Spare time activities in and around the “Selfkant”

If you want to visit the historical and cultural cities of Aachen or Maastricht, you will find that these can be easily travelled to within 40 minutes. Both cities offer museum lovers and those interested in culture a varied and exciting program. The Aachen Cathedral, built in the 8th century by Emperor Charlemagne is really worth a visit. If you want to relax after a busy day in Aachen, we recommend the Carolus Spa near the centre of Aachen who’s spring waters have a particular therapeutic effect. The German Eifel with its National park is just an hour’s drive away and the Belgian Park Midden Limburg is a thirty minutes’ drive away. Both Parks are ideally suited for unhurried walks.

A variety of biking and hiking trails invite you to an idyllic countryside exploration tour. It’s just a twenty minutes’ bike ride to the small Dutch town of Sittard which offers numerous shops, restaurants and cafes around its market place. If you like to make a (somewhat) longer trip, should not miss the opportunity to go to the Three-Country Point or to Maaseik in Belgium.

Simply leaving your car for a couple of days and relaxing while hiking is not difficult around here. Numerous well maintained and marked trails await you and your family. Small towns on the Dutch side of the border are within walking distance and supermarkets and shops for everyday use require a less than thirty minutes’ walk. Would you prefer not to go on foot, nor use a car, then we will gladly help you with local transport or rail services from Heinsberg to Aachen.

As mentioned above, the Dutch city of Maastricht and the historical German city of Aachen offer every culture enthusiast many attractive destinations. Cultural institutions and museums in both cities invite you for a stay. Aachen offers seasonal cultural activities such as the Classic Open Airs, the CHIO, theatre premieres and concerts in Congress Centre Eurogress. A guided tour of the Aachen Cathedral and the Cathedral’s Treasury Chamber or a city tour are equally recommended. And when you feel more like shopping, then the centre of Aachen with its countless shops, and the outlet centres in the Dutch city of Roermond and the Belgian city of Maasmechelen will fulfil all your wishes.

Aachen Tourist Informaton:

http://www.aachen.de/EN/ts/Current_information/index.html

Aachen Three-Country Point (Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium) (about 35 minutes by car):

http://www.routeyou.com/en-gb/location/view/47020103/drielandenpunt.nl

Aachen Cultural Program:

http://www.aachen.de/en/kf/veranst_en/

Aachen Carolus Spa (about 35 minutes by car)

https://www.carolus-thermen.de/go/bad_aachen/english.html

Aachen Stadttheater (City Theater):

http://www.theateraachen.de/

Aachen Kletterwald (about 35 minutes by car):

http://www.kletterwald-aachen.de/

Visitors‘ Centre Hückelhoven Colliery (about 30 minutes by car):

http://www.heinsberger-tourist-service.de/english/cultural-highlights/museums/museums-minerals---mining/museums-minerals-mining.html

Designer-Outlet Center Maasmechelen  Village(about 35 minutes by car):

http://www.maasmechelenvillage.com/en/home/home

Designer-Outlet Roermond (about 40 minutes by car) :

http://www.mcarthurglen.com/nl/designer-outlet-roermond/en/

Eifel Nationalpark:

http://www.nationalpark-eifel.de/go/eifel/english.html

Eifel, city of Monschau (about 1 hour by car):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monschau

http://www.monschau.de/

Eifel, Café am Roten Haus (Cafe at the Red House) (expecially recommended when visiting Monschau):

http://www.cafeamrotenhaus.de/

Spare time guide fort he region:

http://www.freizeitguide-euregio.de/

Gangelt, Wildlife Park (about 15 minutes by car):

http://www.wildpark-gangelt.com/eng/index.html

Gaia Park, Zoo ( Anfahrt ca. 30 Minuten) :

http://www.netherlands-tourism.com/gaiazoo-explore-kerkrades-zoo-park/

http://www.gaiazoo.nl/de/

Heinsberger Tourist Service:

http://www.heinsberger-tourist-service.de/?changelang=2

Maaseik, Belgium (about 30 minutes by car):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maaseik

http://travel.michelin.com/web/destination/Belgium_Luxembourg-Belgium-Maaseik/tourist-attractions

Maastricht Tourist Service (the Netherlands):

http://www.vvvmaastricht.nl/?lang=2

Mondo Verde, theme park (about 30 minutes by car):

http://hollandtour.org/list/landgraaf/mondo-verde-world.html

http://www.charlzz.com/en/landgraaf/recreation-sports-leisure/recreation/nature-animals-landscape/mondo-verde/mondo-verde/

http://www.wereldtuinenmondoverde.nl/

Selfkantbahn, Schierwaldenrath (the only remaining narrow-gauge steam locomotive railway in Germany. It is even possible to get a honorary degree in steam locomotive driving) (about 15 minutes by car):

http://hts.mmserver.org/english/cultural-highlights/steam-train-selfkantbahn/

http://www.selfkantbahn.de/

Sittard, the Netherlands (about 10 minutes by car):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sittard

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Netherlands/Provincie_Limburg/Sittard-457517/TravelGuide-Sittard.html

Snowworld Landgraaf, Indoor-Skiing (one of the largest indoor ski slopes in the world) (about 30 minutes by car)):

http://www.snowworld.com/en

Zipfelpass (Passport for those who want to visit the westernmost, the easternmost, the northernmost and the southernmost municipals of Germany):

http://www.zipfelbund.de/zipfelpass.html

http://www.derselfkant.de/zipfelpass.html