Vaals: Cultural History, Vaalserberg and the Three-Country Point

The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet at the Drielandenpunt; Vaalserberg rises to 322.5 metres above NAP. Cultural history, sacred art and wine-related activities also offer different ways to shape a trip to Vaals. If you are looking for a hotel in Vaals, your interests can provide a starting point for planning each day.

Cultural history in Vaals

Many buildings from the era of the formerly important cloth industry, shaped in part by Johann Arnold von Clermont, still stand in the historic centre. The historic town walk leads to the stately Von Clermonthuis. If you want to explore the town’s architectural history, you can combine this stop with a look at the surviving buildings from the textile era.

Museum Vaals displays its collection in a monumental monastery chapel. More than 200 church and monastery statues from the Neo-Gothic period, from 1850 to 1920, are currently on view there. The museum visit thus focuses on a clearly defined period and sacred sculpture. Visitors can also walk along the Stations of the Cross in the park and light a candle in the Marian chapel.

De Kopermolen Vaals is housed in a former Evangelical Lutheran church built by Protestants from Aachen in 1736/1737. Today, De Kopermolen offers a programme of concerts and exhibitions. The history of Kasteel Vaalsbroek also goes back a long way: it dates back to the “hoff zo Broiche”, mentioned in 1479. The present manor house was built shortly after 1733. The Vaalsbroekermolen dates from 1765.

Vaalserberg and routes around Vaals

Vaalserberg offers climbs for cycling tours and numerous hiking routes. Facilities in the visitor area at the Drielandenpunt include two observation towers and the Labyrint Drielandenpunt. The forests and area around the Three-Country Point are open free of charge every day throughout the year; check local conditions before your visit.

The 25-kilometre Cittaslow walk Rond(je) Jemèngde passes all the Cittaslow ambassadors and places of interest in the municipality of Vaals. The 11-kilometre Route des Vins offers a different focus: it passes two wineries in the Vaals area. The routes’ different destinations can help you choose one to suit your interests without treating the two offerings as the same.

Another hiking option is the Kasteel Vaalsbroek route. It starts at Kasteel Vaalsbroek and follows hiking junctions into the hilly countryside behind the estate. Check current route conditions before setting out. This will help you distinguish between a longer walk with many stops, a route linked to wineries and a path starting at Kasteel Vaalsbroek.

Wine and getting there

In Lemiers, Domein Holset offers vineyard tours and tastings that introduce the production of sparkling wines from Limburg. This adds a distinct wine focus alongside the historic sites and trails on Vaalserberg. If you are planning a tour or tasting, check the current dates in advance.

Vaals can be reached by bus from Aachen, Maastricht and Heerlen. Check the timetable before travelling. One available option provides unlimited bus travel, and train travel where applicable, throughout South Limburg and as far as Aachen for one or two days; check the applicable conditions before using it.

When planning your hotel stay, you can first consider whether you would like to spend more time on cultural history, routes and walks, or wine-related activities. These different interests offer various reasons to include Vaals and the places within the municipality in your trip.

Discover more destinations: Vijlen, Vaals, Lemiers, Mook En Middelaar, Roermond, Maastricht, Roerdalen, Kerkrade.

View the overarching travel guide: Limburg.