Venlo

Venlo is in north Limburg and just a stone's throw away from the German border. It's not only a great place to shop, you can also take boat tours or simply relax along the river.

Because of its location on the river, Venlo quickly developed into an important trading city. It was granted town privileges in the mid-1400s and city walls built which were 8 metres high with some 30 towers. A large part of the walls were lost over time, but you can still find a few historic buildings in the city centre.

Venlo has something for everyone. Start your visit with a few hours of shopping, for example, in Gasthuisstraat and Jodenstraat. These two streets are very close to Venlo's historic Renaissance city hall (stadhuis).

Saturday is market day at Nolensplein and a great place to head to if you're bargain hunting or just interested in markets in general. After the market, visit the Limburgs Museum with your partner or kids and take in some cultural history. The museum is in Julianapark to the east of the city centre.

There's also a lot of outdoor activities and things to discover around the town. Take a boat trip down the Meuse or visit the National Park De Maasduinen, which is only a 30-minute drive north of Venlo. This huge national park is home to all kinds of animals and is the perfect place to spend a day outdoors.

You don't need a car to explore the centre of Venlo. Travel to the city by train or car, which you can park cheaply in the park and ride (P+R) parking lot at Stationsplein. You can take the bus for day trips if you don't have a car.

Venlo is easy to reach from most cities of the Netherlands.  For example, you can take a train from Utrecht Central station, change in Eindhoven and arrive in Venlo 90 minutes later! If you're travelling around the Netherlands by car, your satnav will get you there.

Enjoy this lovely town in the southeast of the Netherlands where you’ll find everything from beautiful nature to cute shopping streets and cosy cafés.