I have had the tremendous opportunity to attend an outstanding performance recently, so I felt I should share this with you as well. So I thought it would be a great opportunity of traveling in search of your heroes: Andre Rieu. Here is his hometown, Maastricht.
Andre Rieu is one of today’s most popular violinists and composers, a brilliant artist who has managed to make classical music and orchestral sounds accessible to large audiences from all over the world. He was born in Maastricht, on October 1st 1949 in a family of musicians. He studied violin in Liege, Maastricht and Brussels. Rieu owns the largest private orchestra in the world, the Johann Strauss Orchestra. Together with his orchestra, he has been touring the world for 25 years. Each year, the tour culminates with an unforgettable concert in his hometown, Maastricht. Apart from being an important tourist attraction in the Netherlands, Maastricht is connected with the 1992 Conference that put the basis of the European Union. Here are, however, some spots you can’t miss on a visit here:
1. Built in the 6th century, Servaaskerk is the oldest church in the Netherlands. The constructing is majestic and has been expanded and restored over the centuries. Highlights here include the 13th-century Borgportaal (the southern doorway), the Imperial Gallery and Hall built in the 12th century and the Treasury, which displays a variety of artifacts, from paintings and statues to relics and sacred objects.
2. On the wide plateau between Maastricht and the Belgian city Liege, you can visit Mount Saint Peter with its 18th-century Fort Sint Pieter. It is a very popular recreational area.
3. 20.000 passages make up the St. Pietersberg Caves, a worthy system of (not so very) secret tunnels and passageways. Come to Maastricht for the Andre Rieu concert or simply to visit! To get there from Holland’s capital city, choose Amsterdam car rental.
