Valkenburg Castle ruins

Limburg is the most southerly province of the Netherlands, hugging the borders of Germany and Belgium. A scenic area, it changes from farmland and woods in the north, to flat, river and lake-dominated terrain in the centre, and to hilly, undulating countryside in the south.

People lived in Limburg as early as 750 BC. Roman warriors built a settlement (todays town of Maastricht) and wealthy Romans followed, building villas and hot spring baths, planting vines, and mining the hills for marl – a clay used in building. Limburg’s strategic position on the river Maas meant it was often a target of invaders.

Following the period of Spanish rule, the regions of the Netherlands developed differently. The north became a maritime trading region; the people spoke Dutch and were Protestant. In the south (Brabant and Limburg provinces) the emphasis was on manufacturing and coal mining; people spoke French and Flemish and were strongly Catholic. Limburgers, as a result, have a strong affinity to the shared past with Belgium and Germany. They also appreciate outstanding French cuisine, fine wines and there’s a ‘joie de vivre’ as well as great hospitality here, with an amicable atmosphere.

A drive through the region holds some lovely discoveries, from asparagus to caves, castles, spas and a white town. The Venlo area is famous for its white asparagus; a delicacy nicknamed ‘white gold.’ With over two million square meters of greenhouses, it is the second most important garden region in the Netherlands, supplying over 80% of the Dutch production of white asparagus. May through June, is asparagus season and a main feature in restaurants throughout the area. The National Asparagus and Mushroom Museum is north of Venlo in the town of Horst. Called De Locht, Koppertweg 5, (077) 398 7320, it shows how mushrooms and asparagus used to be grown. It’s housed in an authentic 19th-century farmstead, with a poultry house, herb and flower garden, and a bake house where bread is still made in the traditional way.
 
 

Thorn: The White town

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