacious Salle du Dôme. In the accompanying Wildlife Park, bison and wolves roam freely through the dense undergrowth. In the lively village, visitors relax on the terraces around the church.

Bouillon is dominated by a medieval castle that towers on a rock ridge above a bend of the Semois. Three drawbridges lead to the Château de Bouillon, where passages are carved deep into the rocks. In the courtyard, birds of prey fly past you during a falconry display. Down in the town, houses reflect in the river that winds through the valley. The steep streets create a lively bustle with views of the forested Ardennes.

Bastogne was surrounded in December 1944; a Sherman tank stands on the Place McAuliffe and the star-shaped memorial to the American dead sits on the Mardasson hill outside town. Allow half a day for the memorial, the museum and the foxholes still visible in the woods at Bois Jacques. Overnight parking at the museum is not allowed.

The grey castle ruin of La Roche-en-Ardenne towers on a steep rock face above the houses and dominates the deep valley. From the walls of the Château féodal, you look out over the rooftops and the wooded slopes along the Ourthe. In the streets, butchers sell smoked Ardennes ham, and on the river, kayaks glide downstream through the greenery. Those who seek out the surrounding forests will find silence there, while the terraces on the quay offer a lively view of the rippling stream.

Thanks to a fourteenth-century city charter, Durbuy holds the title of the smallest city in the world and consists of cobblestone streets with grey houses. Along the Ourthe, the Topiary Park displays artfully pruned boxwood plants in the shape of animals. From the bridge, you can overlook Durbuy Castle, which, as a private estate, towers above the grey rooftops. The Jam Manufactory sells artisanal jam made from Ardennes fruit. The lively core gives way to a tranquil view of folded limestone layers near the Falize Rock.

Maastricht is the oldest city in the Netherlands, where the Meuse enters the country. On the Vrijthof, the bookstore is located in the thirteenth-century Dominican church, and under the Sint-Pietersberg, guided tours run through the marl caves. The city does not have an environmental zone; park on the outskirts and explore the center on foot.