Venlo
Travel Guide > Europe > Netherlands > Limburg > Venlo
Introduction
Venlo is a city in the north of the Dutch province of Limburg. The old center lies on the east side of the river Meuse. Besides the town of Venlo itself, there are other towns and villages that belong to the territory: Blerick (on the westside of the river), Tegelen and Belfeld (south of Venlo), and by 2010, the towns of Arcen and Velden will become part of Venlo.
Venlo has a tradition as a logistical port. Railways, roads, and the river, make Venlo a perfect gateway for all trade leaving the Netherlands towards Germany.
The north of Limburg is a perfect place to do some cycling. There are a lot of routes that you can follow, or you can choose to make up your own route.
Sights and Activities
- Limburgs Museum - This museum tells the (recent) history of Limburg, but also has a lot of special exhibitions.
- Museum van Bommel van Dam - Located next to the Limburgs Museum, this is a modern arts museum, with a very good collection, and good exhibitions.
- Raadhuis (Town Hall) - Built in 1736, this beautiful town hall is located at the market square in the old part of the town.
- City-Bridge - The bridge that connects Venlo and Blerick is guarded by four statues by Shinkichi Tajiri, who lives in a town near to Venlo. The bridge also has illuminated panels, that keeps changing the panoramic figures they project.
- Kasteeltuinen (Castle's gardens) - Ten kilometers north of Venlo, lies the little town of Arcen. The main attraction of this town are the garden that surround the castle.
Events and Festivals
- Carnaval - Just like in the rest of Limburg, Carnaval is a big thing in Venlo. The carnaval is held on Saturday with a huge gathering and perfomances on numerous stages.
- Zomerparkfeest - The Zomerparkfeest is a big free festival with a lot of music. It is held from Thursday to Sunday, on the last weekend of the holidays.
- ZOKS-festival - During the last weekend of June, the ZOKS-festival takes place in Blerick. This is a free festival that focuses mainly on rock and blues music.
Weather
Getting There
By Plane
The nearest airports are in Weeze, Eindhoven and Düsseldorf, and also the airports in Maastricht and Cologne are not that far away.
By Train
Venlo is about two hours by train from Amsterdam, and half an hour from Eindhoven. There are also connections to German cities like Duisburg, Cologne and Düsseldorf. Some of them require a stopover in Vierssen.
By Car
Coming from the north you can get to Venlo using the A73 highway. From the south (Maastricht, Roermond) you can also follow the A73, which has been completed in early 2008. Coming from the west you can use the A67. If you are coming from Germany, you can get to Venlo via the A61 (Koblenz, Cologne) or the A40 (Duisburg).
By Bus
There are regional buses, and some regional buses coming from Germany. However, trains are a better option for international travel.
By Boat
There are no commercial boat services to Venlo. There is however a boat connecting Venlo (or rather Blerick) with some of the surrounding towns along the Meuse.
Getting Around
By Public Transport
There are city buses serving various parts of the town.
By Car
Venlo isn't that big, but you need to pay for parking if you want to get to the city center during working hours, or on Saturday. This also apply on Sunday if the shops are open on that day.
By Bike
As is the case in the rest of the Netherlands cycling is a good way to get around. Only the shopping centers are off limits to bicycles.
By Foot
Venlo itself is pretty small, so you can get around by foot easily.
Eat
Drink
The Parade and the market are the places to go for a drink. Here you will find some good cafés, like the Yellow Submarine, Café Central. A little bit hidden away, you will find a small but relaxed café were you can also eat something, called Hemingway (Heilige Geeststraat).
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This is version 18. Last edited at 19:55 on May 11, 08 by Hien (+17). 2 articles link to this page.
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