‘This is where the cultural, creative, and enterprising urban district Sphinx will arise.’ So reads the ambition behind the plans for the development of the Sphinx area. Plans focus on the place where Maastricht’s industrial revolution began. It was here that Petrus Regout built his ‘Sphinx Factory,’ the start of what grew into an enormous industry, producing bathroom fixtures, tiles, and the products that made Maastricht great. The factory operated until 2006, and since then efforts have been under way to redevelop this area as a district that fits in with the city, but as something Maastricht does not already have. That’s why this district is being designed to attract creative types, young residents, national and international students, and expatriates. It will be internationally oriented, with room for flexible space and temporary functions. Where this area is going is becoming clearer and clearer, in things like the arrival of the pop music stage in a former sawmill, and the newly opened Brandweer(kantine), with workspaces and meeting places for creative entrepreneurs. But not everything in this part of the city is new and different. The historic and picturesque river harbour ‘t Bassin, adjacent to the Sphinx area, makes a perfect buffer for the transition from the more familiar and better known Maastricht to this new part of town.

The Valladolid Royal Palace in Plaza de San Pablo was the official residence of the Kings of Spain in Valladolid when it was the seat of the courts. It was inhabited by the Spanish monarchs Carlos I, Felipe II and Felipe III and Napoleon Bonaparte during the War of Independence. Numerous structural changes have been made and the Palace was completed around 1528.

The Basilica of San Zeno is one of Verona’s key medieval landmarks, and a favourite for many locals. The church you see now was rebuilt in the 12th century after an earthquake, but it sits on a much older site from the 5th century. Inside, don’t miss the bronze doors—covered in strange and detailed scenes—and the altarpiece by Mantegna, one of the best in town.

Wyck has often been described as the up-and-coming part of Maastricht. Even though it’s still a dynamic area in development, it’s already seen a real transformation from ten years ago. Today, it’s hard to imagine that there was a time that this side of the Meuse was dismissed as ‘outside Maastricht,’ and the people of Wyck were considered bumpkins. But this history has also had a defining impact, and made Wyck into the unique urban borough that it is. The many contemporary and exclusive shops, hotels, restaurants, and creative enterprises that have come here in recent years are a perfect fit with the long-standing local boutiques, fine food shops, and the locals themselves. That’s what makes Wyck one of the best places in Maastricht to live, work, and shop. On weekdays Wyck is bustling with business from the train station to the river, and on weekends it is just as jumping, with the tourists and day visitors tarrying here to ‘warm up’ for a day out on the town. Today, it’s rightly said that you haven’t seen Maastricht until you’ve seen Wyck!