Beautiful! - Holidays around Aachen
On a holiday around Aachen, it's worth taking a look at our neighbours in the Netherlands and Belgium. Daniel Aßmann is travelling in the border triangle and finds out what connects people in the border region.
He cycles along the Heuvelland cycle route from Aachen to the beautiful student city of Maastricht. Once there, he goes canoeing on the Meuse and discovers the Negenoord-Kerkeweerd nature reserve on an electric whisper boat. He doesn't just meet ducks on the water: he takes a road trip to Wallonia and East Belgium in a vintage car of the same name. It's going to be a little gourmet tour: after all, Belgium is famous for its fries, waffles and beer. On the way to Liège, Daniel Aßmann makes a detour to one of the largest free-fall simulators in Europe.
Daniel Aßmann looks out of the open top of an orange Citröen "Ente "Daniel Aßmann takes a road trip with a Ente to Wallonia in West BelgiumFurther information on the Aachen region as well as Liège and MaastrichtThe underground tunnel system in Valkenburg can be explored on a bike tourGrottenbiking in Valkenburg, Negenoord Kerkewerd nature reserve, Rivierpark Maasvallei nature reserve and Energeticon | moreThe railway station in Liège is an architectural masterpiece. It was designed by the architect Santiago CalatravaLiège and Maastricht | moreThe Sunday market in Aubel offers many regional specialities. The "Le Herve" is a typical cheese from Wallonia.gourmet tour at the Sunday market in Aubel, Val-Dieu Abbey and fries in three countries.
It is less than 10 kilometres from Aachen to the two neighbouring countries of Belgium and the Netherlands. This makes the city a good starting point for a holiday in the border region. On the outskirts of the city is the border triangle - the point where the borders of Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany meet. The many hiking trails around the Vaalserberg make the area a popular destination for hikers. At the top of the Vaalserberg is the 35 metre high Wilhelminatoren observation tower with its glass skywalk. From there you have a panoramic view of the Euregio. The Euregio is the name given to the border region in which towns and municipalities have joined forces to promote co-operation between the countries.
View of the Wilhelminaturm, behind it a wide view of a forest and meadow landscapeThe 35 metre high Wilhelminaturm on the Vaalserberg offers a panoramic view of the border triangle.
Heuvelland: The Heuvelland (hill country) in the south-east of the Netherlands is also known as Mergelland due to its calcareous soil. The area is located on the foothills of the Eifel and Ardennes. A popular cycle route runs right through it: the Heuvelland Fietsroute is 41 kilometres long and leads from Vaalserberg near Aachen to Maastricht in the Netherlands.
On the tour, you pass a number of idyllic Heuvelland communities. Some of them bear the "Cittaslow" quality label, an international network of places worth living in, which particularly stand for quality of life and sustainability. The Cittaslow motto is: "Take the time to enjoy the little things in life."
The hilly countryside is ideal for growing vines. Around 75 wine taverns have been registered in the region since 1970. Wine from the region has now even been awarded a protected designation of origin by the EU.
Broadcasting on 12th of May 2024 at 8.15pm on WDR/ARD
Music: POPVIRUS Library