Hey everyone! After two months here I finally made it to the southern tip of the Netherlands, Maastricht! This is where my brother lives so I should visit him more often (sorry bro). However, the train journey takes 2,5 hours (!) and the normal ticket price reached to a whopping EUR 25 (!). I'm in luck because I have Weekend Vrij tickets so I get to travel free on weekends but for you who doesn't, consider buying group tickets. You can pay as low as EUR 7 to Maastricht from Den Haag.

Maastricht is located more towards the mainland Europe so the terrain is very different than your typical Dutch city. No canals, but one huge river called Maas and a mountain called Mount Saint Peter.

After you exit the station, walk towards Centrum or 'Vrijthof'. On the way there's you'll past the river Maas. It was quite a scene because we don't have rivers like that in Den Haag. Along the way, you'll see the typical Dutch shopping brands but you'll spot these pink ice cream parlours, perfectly named 'Pinky'. My local guides (my brother and close friend Niken) took me to this place. It's amazing. One scoop of ice cream costs EUR 1,50. It is so good!



Then, you'll see this giant open area named Vrijthof. In the background you'll see that red church tower. That's Saint John's Church. Next to it, is the Saint Servatius Basilica.



There's more to explore in Maastricht but I only had one day so there wasn't much to see. I will definitely go there again in the future. That being said, I went to the German city of Aachen which is about an hour by bus from Maastricht. Hop on a bus from Maastricht Centraal. The trip costs around EUR 8 both ways.

Aachen is famous for its church. The exterior is quite modest. It's also tucked inside a shopping area so no big courtyard or square nearby. But, the beauty is the interior. IT WAS AMAZIIIING. The stain glass windows are divine! The attention to details, the many Catholic symbols - it was gorgeous!





Actually, what attracted my brother and I to Aachen is the Lindt Factory shop BUT most stores are closed on Saturday so be aware! We still get to see the awesome, totally awesome town hall of Aachen (right below). That's just so beautiful :')


Before you go, stop by at the many Nobis shop. It sells 'printen' or gingerbread cookies. Personally I don't like ginger in any of my food so even though I have some on my fridge it will stay there for .... months. But, if you like that kind of thing it's actually pretty good.