The 3 Pieterpad Cities Of Limburg: Venlo, Sittard & Maastricht

Index

Pieterpad In Limburg

The Pieterpad goes through three cities in Limburg: 

• Venlo

• Sittard

• Maastricht

All three the cities are a stop and a starting place on the Pieterpad if the official stops on the route are followed. All three are different, but all in Limburg. The most exciting one is of course Maastricht, because that is the starting or the ending point of the southern part of the Pieterpad route.

Venlo Is The City Which I Prefer The surroundings More Than The City

I started my Pieterpad adventure in Zelhem and not like most people in Pieterburen or St. Pietersberg. It is the first long distance path I walked in The Netherlands. I didn't know what to expect and compared it to the Camino Portugues I walked in 2016. Back then the Pieterpad surprised me with its beautiful nature. On the Pieterpad I learned that The Netherlands has incredibly beautiful nature between the cities. The area around Venlo also has its beautiful parts, especially along the Maas. The area is not straight like the area around the canals of Groningen. Occasionally there are even height differences and I have to puff from the effort at the top.

Sittard Is The Limburg City With Winding Streets

The Pieterpad route further south is full of religious buildings, old medieval monasteries and churches. In one of the many chapels a candle can be light for the experience or to pray for a good walk to the end of the southern part of the Pieterpad. But first there is a winding road through Sittard along the old city center to the station. To see more of Sittard and surroundings I did some pilgrim routes and the Franciscan route winding through the surroundings of Sittard. These routes are often shorter than the Pieterpad stages and often include a climb to a saint, chapel or church. The pilgrim routes wind through the area around Sittard. Pay attention, because this is the narrowest part of The Netherlands otherwise German signs will appear saying beware of birds of prey.

Maastricht Is The Beauty Of Limburg

The last stage on the Southern Pieterpad is the shortest, but not the easiest one. At the end there is one last climb, the St. Pietersberg. For me it was just the end of the Southern path. I had most of the northern path of the Pieterpad still to go. The end is beautiful with benches over seeing the NCI-groeve and a mark marking the end or starting point. Some people start here. Before getting here I had to cross the center of Maastricht. Not a punishment, because it is one of the prettiest centers of The Netherlands with the basilica, the medieval wall, the Maas, a mill, etc.

*I hiked the camino to think about what I wanted further from life and Databeet, not to party like some do on the Camino. I talked while hiking with my fellow hikers, but did not party with them or others. I am not a party animal and liked the quietness and calmness of the camino.