Sittard - Geleen - Pocket Guide

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
Sittard-Geleen
2011 / 2012
N°01 - €2.50
www.inyourpocket.com
Live Sports
Hockey, handball and
football in Sittard-Geleen
The Weed Pass
Politicians, tourists and
Mary Jane

E3Contents
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
2011/2012sittard.geleen.inyourpocket.com
Foreword E4
A few words from the editor
Arriving in Sittard-Geleen E5
How to get to your hotel
The Basics E8
Getting to grips with Sittard-Geleen
History E12
The city’s past on two pages
Culture & Events E14
Concerts, galleries and events
Where to stay E22
Beds for backpackers and business executives
Restaurants E26
The Dutch have much more than cheese to offer
Cafés E34
Classic cafés, bakeries and high tea
Nightlife E36
Bars, pubs, clubs and cafés
High times in Holland E44
Smoke legally and responsibly
The men of Eaters, the local ice hockey team, and the women
of the OCI Nitrogen-LIONS handball squad are two of the
better teams in their respective leagues. Fortuna Sittard
football club isn’t in the nation’s top league, but a mere one
level lower. Read more about local teams on p.E61 Photo
courtesy of StudioVR9
Contents
Sightseeing E46
Museums, churches and other sights
Getting around E54
Trains, buses and taxis
Directory
Shopping E56
Sittard-Geleen for kids E59
Sports & Leisure E60
Health & Lifestyle E62
List of small features
Message from the Mayor E9
A doggy bag... please! E28
Holland’s burqa ban E30
Wee bag E32
Senseless slaughter E34
Sticks and stones E38
Bitter... balls? E41
Jewish Sittard E52
Cycling without frontiers E55
Dutch mining E63
Maps & Index
Sittard map & Street register E65
Geleen map & Street register E66
Greater Sittard-Geleen map E67
Netherlands map E68
Hotel, restaurant and nightlife index E70
The Dutch government has been struggling for years to
find a solution to its ‘coffeeshop problem’. The latest
brainchild of the politicians is the so-called Weed Pass.
Read more on p.E41

E4 Foreword
Sittard-Geleen In Your Pocket sittard.geleen.inyourpocket.com
E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S
Editorial
Editorial team Theo Leerintveld (theo.
leerintveld@inyourpocket.com), Martijn
Kuijpers & Martins Zaprauskis
Contributors Peter van Lent (historie)
Researchers Theo Leerintveld &
Mark Mies
Layout & Design Martins Zaprauskis
Photos Theo Leerintveld, Lya Cattel,
VVV Zuid-Limburg, Buro046, Studio66,
Euregionaal Historisch Centrum
Sittard-Geleen and StudioVR unless
otherwise noted
Cover photo VVV Zuid Limburg
This edition is made possible by
Brandpartners Sittard-Geleen
Advertising Mark Mies (sittard@
inyourpocket.com, (+31) 618 13 65 07)
Buro046, Overhovenerstraat 2,
Sittard, tel (+31) 464 587 951
Distribution Theo Leerintveld &
Buro046
Copyright notice
Text and photos copyright In Your Pocket
Netherlands 2011 - 2012. Maps copyright
cartographer. All rights reserved. No part
of this publication may be reproduced
in any form, except brief extracts for
the purpose of review, without written
permission from the publisher and
copyright owner. The brand name In Your
Pocket is used under license from UAB
In Your Pocket: Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius,
Lithuania tel. (+370) 52 12 29 76.
Editor’s note
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guides is independent from paid-for
advertising. Sponsored listings are
clearly marked as such. We welcome all
readers’ comments and suggestions.
We have made every effort to ensure
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time of going to press and assume no
responsibility for changes and errors.
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Sittard-Geleen In Your Pocket
sittardgeleen@inyourpocket.com
ISSN 2212-2583
© In Your Pocket Netherlands
Printed by Microdot in the EU
Published once annually
20,000 copies
In 2001, Sittard and Geleen were joined into one admin-
istrative district becoming the youngest city in the Neth-
erlands. It’s also the fifth city in Holland to have its own
In Your Pocket guide. This is a bilingual travel aid, which
means that Dutch tourists, as well as foreign visitors can
discover this beautiful city. Sittard boasts a medieval cen-
tre with an historic Market Square, while Geleen is mostly
known for its past as a mining powerhouse. A large num-
ber of Catholic churches and monasteries in the area also
make it a popular pilgrimage site for the devout. Very little
remains of the mining industry today and all of the coal
pits have been decommissioned and filled with sand, wa-
ter and concrete. But less than half a century ago, Geleen
was home to the most modern mine in Europe. Because
Sittard-Geleen is situated in the so-called bottleneck of
the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium are never far away.
The narrowest part of the country offers fabulous views,
historic cities and charming hamlets that can be explored
on foot or by bike. The area is steeped in history and no
other part of the Netherlands has experienced so much
of the wars that passed by over the centuries. Spaniards,
Frenchmen, Cossacks, Italians, Germans and the Dutch
have all fought for their own ends on this soil and left their
mark on the local populace.
Wherever you’re from, we’re certain that this guide will give
you a detailed understanding of the fascinating history
of Sittard-Geleen and will illustrate that there’s plenty to
discover here.
Newsstand
“The In Your Pocket series of guide booklets have ...
become a European publishing phenomenon.”
International Herald Tribune
Thebuildingsfeaturedonthisissue’scover
are among the best preserved medieval
craftsmen’s houses in the city and you’ll
find them on the historic Market Square
inSittard.Thebeautiful,characteristicedi-
ficeofTheGatsCafédatesfrom1535and
is named after the neighbouring street,
which basically translates as Narrow
Street in the local Limburgian dialect.
Cover story
In Your Pocket has broken much new ground of
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EarrivinginSittard-Geleen
Arriving in Sittard-Geleen is fairly simple these days. The
bus and train stations are located right on the edge of
both the city centres of Sittard and Geleen and two re-
gional Dutch airports, Eindhoven and Maastricht-Aachen,
are less than an hour train ride away. Sittard-Geleen is
therefore easily reached by public transport from any
direction. Buses within the city are also simple to use and
well-organised. In both the Sittard and Geleen city centres
you may prefer moving about on foot, as nearly everything
is within walking distance. If you’d like to visit nearby coun-
try villages you can use the bus network during day and
early evening. In the later evening hours you need a car to
move around. The entire municipality and its surroundings
have excellent bike lanes.
By bike
You can park your bike for free in one of two guarded bike
parking lots in the Sittard city centre and one in the centre of
Geleen: at Tempelplein and Haspelsestraat in Sittard (open
08:00 - 19:00, Thu 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 08:00 - 18:00, Sun
12:00 - 18:00 on shopping Sundays) and one at Groenstraat
in Geleen (same opening hours). After opening hours you can
park your bike there as well, but then it’s not guarded. A free
location for over 500 bikes is also located near the Central
Station in Sittard. This is usually packed and it might be a
little chaotic to recover your bike. It’s also not guarded. Com-
mercial parking is available under CS Sittard with a repair
and bike rental shop also on offer. Taking a bike on a train
will cost you an additional €6 for the whole day. The two train
stations in Geleen have smaller unguarded lots but provide
special handles for you to lock your bike.
By bus
Because train travel is so fast and efficient in the Nether-
lands, there aren’t many international bus arrivals in Sittard-
Geleen. However, because Sittard is located directly next
to the German border, you can take the local German bus
to the towns of the Selfkant. By train you can also travel to
Maastricht and on to Liège (Belgium). From there you can
take speed trains to Brussels. The same is true if you catch
the train to Aachen via Heerlen. From there on you can easily
move throughout Germany by public transport. Both Liège
and Aachen are around half an hour away by train. When
you leave the central train station in the direction of the city
you’ll see the bus station on your right side. If you want to
make use of bus services visit www.9292ov.nl or call tel.
(+31) 900 9292.
By car
Sittard-Geleen can be easily reached by car. The inner city
centres are mostly pedestrian zones, but just outside the
centre are plenty of multi-storey car parks. You only need to
follow the parking route directions and electric signs display
how many parking spots are available. Sittard-Geleen can be
reached from the north (Eindhoven) and South (Maastricht)
using the A2 motorway. From the east (Heerlen/Aachen) and
west (Brussels/Anvers) use the A76.
By plane
If you arrive at either Maastricht-Aachen or Eindhoven airport,
Sittard-Geleen is only less than an hour away by public trans-
port. A single trip from Eindhoven by train costs about €12.20
and takes 45 minutes. From Maastricht-Aachen Airport take
Veolia bus No.59. Veolia doesn’t operate as frequently in the
evening and weekends, so plan accordingly. You can do so
at www.9292ov.nl or call tel. (+31) 900 9292.
By train
Sittard has one train station: the Central Station (CS), which
has a front and rear entrance. All trains that travel via Sittard
stop here. If you’re going to the city centre take the one at
the front of the building. From here you can walk straight
into the city centre via the Stationskwartier/ Stationsstraat
(Station Road). On the other side of the street you’ll enter
the pedestrian area and within 100m you’ll find the shopping
centre at the Steenweg. Although smaller than some of its
larger sister stations, CS has everything you need with a
small supermarket, snack shop, a bus station, a flower
shop, bike rental and paid parking. A toilet as well as lug-
gage lockers can be found in the arrivals hall at the front. At
the back you’ll find the Transferium. This is the best place
to leave your car for the short or long term. For travellers
on the go, the main platforms offer a little kiosk that sells
quick snacks and drinks during the day. At many Dutch train
stations you can only buy a train ticket with cash or a bank
card from a ticket machine, so make sure to have plenty of
coins with you.
Geleen has two small train stations. One on the eastern
side, called Station Oost and one in the west called Station
Lutterade. There are no facilities except bike parking and
ticket vending machines. Only local trains stop at either of
the stations. For information on schedules and prices check
www.9292ov.nl or www.ns.nl.
Parking
The best place to park your car in Sittard is the huge one level
Oda Parking (open 24hrs). You pay when leaving at a rate
€1.30/hour. The lot has two entrances at Haspelsestraat
and Paardestraat. If you walk out on the Schootvelden or
next to the Ursulinnentuin within 200m you’ll be on the
historic Market Square or one of the shopping streets.
Other underground parking garages are available at Hub
Dassenplein in Sittard and underneath the Market Square
in Geleen. In all three you have to pay when leaving. Other
places charge up front.
On the streets you can only pay with chipknip or credit card.
These parkings spots are usually more expensive than at
bigger parking lots. Just look for the blue and white sign with
Parkeerterrein written on it or simply follow the parking
route. If you still want to park on the street or the lots at Tem-
pelplein and Steenweg you’ll have to pay in advance. Buy a
ticket at a machine and then place it behind your windscreen.
But always be sure that you’re back in time as Sittard-Geleen
is known for its strict meter maids. Make sure to check that
you’re not parked in a reserved spot. Some of the little streets
in the city centre only have parking for residents. The money
you’ll save not paying a fine will easily cover the cost of a
few delicious beers: alcohol-free if you’re driving, of course!
In Geleen your best option is to park underneath the Market
Square. You pay on your way out.
The historic City Park Lya Cattel

E8 Basics
Read on and find out why the Dutch allow people to smoke
joints, but not to operate a bicycle while intoxicated. Plenty
of other funny facts about the Netherlands are available
here.
Alcohol
The province of Limburg is famous for its cafés and res-
taurants so you’re never far from a tasty brew or a glass
of wine. Heineken, Amstel and Bavaria are the nation’s
biggest brewers but other large local brands include Brand,
Alfa and Gulpener. A wide variety of excellent Belgian
brews are also on offer at most bars. You must be at
least 16 years old to drink beer or wine and 18 to imbibe
spirits. If you look too young you’ll be carded, so always
bring identification. This holds true for supermarkets and
off-licences, too. If you’re a little too tipsy you’ll probably
be asked firmly, yet politely to leave the premises and if
you don’t cooperate you could end up spending the night
sobering up in a drunk tank.
Cycling
Being one of the world’s smaller nations that also happens
to be as flat as a pancake, the Netherlands is naturally an
attractive country for cyclists. Add to that an unbelievable
selection of cycling paths and you’ll see why the Dutch love
their bikes so much. Unfortunately, riding a bike in big cities
can still be a nerve-racking experience, but in Sittard-Geleen
you’ll be fine. Although Dutch parents feel it’s safe enough
to attach carts to their bikes to transport their children
around town, loads of other cyclists ignore traffic rules and
basically ride wherever they like often causing mayhem on
the streets so be careful.
Drugs
It comes as no surprise that in many places in the Nether-
lands you’re allowed to buy and smoke marijuana and other
soft drugs. And you may have also heard that dealing or
possessing hard drugs is forbidden. You can be arrested for
it and punishments are no laughing matter. Soft drugs are
sold exclusively at so-called coffeeshops so don’t buy them
on the streets. These products are often not inspected and
may be adulterated with unknown rubbish. Again, dealing is
forbidden. Stay wise and limit yourself to the coffeeshops
and get high responsibly.
Language
Dutch is an Indo-European Germanic language that is mostly
spoken in the Netherlands, Flanders and Suriname (South
America). It is closely related to the Low German dialects
which by now have largely been flooded by official German.
These dialects managed to keep a number of proto-German-
ic characteristics and for this reason Dutch as a language
is a living fossil. It represents a group of important dialects
that were spoken by the founders of the Frankish Empire
and the Saxons. The latter group were the founders of the
English language as it is spoken today, hence Anglo-Saxons.
Afrikaans, as it is spoken in South Africa, is descended from
the 17th-century version of modern Dutch. To the dismay of
language purists, many English words have been integrated
into Dutch. In fact, most Dutch have a more than healthy
command of the English language. Many will also be adept
at other European languages especially German. Mastering
the Dutch language can be a terrifying ordeal, but learning a
few key phrases will make things easier and might even win
you a few friends and admirers.
Local time
From March 28 to October 31 the Netherlands is in the
Central European Summer Time Zone or GMT+2. During
the rest of the year the clock ticks according to the Central
European Time Zone or GMT+1.
Mail Phones
You can use your mobile phone if your provider has an inter-
national roaming agreement with one of four mobile phone
networks in the Netherlands. Usually, if you’re abroad, you
have to pay roaming charges on all incoming and outgoing
calls, text messages, MMS and internet. It’s worth consider-
ing a local SIM card. A prepaid account starts from around
€10. All In Your Pocket guides list country codes before all
telephone numbers. The Dutch country code is (+31), but
of course, you only have to use this if you’re dialling from
abroad. If you’re already in the Netherlands just ignore the
(+31) prefix, dial 0 and then the nine-digit number.
Money
Since 2002, a large part of the European Union has adopted
the euro as its local currency and the Netherlands is no
exception. One euro contains 100 euro cents. There are
coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cents and also of 1 and
2 euro. Banknotes are available with the following values:
5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Although a collection of
€200 and €500 bills in your wallet might make you feel like
Bill Gates bear in mind that they’re almost never accepted
in shops or restaurants. You can exchange and withdraw
money at most large banks and all Dutch banks accept Visa
and MasterCard at their cash dispensers. Many restaurants,
hotels and shops accept Visa and MasterCard, but to avoid
disappointment, be sure to carry some money with you as
some bars only accept cash and others require a minimum
purchase of €15 - 20 to use a card.
Sittard from above
McDonald’s Big Mac €3.25 $4.51 £2.80
Loaf of white bread €1.00 $1.39 £0.86
Snickers bar €0.80 $1.11 £0.69
0.7L of vodka €11.90 $16.53 £10.26
0.5L bottle of local beer €0.56 $0.78 £0.48
20 Marlboros €4.80 $6.67 £4.14
Public transport ticket €1.60 $2.22 £1.38
Cinema ticket €9.00 $12.50 £7.76
1l of petrol €1.62 $2.25 £1.40
Exchange rates (as of 12.03.2011)
US$1 - €0.72, £1 - €1.16, ¥100 - €0.87, AUD$1 - €0.72
Market values

Buy a guide online at
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Dear Visitor,
Sittard-Geleen is a versa-
tile municipality that has
plenty to offer. You will soon
discover that when you ex-
plore the area. It is a great
municipality to live in. Rural,
in one of the typical green
villages, or exciting, in the
heart of a wonderful historic
town centre with plenty of fun
shops and attractive pubs
and restaurants.
Sittard-Geleen is also the home base of a number of in-
novative companies in the fields of logistics, chemistry,
automotive, care and sports that are active worldwide.
This creates plenty of employment.
And as an important college town in the region, Sit-
tard-Geleen has a lot of diverse and renowned teaching
institutions on an intermediate vocational and higher
vocational education level, where thousands of students
go to school.
There is always something to do when you visit Sittard-
Geleen. You will find all the information you need in this
guide. My tip: be sure to visit the annual events. There
are plenty of visitors and it is very entertaining: whirling
around at the large fair in Geleen, going to the ‘Okto-
berfest’ and the St. Rosa Festival or the Dance Festival
Groove Garden. And a visit to the largest annual fair of
the Netherlands ‘St. Joep’ on March 19th is definitely
something I can recommend.
There is also plenty to do around the town. Sittard-
Geleen is a green municipality with beautiful cycling
routes and trails through the pastures and woods
along the River Maas. Just take a rest stop in one of the
municipality’s villages, situated in a wonderful green
landscape, for something to eat or drink. I can assure
you that you will have a fantastic time here. Our town is
definitely worth discovering!
I wish you a pleasant stay!
Sjraar Cox
Mayor of the Municipality of Sittard-Geleen
Message from the Mayor
E9Basics
National holidays
January 1 New Year’s Day (Nieuwjaarsdag)
April 6, 2012 Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag)
April 8 - 9, 2012 Easter (Pasen)
April 30 Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag)
May 1 Labour Day (Dag van de Arbeid)
May 4 Remembrance of the Dead (Nationale
Herdenking)
May 5 Liberation Day (Dag van de Vrijheid)
May 9 Mother’s Day (Moederdag)
May 13 Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)
May 23 - 24 Whitsun (Pinksteren)
June 20 Father’s Day (Vaderdag)
June 26 Veterans’ Day (Veteranendag)
September 21 Budget Day (Prinsjesdag)
December 5 St. Nicolas (Sinterklaas)
December 25 - 26 Christmas (Kerstmis)
December 31 New Year’s Eve (Oudejaarsdag)
Roads
For a country as small as the Netherlands, there are a
ridiculously high number of asphalt roads and motorways.
Every town, village or hamlet can be reached from the black
ribbon that never seems to be more than a few kilometers
away. Despite the excellent state of Dutch roads and cars (it’s
compulsory in the Netherlands to have your car checked for
faults at least once every two years) traffic frequently jams at
a large number of bottlenecks. This is hardly surprising when
one considers that there are, on average, two vehicles per
household. And there are 7 million households! The majority
of Dutch drivers never break the speed limit, and considering
the severity of traffic fines, this seems wise enough. Driving
through a red light? This will cost you €160. Driving too fast
within city limits? Be prepared to part with €180! And as soon
as you exceed the maximum speed by 50km/h you’ll lose
your driving licence and be fined. Within city limits you must
drive 50km/h, outside city limits 80 and on motorways 100
or 120 (check road signs). In the Netherlands you must drive
on the right side of the road and you’re not allowed to cycle
on motorways! You don’t want to know how many tourists
are plucked off the road by police each year.
Smoking
Until recently smoking was very common in the Netherlands.
Since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places
on July 1, 2008, smoking has become a lot less common.
This is partially due to a government campaign to make
people aware of the effects of smoking on their health. These
days you can have a wild night out and come home without
your hair and clothes reeking of cigarette smoke. For some
this is an enormous benefit and others (read: smokers) find
it a pain and banish themselves to the many smoker’s rooms
in the country. Thanks to unclear rules you may suddenly find
yourself in a smoke-filled pub. This is usually in bars with just
a single staff member: the boss. Or you may find yourself in
a pub that flouts the ban on smoking. This will not have any
consequences for you. If you light a cigarette in a pub and the
manager tolerates this, then the manager will receive a fine
upon inspection. The Netherlands is of course also known for
its wafts of marijuana. For more information see ‘Drugs’.
The Broekstraat Lya Cattel

E12 history
5300 BC - Linear Band Ware
Around 5,300 BC the first
farmers settled in Limburg
in the area near today’s
Si t ta rd - G el e e n. Th ey
planted wheat and raised
cattle. The farmers not
only built the region’s first
houses, but also created
their own pottery decorated
with spiral and banded lines and patterns giving rise to the
name of their culture, the Linear Band Ware people.
1000 AD - Limbricht Castle
Limbricht Castle, a so-called
motte-and-bailey structure
which is built on top of an
artificially raised earthwork
wa s e re c te d. I t wa s
essentially a tower on a hill
surrounded by a protective
ditch. The oldest traces of
this fortification date back
to the 10th century. The four
wings of the current castle
were built at the beginning of the 17th century in Mosan
Renaissance style. The voorburcht, or fore castle, consists of
a U-shaped castle courtyard and was constructed in several
building phases. During the Dutch Revolt, or 80 Year War,
the Duke of Parma resided at the castle for a time. In 1813
the castle was used as an infirmary for sick and wounded
French soldiers who had been fighting in Germany.
1000 AD - Church of Saint Salvius
The oldest part of this
church, the northern wall
built from Meuse stones,
dates back to the end of
the 10th century. In the 13th
century the Romanesque
style choir was added to the
church, followed by a tower
not long after. In the 15th
century the church was extended with a southern arcade in
Gothic style. During restoration in 1977 important murals
were found in the choir under a great number of layers of
lime. They appeared to be the oldest and most complete
vault paintings in the Netherlands.
1125 - 1157 - First mention of Born,
Geleen Sittard
Born (Burne) is first mentioned in historic documents in 1125.
It probably owes its name to different springs which used to
flow here. Geleen is later mentioned in 1148 in association
with one Wilhelmus nobilis vir de Glene. The name Geleen
originates from the Germanic word glana, which means
sparkling, clear and shimmering. The name Sittard was first
recorded in 1157. It is probably a derivation of siter, which
refers to a piece of crown land or sloped land.
1243 - Sittard town privileges
In 1243 the domain of
Sittard of Walram II and
his mother Elisabeth van
Bar, gained town privileges.
This strongly advanced the
development of Sittard. At
thattimeSittardconsistedof
Villa Sittard and the villages
Wehr and Broeksittard.
1400 - In Jülich hands
In 1400 Sittard, Born and
Susteren were sold to the
Duke of Jülich for 70,000
gold guilders. The whole
area was pledged to several
lords for nearly a century.
In 1494 it became part of
the Duchy of Jülich and was
called Ambt Born. Under
Jülich the German language
was mostly used and it can
still be found on a number of gable stones in Sittard.
1 67 7 - Th e
destruction of
Sittard
During the struggle between
the troops of King Louis XIV
of France and the armies
of the Republic of the
United Netherlands, the
Sittard fortress was almost
completelydestroyed.Today
the year 1677 is still known
locally as the ‘disastrous
year.’
Lya Cattel

E13history
Market Square in Sittard VVV Zuid Limburg
1775 - The Buckriders
Due to tremendous poverty
several gangs were active in
the Limburg area in the 18th
century. Local bailiffs were
ordered to stop burglaries
and raids, so, driven by
the prospect of bonuses,
large numbers of people,
both innocent and guilty,
were captured. Superstitious farmers and civilians spread
rumours that the criminals had made a pact with Satan and
that they flew from one crime to another on the backs of
goats. Farms and rectories suffered the most. Hundreds of
these supposed Buckriders were hanged.
1794 - In French hands
In 1794 the region was occupied
by the French revolutionary army.
In 1801 the area became French
and from 1806 it was part of the
Kingdom Holland under the reign
of Louis, brother of Napoleon.
The French era ended when
Napoleon was beaten in 1813.
From 1915 the area around
Sittard and Geleen belonged
to the United Kingdom of the
Netherlands.
1830 - Sittard-Geleen joins Belgium
After the French era came
to an end, the area around
Sittard-Geleen became a
part of the United Kingdom
of the Netherlands from
1815 - 1830. The area
became Belgian after
Belgium separated from the
Netherlands in 1830. But
as a result of the Treaty of
London in 1839, when Belgian independence was recognised
internationally, the eastern part of Limburg was assigned to
Holland, which meant that Sittard-Geleen was once again
part of the Netherlands.
1915 - Maurits State Mine
In 1915 construction of the
Maurits State Mine began in
Lutterade. In 1923 the mine
supplied its first coal and
quickly became the largest
coalmineintheNetherlands.
Because the mine was also
connected to the nearby
Emma and Hendrik mines,
it was possible to travel the
14km between Geleen and
Brunssum underground.
The rural area turned industrial and the population increased
tenfold.
1944 - Liberators in Geleen
Antje Offermans was born
in Geleen on September
11, 1902. During World
War II Antje was part of
the resistance movement.
She helped locals to go
into hiding and Allied pilots
who had been shot down
by using the freedom of movement granted to her as a
qualified midwife. When Antje had to go into hiding herself
in August 1944, she and Wilhelmus Antonius Rooyackers,
another member of the resistance, unfortunately ended up
in the hands of the Sicherheitsdienst. Antje was detained
in the Maastricht Detention Centre, but was liberated on
September 5 by fellow resistance activists. Wilhelmus
Rooyackers ended up in the Vught Concentration Cap where
he was executed on September 6, 1944.
1970 - Pinkpop
The first Pinkpop music
festival was organised at the
Mayor Damen Sportpark in
Geleen in May of 1970. This
makes it the longest running
annual pop festival in the
world. In 1988 Pinkpop was
moved to Landgraaf. The
three day event has managed to draw about 1.5 million
visitors over the past 40 years.
Statue at the Markt in Geleen Lya Cattel

E14 Culture Events
Air
The Volga Cossacks will perform at Theater Sittard-
Geleen on December 17, 2011. Photo by Roy Beusker
2011
Oct
Date Time Event Venue
21 20:00 Portuguese/World music. Maria
de Fátima. Udo isto é Fado. €20
SSG
21 20:00 Metalcore. Breakdown Fest. €8 FEN
21 20:30 Pop. Madi (the opening act of
Pinkpop 2011)
KAR
22 20:00 Pop/Rock mini festival. Because
It’s Possible. €5
FEN
27 20:30 Open Stage. Pitboel. Jam
session. Free
PIT
22 20:30 Pop. Yasgur’s Farm. €7.50 PIT
28 22:00 Noise. Aux Raus Farewell Tour.
€10
FEN
Nov
4 20:30 Guitar music. La Rosa. €10 KAR
5 20:30 Folk. Cedar Creek Hollow. €10 KAR
11 20:00 Pop. SCRUM. A Night at the Pub.
€19.50
SSG
11 20:00 Rock. The Deaf with supporting
act Sparrow Falls. €10
FEN
19 20:00 Theatre tour Pop NL. Gé
Reinders. Heroes! €19.50
SSG
20 19:00 Pop/Rock. U Mail = U Play. Talent
competition. Free
FEN
21 20:00 Blues. Popa Chubby. €15 FEN
23 20:00 Pop/Rock. Moke. Till Death Do
Us Part. €22
SSG
24 20:00 World music. Buena Vista Social
Club. €32
SSG
25 20:00 Jazz/Pop/Big Band. New Cool
Collective. €15
FEN
Dec
2 20:00 Folk/Rock. Keltfest/ €7 FEN
8 21:00 Rock. Customs with supporting
act The You In Me
FEN
9 20:00 Pop/Rock. Di-Rect. Theatre
tour. €26
SSG
9 20:00 Pop/Rock mini festival. Because
It’s Possible. €5
FEN
16 20:00 Rock/Metal. Stream Of Passion.
€10
FEN
competition. Free
FEN
Rock, folk, jazz MoreCinemas
Foreign films are screened in the original language with
Dutch subtitles, except for children’s films which are usu-
ally dubbed.
Filmhuis Het DomeinB-1, Kapittelstraat 6, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 51 43 84, info@filmhuishetdomein.nl, www.
filmhuishetdomein.nl. This tiny movie theatre offers only 60
seats from which you can watch mainly art house films. It’s
housed in the same beautiful building as the Domein Museum.
QOpen Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 20:30 - 24:00. Closed Tue,
Wed. Check its website for screenings. PTJG
Foroxity Filmarena Sittard I/J-10, Rijksweg Noord
271, Sittard, tel. (+31) 900 22 28 88 8, www.forox.nl.
Together with Foroxity Roermond, this black box is the largest
cinema in Limburg. The 8 different movie theatres each have
a capacity of 250 visitors. In the concrete refreshment room
quite an effort has been made to create some atmosphere.
There are some pastel coloured, sweet looking seats and
impressive black and white portraits of stars like Michael
Douglas and Penelope Cruz on the wall. In the break kids
are very keen to try and get access to one of the two game
computers in the hall.... Not only the newest block buster
films in Foroxity, but also regular theme nights (opera, mu-
sic, dance) and ladies’ nights. QOpen 18:30 - 20:45, Wed
12:00 - 20:45, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 22:30, Sun 10:30 - 20:45.
PTLGBKX
Concert halls
De Boerderij I-11, Hofstraat
30, Geleen, tel. (+31) 464
57 72 75, info@deboerderi-
jgeleen.nl, www.deboerderi-
jgeleen.nl. This small venue is
occasionally used for concerts
and also offers a conference
room, which is often used as
a meeting place for people
from the neighbourhood. Q
TH6EGB
De HanenhofE-3, Groenstraat
44, Geleen, tel. (+31) 464 74
42 17, dehanenhof@hetnet.
nl, www.hanenhof.nl. This big
hall can be rented year-round for
parties and events. It’s used for
anything from carnival meetings
and elections to pop concerts,
although it’s not a club in the
true sense of the word. Open
for activities and events. Q
PTJH6UGK
Fenix B-1, Odasingel 90, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 57 57
57, info@fenix.nl, www.fenix.nl. This live music club offers
a diverse programme of concerts. The building is actually a
former school and although for years it had the look and feel
of, well, we’ll just say it, a pigsty, the pub has been recently
equipped with new furniture and a coat of paint, so it looks a
little better now. Either way, people come here for the music.
Sounds and light are top. Although you can definitely catch
some great shows here, don’t expect any big acts as it has
a capacity of only 350 visitors. QOpen , Fri, Sat 21:00
- 03:00. TJEGX
Het StadslabK-9/10, Leyenbroekerweg 105A, Sittard,
tel. (+31 )468 50 31 74, info@stadslab.nu, www.stad-
slab.nu. Stadslab offers its premises for reasonable prices
to artists and anyone involved in the creative arts including
the music industry. Q E
The Ashton Brothers
will perform Charlatans:
a Medicine Show
on May 22, 2012 at
Theater Sittard-Geleen.
Photo by Stephanie
Pistel

E15Culture Events
23 20:00 Metalcore. Breakdown Fest. €7 FEN
26 20:00 Rock/Ska. Jaya the Cat. €8 FEN
2012
Jan
6 20:00 Pop and Rock. F Power to
the Pipo
FEN
13 20:00 Pop. Voice Maile. Ladies First.
€19
SSG
14 20:00 Guitar virtuoso Jan Akkerman.
Minor Details. €21
SSG
19 20:00 Pop/Rock. Crazy Pianos. Let’s
Go Crazy (covers of popular
songs). €25
SSG
stage. Free
FEN
24 20:00 Evi de Jean. Melodie van een
reiziger. €14
SSG
27 20:00 Pop. Grupo Sportivo. €10 FEN
Feb
2 20:00 Pop/Dialect. Rowwen Hèze.
Koper (reprise). €35
SSG
3 20:00 Pop/Dialect. Rowwen Hèze.
Koper (reprise). €35
FEN
4 20:00 Pop/Rock/Hip hop. Now or
Never qualifying round 1. Battle
of the Bands. €5
FEN
4 20:00 Woodstock: the Story. €27 SSG
9 20:00 Theater tour Pop NL. Herman van
Veen. €32.50
SSG
stage. Free
FEN
24 21:00 Pop/Rock. Alquin. €12.50 FEN
26 20:00 World music. Khayelitsha United
Mambaso Choir. Celebrating
South Africa. €27.50
SSG
Mar
2 20:00 Singer/Songwriter. Anneke van
Giersbergen
FEN
4 20:00 Pop/Jazz. Wouter Hamel. €21.50 SSG
9 20:00 Singer/Songwriter. Blaudzun FEN
17 20:00 Pop. A Tribute to Cliff Richard
the Shadows. €24
SSG
27 20:00 Pop. Marike Jager. Here Comes
the Night. €15
SSG
30 20:00 Pop. Focus. €12.50 FEN
Apr
12 20:00 Voices. Rock 4. €17 SSG
14 20:00 Pop/Rock. Harrie Sacksioni.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
€18
SSG
19 20:00 Pop. High Heels in concert.
Ladies Night. €25.50
SSG
25 20:00 Rory Block in concert. €20 SSG
Rock, folk, jazz More
Watch Scrum perform at Theater Sittard-Geleen on
November 11, 2011. Photo by Merlijn Doomernik
2011
Oct
29 21:00 DubStep/Dance. Halloween
Party. €7.50
FEN
Nov
4 21:00 HipHop. NL Boombap. Boef en
de. with Zo Moeilijk. €10
FEN
5 22:00 House. Hardstylerz. €10 FEN
12 22:00 Alternative DJs. R/Evo DJs. €2 FEN
18 21:00 HipHop. Postmen and Relax. €15 FEN
19 22:00 Techno. EchTech. €10 FEN
26 22:00 DupStep. Dub Zero°. €10 FEN
Dec
3 21:00 HipHop. NL Boombap. Sef
Gers Pardoel. €10
FEN
10 22:00 Electro/Dance. Elektronix. €10 FEN
17 22:00 Mash Up. Kleptones R/Evo
DJs. €10
FEN
25 22:00 Chicago House. Soulfully Yours.
X-Mas edition. €10
FEN
2012
Jan
13 22:00 Dance. Lowtuned FEN
14 22:00 Disco Night FEN
20 21:00 HipHop/Reggae. BoomBap.
Splendid
FEN
28 22:00 DubStep. DubZero. €10 FEN
Feb
17 22:00 Dance/Minimal. Bass In Ya Face FEN
Mar
3 20:00 All Style Night: Music Meets
Music
FEN
16 21:00 HipHop. BoomBap. €10 FEN
Dance, electro Hip hop
Exhibitions
Pinkpop Office D/E-4, Postbus 117, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 75 25 00, www.buropinkpop.nl. This is the longest-
running annual festival in Europe! In 2012, Pinkpop, which
started in Geleen, will be organised for the 43rd time. For the
time being the Pinkpop office can still be found here, but it will
move to the former post office on the Mauritslaan in February
of 2012. The office offers a permanent exhibit displaying parts
of the extensive Pinkpop archives.

E16 Culture Events
2011
Oct
7 20:00 Operette - Operettenth Salzb
- Csardasfürstin. Tickets: €37
SSG
15 20:00 Classical music. Carel
Kraayenhof and DSM-choir
Venlona. €25
SSG
16 14:30 Classical music. Limburg
Symphony Orchestra.
Melancholie Verlangen. €29
(under 12 free)
SSG
Nov
19 09:00
-
17:00
Classical. Artamuse
Hafabraconcours Slagwerk
(percussion band)
AGE
20 14:30 Chamber music. Maria Petkova.
€20
SSG
27 14:30 Classical music. Liber. Old music.
€20
SSG
Dec
10 20:00 Opera. Katja Kabanova and
Opera Zuid. €35
SSG
17 20:00 World music. Volga Cossacks.
Christmas concert. €22
SSG
21 19:00 Classical/traditional. Christmas
concert
AGE
22 19:00 Classical/traditional. Christmas
concert
ASI
23 19:00 Classical/traditional. Piano
Christmas concert
AGE
2012
Jan
8 14:30 Classical music. New Year’s
concert. Limburg Symphony
Orchestra. €35 (under 12 free)
SSG
12 20:00 Opera/dance. Tatarstan State
Opera. Sleeping Beauty. €29.50
SSG
28 09:00
-
17:00
Traditional music.
Hafrabraconcours (orchestras
and brass bands)
ASI
Feb
4 09:00-
17:00
Traditional music.
and brass bands)
ASI
5 14:30 Traditional music. Final.
and brass bands)
ASI
5 14:30 Classical music. LSO. Bruch
klassiek. €29 (under 12 free)
SSG
10 19:11 Carnival concert. Local carnival
artists sing in the local dialect
ABE
18 19:11 Classical music. LSO. Carnival
concert. €33
SSG
26 14:30 Classical music. Faënza. Old
music. €20
SSG
Mar
2 20:00 Opera. Nabucco. Tatarstan
State Opera. €39
SSG
10 20:00 Classical music. Sittard Men’s
Choir. €15
SSG
18 14:30 Classical music. Kris Verhelst.
Old music. €20
SSG
Classical music
21 20:00 Classical music/pop. Guido’s
Orchestra. Jubilee concert where
pop and classic music meet. €42
SSG
31 20:00 Opera. The Magic Flute. Opera
Zuid. €35
SSG
Apr
6 20:00 Classical/traditional/pop. Stars
for Planet Earth. Royal Air Force
Orchestra. €33
SSG
29 14:30 Classical music. Metamorphasis.
LSO. €29 (under 12 free)
SSG
May
6 14:30 Classical music. Scherzi Musicali.
Old music. €20
SSG
13 14:30 Classical music. Ed Spanjaard
farewell concert. LSO. Mozart,
Beethoven. €29 (under 12 free)
SSG
24 20:00 Classical music. A Taste of the
Season 2012 - 2013. LSO. €5
SSG
26 20:00 Opera. Madame Butterfly. Opera
Zuid. €35
SSG
June
16 09:00
-
21:00
Classical music. Quattro Mani
Piano Competition
ASI
Classical music
Galleries
Different Color Field J-8, Dr. Nolensstraat 37, Lim-
bricht, tel. (+31) 464 52 20 52, marij.heijligers@planet.
nl, www.atelierdcf.nl. This is the place to go for professional
drawing and painting courses, but also for stag and hen
nights. QOpen Mon 14:00 - 22:00, Tue 20:00 - 22:00, Wed
09:30 - 11:30, Thu 14:00 - 16:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun.
Galerie Michel Knops A-1, Steenweg 42/44, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 51 02 62, www.galeriemichelknops.nl.
This gallery exhibits work by local artists as well as national
and international names. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00
- 17:00, Sun 14:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. JG
Norbert Dabekaussen Kunst B-2, Engelenkamp-
straat 21A, Sittard, tel. (+31) 622 99 08 92, www.
dabekaussen.nl. Norbert Dabekaussen’s gallery displays
various works from artists throughout the region. The barren
and stylishly refurbished building, which sports pink pigs on
its roof, is also home to an interior designer and a full design
team. In short, Dabekausen attempts to combine art, life
and work in a unique way. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00, Sun 14:00
- 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu. JG
Watch a memorable performance by the Scapino Ballet of
Rotterdam on April 20, 2012. Photo by Hans Gerritsen

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E18 Culture Events
2011
Oct
20 19:30 Open stage. Pitboel. Impro Night.
€7.50
PIT
26 14:30 Open stage. Pitboel. Impro Night.
€7.50
PIT
27 20:00 Theatre. GO! World bath. €19 SSG
28 20:00 Dance. Spirit of the Dance. €32 SSG
29 14:30 Youth Theatre NL. Thomas the
Steam Locomotive. €17.50
(under 12 €14.50)
SSG
29 16:30 Youth Theatre NL. Thomas the
Steam Locomotive. €17.50
(under 12 €14.50)
SSG
Nov
5 20:00 Cabaret Festival NL. Bataille.
Petit Bataille. €17.50
SSG
6 14:30 Youth Theatre NL. Theater
Gnaffel. Peter Pan the Lost
Boys. €15 (under 12 €10)
SSG
12 20:00 Visual theatre with fairy tale
images, trompe-l’oeil effects,
humour and poetry. Cie Philippe
Genty. Voyageurs Immobiles. €30
SSG
13 14:30 Youth Theatre NL. BonteHond.
Spoonface. €12.50 (under 12
€10)
SSG
17 20:00 Theatre. From Music to Cabaret.
From Break dance to Ballet.
Theatre Tour Kunstbende. €15
SSG
Dec
11 20:00 Musical NL. TOON: the Musical.
€31.50
SSG
13 20:00 Visual Theatre. Tam Tam
Objects. Survival, or how to
survive Murphy’s Law . Survival
Theatre without words. €14
SSG
17 19:00 Youth Theatre NL. Het Laagland.
Master of the Black Mill. €15
(under 12 €10)
SSG
28 13:00 Youth Theatre NL. An
unforgettable family below water.
Piet Pirate: the Secret of the
Sunken City. €20
SSG
2012
Jan
27 20:00 Master Percussionists. De
Beenhouwerij (The Butcher’s).
Enter Without Knockin’. €19
SSG
29 14:30 Performance with 3 illusionists.
Magic Unlimited. Life is Magic.
€23
SSG
Feb
10 20:00 Dance Theatre. Purly Barbaric.
International Dance Theatre.
€19.50
SSG
28 20:00 Cabaret (in English). “A well oiled
comic machine” - The Kransky
Sisters (Australia). Back Again.
€22
SSG
29 19:00 Musical NL. Opus One. The New
Ice Age. €19 (under 12 €15)
SSG
Theatre, dance Ballet
The fair grounds of the St.
Rosa Festival in August
Mar
13 20:00 Play in English. Pip Utton.
Churchill biography. A one-man
play. €14
SSG
14 20:00 Musical NL. Next to Normal.
€37.50
SSG
18 12:00 Music to Cabaret. Break dance
to Ballet. Qualifying round
‘Kunstbende’. €15
SSG
25 20:00 South African music. Under
African Skies. €27
SSG
South African music. Under
African Skies. €27
Apr
20 20:00 Dance/Ballet. Kathleen. Scapino
Ballet Rotterdam. €22.50
SSG
21 20:00 Visual Theatre. Hanoch Rosenn.
A One Man Journey in a 3D World
(speechless). €26
SSG
May
1 20:00 Musical performance. The
Odyssey of Lolly Jane. Music,
fashion and design combined in
one show. €14
19 20:00 Dance festival with dance
and ballet by Studio Danzaira.
Danzon. €10 (under 12 €8.50)
SSG
20 14:30 Dance festival with dance
and ballet by Studio Danzaira.
Danzon. €10 (under 12 €8.50)
SSG
22 20:00 Theatre. Ashton Brothers.
Charlatans: a medicine show.
€25
SSG
Theatre, dance Ballet
Special events
Mama’s Pride Festival F-4, Postbus 1058, Geleen,
koen@mamaspride.nl, www.mamaspride.nl. This is a
free annual music festival with an eye for new talent and ‘the
next big thing’. During Park Party young and old get together
on Saturday night to listen to funk, pop, swing, rock and other
styles of music. The next day, Mother’s Day, you can enjoy
Mama’s Pride which starts in the afternoon. In 2012 the
18th annual festival will take place right next to the location
where the famous Pinkpop festival began decades ago. Q
Sat (12.05.2012) 20:00 - 01:00, Sun (13.05.2012) 13:00
- 22:00. T6UEBDS
Sint Rosa Processie
www.sintrosa.nl. Anyone
interested in the religious
history of Sittard will be
fascinated by Saint Rose
of Lima. She has been the
city’s patron saint since
1675 and today she is still
important to many local
Catholics. Once a year, on
the last Sunday in August, an
ancient tradition comes to life. A procession of thousands of
people walks from the Market to Saint Rosa’s chapel on the
Kolleberg. Sacred church traditions are honoured as well as
age old rituals. All of this is accompanied by The Harmonie,
a wind instrument ensemble, which provides the procession
with some cheerful music. When the procession returns to
the centre of town the three-day fair officially begins.

E19Culture Events
2011
Oct
1 - 31 11:00 Contemporary art. Charlotte
Schleiffert. Rozen pistolen
(Roses Guns)
MHD
1 - 31 11:00 Urban history. Rasah Rindu:
60 Years of the Moluccan
Community
MHD
Nov
1 - 6 11:00 Urban history. Rasah Rindu:
60 Years of the Moluccan
Community
MHD
1 - 30 11:00 Word Image exhibition BGE
(Roses Guns)
MHD
11 20:00 Opening of Carnival season. Wir
sind spitze
HAN
29,
30
11:00 Urban history. Exhibition.
Heartbleed: Tapestries by Helga
Paetzold
MHD
Dec
(Roses Guns)
MHD
9 20:00 Listen to spoken word (NL)
music. Gustav Mahlers. €10
KAR
29,
30
11:00 Urban history. Exhibition.
Paetzold
MHD
2012
Jan
1 - 31 11:00 Urban history. Exhibition.
Paetzold
MHD
(Roses Guns)
MHD
17 19:30 Mart Vandewall. Traditional syrup
cooking workshop. Free
BSI
22
- 31
11:00 Contemporary art.
KinderKunstGalerie
(KidsArtGallery)
MHD
Feb
1 - 26 11:00 Urban history. Exhibition.
Paetzold
MHD
1 - 28 11:00 Contemporary art.
KinderKunstGalerie
(KidsArtGallery)
MHD
Mar
1 - 31 11:00 Contemporary art.
KinderKunstGalerie
(KidsArtGalery). Until October
30, 2012
MHD
14
- 23
all day Book Week: Friendship and other
inconveniences
BSI,
BGE
Exhibitions Other events
More culture and events at
ABE Artamuse residence Beek
AGE Artamuse residence Geleen
ALL All bars, cafes, pubs
ASI Artamuse residence Sittard
BDG Burgermeester Damenpark, Geleen
BEC BiblioNova residence Echt
BGE BiblioNova residence Geleen
BIG Center Geleen
BIS Center Sittard
BSI BiblioNova residence Sittard
BST BiblioNova residence Stein
BUC Buchten
DNH De Nieuwe Hatenboer, Sittard
FEN Fenix Popstage, Sittard
GBT Caves Berg Terblijt
HAN De Hanenhof, Geleen
KAR Theater Karroessel, Geleen
MAG Market square Geleen
MAS Market square Sittard
MEL Megaland Landgraaf
MHD Museum Het Domein, Sittard
MPR Maasplassen Roermond
PIT Pitboel Theater, Sittard
PLT Theater Heerlen
LGL Laco-Glanerbrook, Geleen
SIT Sittard
SSG Theater Sittard-Geleen
SSI City park Sittard
Venues
Rock Pop
Down Town J-6, Eisenhowerstraat 724, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 620 62 93 92, downtownrockstage@gmail.com,
www.downtownsittard.info. This youth centre hosts
regular gigs and mini-festivals throughout the year. It’s a bit
dated and bleak but one of the few places where you can see
performances by local music acts. There are no set opening
times, as Down Town only opens when there’s something
on. Q GX
Don’t miss the annual October Fest in Sittard-Geleen!
Photo by Studio 66

E20 Culture Events
2011
Oct
14
- 15
20:00 Showcase Festival. Live music.
d-VERS. Free
BIS
21
- 26
all day October Fest Sittard. Fair
ground, beer fest live music.
International artists
BIS
22 18:30 Pop-Rock festival - Gelaender
Rocknach - €12.50
HAN
27 14:30 Circus/Variété. Variété Festival
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Geleen #1. €10
MAG
Nov
5 20:00 Dance Festival. Intiem Indoor GBT
26 21:00 Dance Festival. Groove Garden
Indoor. €22.50
SIT
20 13:00 Pop/Rock festival. Geleen
Calling. €15
HAN
Dec
1 - 31 all day Winter Festival. Winter Dream BIS
22
- 31
14:00 International circus/Variété.
Limburg’s Christmas Circus. €13
BIS
22
- 31
20:00 International circus/Variété.
BIS
2012
Jan
1 - 8 14:00 International circus/Variété.
BIS
1 - 8 20:00 International circus/Variété.
BIS
Festivals
Feb
12 15:11 Carnival. Belgium Afternoon. €16 LGL
12 13:11 Carnival. Kid’s procession. Free BIS
19
- 21
all day Carnival. Multi-day traditionalal
festival celebrated inside and
outside in nearly every bar, pub
or recreation hall. Don’t forget to
wear a costume! Free
ALL
19 13:49 Carnival. Main procession in
Geleen
BIG
19 13:11 Carnival. Main procession in
Sittard
BIS
20 14:11 Carnival. Kid’s procession in
Geleen
BIG
25 19:00 All genres. Final battle of the
bands. Now or Never. €5
PLT
Mar
19 10:00 Market. Sint Joep Annual Market.
The largest annual market in the
south of Holland with traditional
market vendors, lots of activities
and live music at local bars
BIS
Apr
8 15:00 Rock Festival. Bunnypop JDT
30 all day Park Festival. Queen’s Day
National Holiday with lots of big
and small festivals for adults and
children
SSI
May
12 20:00 Dance Festival. Groove Garden
Outdoor. International DJs
BDG
13 13:00 Pop/Rock/Funk festival. Mama’s
Pride Festival
BDG
26
- 28
14:00 Pinkpop Festival. Europes oldest
festival is still going strong!
MEL
Jun
1 - 6 13:00 Kermis. Gelaender Kirmes. Fun
Fair
BIG
9 Cycling. New cycling tournament
with bizarre tricks on bikes
BIS
Jul
15
- 17
all day Traditional Homeguards Festival.
Traditional shooting live music.
Southern Limburg Federation
Festival
BUC
Aug
5 - 7 14:00 Solar Weekend. Festival with
creative arts and live music
MPR
23
- 28
all day Sint Rosa Festival. Religious
festival with a procession, a fair,
live music, a circus and an art
market
BIS
Sep
15
- 16
World Championship in Speed
Cycling
ALL
Oct
12
- 17
all day October Fest Sittard. Fair
ground, beer fest live music.
International artists
BIS
Festivals
The Khayelitsha United Mambazo Choir will sing on
February 26, 2012. Photo by Peter Boshuijzen

E21Culture Events
Sport venues
Fortuna Sittard J-9/10, Milaanstraat 120, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 26 99 68, info@fortunasittard.nl, www.for-
tunasittard.nl. The local professional football club debuted
in Holland in 1954 and past achievements have included
reaching the semi-final of the European Cup and national cup
finals, but unfortunately, past successes haven’t guaranteed
any glory recently. In 2009 the club went bankrupt and even
lost its license, but has now been resurrected and is slowly
making its way back to proper football. The team has pro-
duced such football greats as Mark van Bommel, formerly of
PSV, Barcelona, Bayern München and now at AC Milan. Cur-
rent Dutch coach, Bert van Marwijk, also started his career
as a professional football trainer at this club and still turns
up regularly to watch the team in green and yellow. Fernando
Rickson who used to play for Glasgow Rangers and Zenith
St. Petersburg is now considered to be the the team’s best
player. Fortuna Sittard plays on Friday nights in the second
highest Dutch league: the Jupiler League.
Ruijters EatersE/F-4, Kummenaedestraat 45, Geleen,
info@eaters.nl, www.eaters.nl. Welcome to the hell of
the South! For years this has been the taunting chant of the
supporters of this professional ice hockey club. De Ruijters
Eaters play in the Dutch premier league and won the cup in
2003 and 2010. Any home game, or even a training session,
is an experience not to be missed. Obviously this isn’t top
level ice hockey that you’d see in the NHL in North America,
or even the KHL in Russia, but it’s still a thrill to see a local
game. Q PTJU
Theatres
Asta cultuurcentrumH-13, Markt 6A, Beek, tel. (+31)
464 37 29 26, info@astabeek.nl, www.astabeek.nl. Arts
centre, theatre and stage in which all disciplines pass during
the season. Q Only open for performances. HUG
Het Laagland K-9, Engelenkampstraat 25, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 00 72 73, info@hetlaagland.nl, www.
hetlaagland.nl. Limburg’s most professional and passionate
youth theatre company is located in Sittard. Each year Het
Laagland organises a national tour of performances. Q Only
open during performances TJUNGB
Pitboel Theater I/J-8, Montgomerystraat 26, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 58 47 21, publiciteit@pitboeltheater.nl,
www.pitboeltheater.nl. Small theatre, with nice program.
From live music -mostly singer songwriter- to theatre. Lots
of talent, kids theatre and new things Q Only open for
performances. TENGB
Stadsschouwburg Sittard-Geleen A-1, Mgr. Claes-
sensstraat 2, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 52 44 00, info@
uitbalie.nl, www.uitbalie.nl. This large auditorium hosts
at least 200 performances by local and international artists
each year. QOpen 13:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sat, Sun.
PTJUEG
Theater Karroessel D-3, Jupiterstraat 35, Geleen, tel.
(+31) 464 75 04 73, info@karroessel.nl, www.karroes-
sel.nl. Run entirely by volunteers, the Karroessel is a great
theatre for young and old. Performances range in style from
youth theatre and cabaret to music and poetry readings. Q
Open for performances only. TENG
Theater Vistazo A-1, P/A Postbus 5027, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 58 16 81, info@vistazo.nl, www.vistazo.nl.
Wistazo are the headliners of the multi-disciplinary Vistazo
theatre collective. Young visual artists, musicians, directors,
costume designers and technicians produce exciting theatre
performances each year. A street theatre for young and
old with impressive street performances and workshops
is also available. Q Only open during performances. No
services, because no fysical theatre location. GPS is the
working place.
Venues Tickets
VVV Zuid Limburg, vestiging Sittard B-2, Rosmo-
lenstraat 2, Sittard, tel. 0900-9798, fax (+31) 436 01
66 40, info@vvvzuidlimburg.nl, www.vvvzuidlimburg.nl.
The centrally located Sittard Tourist Ofice is well equipped
with brochures, entertainment schedules, plenty of maps and
informative booklets.Also friendly, informative and knowledge-
able staff! It’s also the starting point for many city walking
tours and guided excursions, not to mention a distribution
point for this guide. Also a good place for accommodation.
QOpen 10:00 - 17:30, Mon 13:00 - 17:30, Sat 10:00 - 16:00.
Closed Sun. TJ
Join the crowds at the annual Groove Garden Festival in
May 2012
The State Opera of Tatarstan will perform Nabucco at
Theater Sittard-Geleen on March 2 , 2012
The Kransky Sisters of Australia will tickle your ribs with
their unique brand of comdey on February 28, 2012

E22 Where to stay
P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted
C Swimming pool H Conference facilities
F Fitness centre U Facilities for the disabled
6 Pets allowed L Guarded parking
K Restaurant D Sauna
W Free wireless internet
Symbol keyPrices listed here are not written in stone and are meant to
give you a general idea of hotel rack rates. VAT is included
in the price unless otherwise noted.
Upmarket
Hotel Kasteel Doenrade L-11, Limpensweg 20, Doen-
rade, tel. (+31) 464 42 41 41, fax (+31) 464 42 40 30,
info@kasteeldoenrade.nl, www.kasteeldoenrade.nl. This
attractive castle can be found a short distance from Sittard.
If you’re looking for a romantic place to stay the night, this is
it, but bear in mind that accommodation from AD 1117 does
have a few drawbacks. Most people wouldn’t describe long
corridors and creaking wooden floors as advantages. Its
pleasant rooms vary in size from large to virtual ball rooms
and the large breakfast buffet will definitely give you plenty
of energy to start your day. Other advantages include free
wireless internet, a large terrace, free parking and friendly
staff. Q 20 rooms (family rooms, lifestyle suites and deluxe
suites €110 - 175). TALBKW
Mid-range
Amrâth Sittard-Born I-6, Langereweg 21, Born, tel.
(+31) 464 85 16 66, www.amrathhotels.nl/bornsittard.
Unless you’re looking for accommodation as close as is physi-
cally possible to the A2 motorway or are too drained to reach
a better place to sleep after you’ve visited the adjacent Ther-
men Born, you might want to skip this mediocre hotel. The
rooms are not just ordinary and full of traffic noise, but even
slightly grubby with dated furnishings and filthy carpets. The
more expensive luxury rooms are stuffy and a bit dreary, but
do have direct access to a small outdoor terrace with a view
of greenery at the back of the hotel. Q (standard doubles
from €65, deluxe from €90). ALK
Bastion H/I-12, Rijksweg Zuid 301, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 74 75 17, info@bastionhotels.nl, www.bastionho-
tels.nl. This Dutch chain of affordable hotels is close to major
access roads and complete with all standard mod cons. This
one in Geleen, which is close to the A76, is no exception.
Although most Bastion Hotels don’t excel in atmosphere or
interior design, Bastion Geleen seems to stand out due to its
cosiness. Presumably the relaxed smoking policy is a factor
in its popularity as there are no less than 10 smoker’s rooms
and a separate smoker’s lounge with a pool table. Traditional,
hard-working men who miss their wives can order a lunch
package before midnight and then pick up sandwiches at
the reception desk the next day from 06:00. Q (doubles
€97, singles €83). PABKXW
De Limbourg B-1/2, Markt 22, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464
51 81 51, fax (+31) 464 52 34 86, info@hoteldelim-
bourg.nl, www.hoteldelimbourg.nl. The distinctive and his-
toric Hotel Limbourg is mainly frequented by business people.
Its central location on the Market makes doing business a lot
more attractive, at least if you believe that diversions improve
business. Make sure to request a room in the section of the
hotel that can be accessed from outside. Rooms here have
been furnished in a French Burgundian fashion and are larger
and recently renovated. The rooms with a balcony and great
views of the market are quite pleasant. Due to typically Dutch
over-the-top regulations, the owner is not allowed to equip
the premises with a lift, which is the reason why De Limbourg
has been awarded only three stars instead of four. The chef
uses only fair trade products in the restaurant and the bed
linen is made by Pure Eco, which emphasises a commitment
to a greener environment. Recommended. QOpen 07:00
- 02:00. 24 rooms (singles €85, doubles €85, triples €95).
PTJHAGBKXW
Oranje Rijksweg Zuid 23, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 51
36 73, info@OranjeHotel.com, www.oranjehotel.com.
If you’re into decent food, this could be the hotel for you. The
restaurant offers a wide variety of local cuisine as well as more
exclusive dishes like Livar loin of pork with truffle sauce. The
owner is also a vinologist, because as he told us: ‘if you drink
enough wine, they’ll simply give you a certificate eventually’.
Therefore he’s in a good position to recommend which wine
to choose with your dinner. The hotel is a short walk from
the railway station and the centre of town and has plenty of
secure parking. Apart from these advantages the clean but
stuffy rooms could be better and the boring orange carpets
in combination with the red bedspreads are particularly of-
fensive. Then again, you can’t really complain much about the
prices. Q 15 rooms (13 doubles €75 - 85, 2 singles €65
- 75). JALGKW
Van Der Valk Stein-Urmond G-10, Mauritslaan 5, Ur-
mond, tel. (+31) 464 33 85 73, steinurmond@valk.com,
www.valk.com/stein. Located along the A2 motorway, this
hotel is run by the Van der Valk family, who own and operate a
chain of approximately 60 hotels throughout the Netherlands.
For many years Van der Valk hotels were known as average
accommodation for the masses, but that dusty image is
something that’s about to change. From 2012 all rooms will
be completely refurbished and include air conditioning. As a
base of operations the location of the hotel is ideal, but not
idyllic. But if you’re travelling on business you’d have a hard
time finding a better option in the area and there’s even a
car pool stop right next to the hotel. Q PTHAUF�
GBKXW
Biesenhof Geleen

Reserve a room at
sittard-geleen.inyourpocket.com
Budget
Cornerhouse Geleen E-3, Markt 2, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 74 74 74, info@cornerhouse.nu, www.cornerhouse.
nl. Once known in Geleen as the place where divorced men
gathered, this centrally located café/restaurant now offers
accommodation as well, but doesn’t really advertise it. The
new owner of the hotel usually rents rooms to long-term
employees of large companies in the area. But after a wild
night out in Geleen, this place is still the easiest option for
an overnight stay at the last minute. The rooms are nothing
to write home about, but they’re good enough for a night’s
sleep. Apart from being just steps away from all the nearby
cafés and shopping streets, Cornerhouse offers a large ter-
race and restaurant where you can have a solid, affordable
meal. Q JAGBKW
Regina Carmeli C-2, Kollenberg 2, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 57 09 93, regina.carmeli@carmeldcj.nl, www.
reginacarmeli.nl. If you’re looking for the ultimate place to
relax, you’ll find few better places in the area than Regina
Carmeli. The nuns of the convent have reserved 30 rooms
in this enormous complex for pilgrims and guests ‘looking for
a restful place and a spot where they can find themselves
again’. Naturally it’s also possible to ‘follow a track to God’
by means of individual talks with the sisters. If you manage
to comply with the house rules, you’ll be offered a spacious,
yet sober room. Don’t expect mod cons like wireless internet,
TV or even radio, but you will get a private bathroom, desk,
bed and a shiny new edition of the Bible. You can also share
a simple but filling meal with the nuns three times a week. Q
30 rooms (€38/person, incl 3 meals). TJULG
Bed Breakfast
Bie Bianca L-9, Kruisstraat 15, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464
52 62 95, info@biancakruitz.nl, www.biancakruitz.nl. If
you’ve always fancied staying with a master herbalist, which
isn’t as wild as it sounds, book a room at Bianca’s. An ideal
place for walking and cycling enthusiasts due to its location
near a forest, it doesn’t offer much luxury, but it does have
plenty of peace and quiet. There’s a large garden house
in Bianca’s herb garden, but you have to go to the actual
house to have a shower. Bianca’s partner Marcel, a Spanish
chef, was a guest here a long time ago and never left. As a
result you can enjoy his Catalan cuisine every day for €12.50.
Q(singles €35 - 40, doubles €55 - 60).
De Auveleberch J-8/9, Wielewaalstraat 2, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 52 09 99, info@partycentrum-sittard.
nl, www.partycentrum-sittard.nl. The iron chains with
which two palm trees are fastened to the wall in front of this
hotel do not bode well for this place. They were probably
once purchased to change the shabby appearance of both
the building and its surroundings and to create a somewhat
more exotic landscape. Unfortunately, it seems to have
been in vain. You can spend the night here for €70 including
breakfast, but that price is still fairly expensive. However,
after some cunning negotiating, you can camp out here for a
week for only €125! De Auveleberch also organises events
where every first and last Saturday of the month parties are
held for the 40-plus crowd. The owner also plans on setting
up pool competitions in the cellar. Q (singles and doubles
from €70). HUEW
De Juiste Toon (The Right Tone) K-10, Broek-
straat 3, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 11 02 06, info@
dejuistetoon, www.dejuistetoon.nl. Few BBs have
furnishings and interiors that make your mouth drop open
as soon as you walk through the door. This is one of the
rare few. Even if you’re more partial to modern décor, you
can’t but adore this collection of English romanticism! For
years the owner had her own shop where she sold all kinds
of brocante and furniture. With this unfailing sense of
style and detail she has definitely found the right tone in
this BB! The communal living area where the extensive
breakfast is served is a peaceful oasis where you half
expect to see Charles Dickens making notes in a journal
in the chair next to you. But the biggest surprise is the
accommodation itself. A royal luxury suite with a bed-
room, bathroom and storeroom is at your disposal and
De Juiste Toon is located on one of the most attractive,
and oldest, streets in Sittard. Q (singles and doubles
€95). PGBW
De Kommelhoek J-10, Geleenstraat 7, Mun-
stergeleen, tel. (+31) 468 50 36 05, fam.sieswerda@
gmail.com, www.dekommelhoek.nl. The Sieswerda
Family make you feel welcome in their attractive pre-war
bed breakfast where you can expect an uncomplicated,
informal, open and friendly atmosphere. Two rooms and
an attic are for rent and the latter is spacious and contains
the family’s show piece: a Swiss bed with mattresses of
grüne Erde, which means they’re made of earth and grass.
This combination leads to a better night’s sleep than you
might think. Q3 rooms (singles and doubles €33 - 59).
PTGBW
De Prins A-1, Rijksweg Zuid 25, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 51 50 41, info@hoteldeprins.nl, www.hotelde-
prins.nl. Are we dealing with Basil from the English TV
series Fawlty Towers, here? The initial snobbish and
xenophobic attitude of the owner gives this impression,
but once the awkwardness fades and the ice is broken,
you’ll be suddenly smothered in hospitality. The beautiful
wooden staircase, chandeliers and stained glass give this
small BB an air of warm cosiness and the rooms are clean
and decorated in smooth Bordeaux red and dark grey and
have been equipped with modern amenities. All you need
to do is add some romance! Q 23 rooms (singles and
doubles €49 - 78).
Het Speelhuis I-8, Kennedylaan 9, Limbricht, tel.
(+31) 464 51 80 88, www.bedandbreakfast.nl/bb/het-
speelhuis. From the street it looks like just an average, yet
rather spacious patio bungalow. However, once you enter
Het Speelhuis you’ll find a cheerful and colourful doll house.
There are no dolls, but rather an awesome collection of
random stuff, which is perhaps the reason the eccentric,
but friendly owner called it Het Speelhuis (The Playhouse)
over a decade ago. In short, the bed and breakfast is the
result of a hobby gone awry. Even the bedrooms are called
‘magic rooms’, because they can be transformed into ac-
commodation with smaller or bigger beds. You can even
get a separate baby or kids’ room overlooking the parents’
bedroom. Breakfast is served in the Pippi Langkous conser-
vatory next to the bungalow and Het Speelhuis also has a
spacious backyard with an outdoor pool. Q (singles €45
- 50, doubles €60 - 65). TGBDC
E23Where to stay

Hoeve Hub Notermans H-8, Beukenboomsweg 2,
Guttecoven, tel. (+31) 464 85 96 60, www.hoevehu-
bnotermans.nl. This bed and breakfast is run by Hub and
Francien. Next to their recently renovated farmhouse, which
includes five country-style bedrooms, there’s also a cooking
studio where guests can take workshops, so you can expect a
delicious dinner here if nothing else! The rooms, all decorated
with wooden furniture, and bathrooms are incredibly clean and
tidy and the farm is an attraction itself.Q (singles €56.50,
doubles €68). GBW
Moon’s K-10, Broekstraat 18, Sittard, tel. (+31) 615
05 06 03, moon-s@home.nl. On a small idyllic street in a
small idyllic house with blue windows and an ivy-covered patio
you’ll find Moon’s Bed Breakfast. Even though the BB isn’t
far from the centre of Sittard, the area has a peaceful, rural
feel to it. You’ll be greeted by Moon’s friendly hostess who
rents out two simple rooms, which don’t have a TV, but then
again you probably didn’t come to Limburg to watch telly.
You can rent bikes here and fall into your bed at night after
a refreshing ride and few local beers. Q 2 rooms (singles
€40, doubles €60). 6BX
Stadsboerderij Sittard B-1, Paardestraat 40, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 11 17 63, info@weva.nl, www.weva.nl.
This BB is located only a stone’s throw from the centre of
town and the friendly owner of this historic farm and former
mill cherishes the rich past of the premises that now belong
to him. He considers the family photographs on the wall to be
his museum and with good reason as it’s a prominent Roman
Catholic lineage with a long history. Yet, in stark contrast to
the religious images about the place, a relaxed, almost hip-
pie-like atmosphere, seems to prevail here. On the ground
floor of the former mill, Kathy runs a shop where she serves
guests a proper breakfast or coffee with local Limburg vlaai.
The accommodation is a little bit pricey considering that the
rooms aren’t exactly luxurious, but the atmosphere makes up
for it. Q (singles €45, doubles €75). TJBW
Where to stay: Out of townE24
Conference hotels
AMVJ Group Accommodation E-3, Op de Vey 66,
Geleen, tel. (+31) 464 74 38 73, info@amvj.nl, www.
amvj.nl. This former hostel and student accommodation
is now only available for groups on request. You’ll find large
numbers of bicycle racers, some who have come all the way
from Asia to train here in Limburg and the Ardennes. All the
basic services are provided at the AMVJ, but the interior is
outdated and the atmosphere is, well, a bit Spartan to say
the least.
Fitland Sittard Sport Budget Hotel K-8,
Sportcentrumlaan 5, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 57 09
50, info@fitlandsittard.nl, www.fitland.nl. Sittard is
quickly on its way to becoming the leading sports city in
Limburg. Everything here breathes sports and the com-
plex actually feels quite American. Both the sports and
budget hotels usually offer accommodation to groups of
athletes, but are open to individual guests as well. The
biggest difference between the sports hotel and the
budget hotel, which are located in separate buildings, is
the price. The sports hotel also has wi-fi, while the the
rooms on the ground floor of the budget hotel have TVs,
refrigerators and internet connections. Guests are per-
mitted to use all of the sports facilities on the premises.
Q (Sports hotel doubles €76, budget hotel doubles €40).
HARFLGBKCW
Out of town: Budget
Abdij Lilbosch Pepinusbrug 6, Echt, tel. (+31) 475 48
12 53. In these hectic times it’s great to get some proper
rest now and again and we can think of no better place
to relax in Limburg than the abdij Lilbosch monastery. For
€18/day (students pay only €12) you can catch a glimpse
of modern monastic life, although the resident monks live
in a separate area away from their guests. Bear in mind that
the vegetarian evening meal, which is included in the price,
is eaten in silence and you must obey a number of other
house rules while staying here. The guest quarters include
seven sober single rooms and two twins. If you feel like an
even more ecclesiastical experience you can receive the
sacrament or have a chat with one of the monks. Bikes are
also free of charge, should you need to escape the deafen-
ing silence. Take bus No.192 from the Echt station and get
off at Pepinusbrug. Q 9 rooms (7 singles, 2 doubles €12
- 18/person). LGBStadbroeker Mill
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Market day in Sittard

E25Where to stay: Out of town
Out of town: Bed Breakfast
De Gete H-7, Getelberg 32, Born, tel. (+31) 464 86
00 62, info@degete.nl, www.bed-breakfast-limburg.nl.
If you’re looking for peace and quiet and plenty of outdoor
space, De Gete is an obvious choice. The guest residence is
located in a totally renovated wing of a farmhouse and facili-
ties include a large separate bike shed ideal for motor fanatics
or cyclists. There are three rooms available on the first floor
that aren’t exactly big, but they’ve been furnished in a stylish
manner. Breakfast is served in a communal indoor area, which
looks fairly basic, but with a bit of luck, you might be able to
have breakfast outside on the balcony or in the family’s own
garden, which is without a doubt the highlight of this place.
Q 3 rooms (singles €45, doubles €70). TGBW
De MunsterhoeveJ-11, Haagstraat 1, Munstergeleen,
tel. (+31) 464 52 18 82, info@munsterhoeve.nl, www.
munsterhoeve.nl. The well-travelled owners of this BB
turned their 18th-century farmhouse into a cosy place to
stay where each room is named after a local celebrity. The
brand new walk-in showers are located outside the rooms,
but the best thing about the Munsterhoeve is its value for
money. For only €32.50/person you can spend the night at
a prime location including breakfast. And unlike many other
places in the area, the Munsterhoeve doesn’t add an extra
charge for single occupancy or a one-night stay. Q (singles
€32.50, doubles €65).
Schipperskerk G-5, Sterre der Zeeplein 12, Schipper-
skerk, tel. (+31) 464 85 15 97, knops.schipperskerk@
home.nl. This historic former church, flower shop and bed
breakfast is justifiably regarded as the centre of the hamlet of
Schipperskerk. From the moment you step inside the church,
its owner, Agnes Knops, will take you under her wing. Her
beautiful floral designs are spread out over the pews, while
soft classical music plays in the background and sunlight
shines through the beautiful stained glass windows. The bed
and breakfast is located in the former sacristy and although
decorated with a rose theme, the sitting room and bedroom
are surprisingly sober. This, strangely enough, fits in perfectly
with the overall ambience of the church. Whether you’re a
Christian, Muslim or atheist, Schipperskerk is certainly an
unforgettable experience. Q (doubles from €75). GB
Out of town: Bungalow Park
Landgoed Hommelheide K-10, Hommelweg 2, Sus-
teren, tel. (+31) 464 49 29 00, info@europarcs-sus-
teren.nl, www.landgoedhommelheide.nl. Here you’ll find
a beautiful bungalow park with camp sites. A 20-minute drive
from down town Sittard, Hommelheide offers a natural pool,
restaurant, a grocery store and a lovely golf course nearby.
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Pieterspad Kollenberg Sittard

E26 Restaurants
P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted
E Live music S Take away
T Child friendly I Fireplace
X Smoking section U Facilities for the disabled
W Free wireless internet 6 Pets allowed
Symbol key
Although Sittard-Geleen is hardly what one would call a
Mecca for foodies, it does have a surprisingly diverse num-
ber of ethnic eateries. We, however, recommend the unique
regional fare and no visitor should leave without trying some
authentic Limurger vlaai, a kind of pie with different fruit
fillings. Prices in parentheses indicate the average cost of
a main course only.
American
Grillz C-2, Putstraat 86/A, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 20 09
52, www.grillz.nl. Grillz is a country and western-style restau-
rant where patrons can eat and drink as much as they can stuff
downtheirgulletswithintwohours.Theriflegalleryandhammer
game are also fun diversions but, for obvious reasons, we only
recommend the mechanical bull before you’ve eaten. Unfortu-
nately, the beer is watered down, the wine tastes like fruit juice
andthecutsofmeatservedaren’texactlytheprimepartsofthe
animal. The place is consistent though and even the toilets look
like they’ve been imported from a deserted American western
town circa 1850. Great place for a bachelor night, otherwise
avoid.QOpen,Fri,Sat19:00-23:30,Sun16:00-22:00.Closed
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu. (€25/person). PTJGK
Argentinian
Danas E-3, Rijksweg Centrum 4, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 75 27 54, danas@home.nl, www.danas.nl. Most
people expect a colourful and sunny décor at an Argentinian
restaurant with a Mexican touch added to it, but Danas looks
more like a grand southern pub. Indeed, the sun doesn’t shine
until you see the juicy glistening spareribs! The steaks are
also nothing to sneeze at and are served in tender, generous
large portions, but if you’re looking for something different
try the Chimichurry - an South American curry. Danas also
serves delicious cocktails including the popular ladykiller, a
potent frozen cocktail. The decoration of a gummy bear and
marshmallow on a stick is absurdly childish, but the cocktail
itself is mature enough. Q (€15 - 20).
Asian
Ocean Paradise J-9, Rijksweg Zuid 72, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 58 63 11, info@wokken.com, www.wokken.
com. Ever since Holland embraced Asian-food en masse, pur-
veyors of this cuisine have spread like wildfire. Ocean Paradise
has found the right middle ground between impersonal chains
of wok factories and cosy à-la-carte restaurants. A platform in
the middle of the restaurant, which kind of looks like a boat, is
used as a seating area and it’s surrounded by running water
and swimming fish. The buffet’s ingredients are fresh and well
presented and because the décor is tasteful and looks more
upmarket than that of the average wok restaurant, guests ap-
pear to be less greedy and gluttonous here. See for yourself.
QOpen 13:00 - 22:30, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 22:30. All you
can eat: €18 - 20. PTAUVGKSW
Trenta A-1, Voorstad 30, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 52 95
03, www.restauranttrenta.nl. Trenta is a fusion of several
Asian cooking traditions. Because the idea of ‘all you can
eat’ often brings out the inner Neanderthal in many people,
Trenta has implemented a clever rule to prevent waste. You
can order three dishes per course and you can’t order the
next round of food until you’ve eaten the previous one. You
also have to pay a ‘fine’ if you leave any food uneaten! The
food is excellent and we particularly liked the chow mein soup,
sushi and vegetable tempura. The service could be better,
but if you can ignore this shortcoming you’ll have a great time.
QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 16:00 - 22:00. All you can eat:
€23.50. PJAGK
Australian
Down Under B-2, Markt 12, Sittard, tel. (+31) 467 85
02 14, info@restaurantdownunder.nl, www.restaurant-
downunder.nl. Meat lovers, get off here! This is your stop.
The two kilos of sizzling spareribs enjoyed with one of several
Australian beers will no doubt get you salivating! It’s a bit of
a struggle getting through the extensive, chaotic menu, but
once you do you’ll find all kinds of exotic dishes including kan-
garoo steaks and Barramundi fillets. The Aboriginal decora-
tions on the walls give this restaurant a cheerful atmosphere
and the large play cellar, which is literally Down Under, might
cheer you up even more. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Thu 10:00
- 23:00. Closed Mon. (€15 - 20). PTJGBKX
Bakeries
Bakker Bart A/B-1, Limbrichterstraat 66, Sittard,
tel. (+31) 464 00 87 04, www.bakkerbart.nl. This pink
bakery has become a part of the landscape in virtually every
town of any size in Holland. Although it can be classified as
predictable, Bakker Bart’s main advantage is that its tasty
treats are always fresh regardless of the time of day. Apart
from its bread and cakes, the snacks are also quite popular.
Its five tables are reasonably comfortable, but it can get a bit
chilly because the doors are constantly opening and closing.
During the winter it sells delicious speculaas (spiced biscuits)
and traditional almond paste cakes. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00,
Mon 11:00 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 17:00, Sun 11:30 - 17:00.
(€2 - 5). PTJGKS
Bakker Martens B-1/2, Markt 17, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 58 52 77, martens@echtebakker.nl, www.ech-
tebakkermartens.nl. Even if you don’t like bread, you should
still take a look at this fine bakery. This is also one of the best
places in he city to sample some local delicacies, such as
Kruimelvlaai (crumb cake) and homemade stroopwafels. This
place is particular popular with local shoppers in need of an
energy boost. Also a wide selection of breads, pastries and
cakes are available, although the delicious cakes and pies
seem also tempting. Please note there’s no seating available,
only takeaway. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Mon 11:00 - 18:00,
Thu, Fri 08:30 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Also
at Tudderenderweg 85. TJAUS
Breutjes Zo J-8, Dempseystraat 6, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 52 60 22, info@breutjesenzo.nl, www.
breutjesenzo.nl. Breutjes Zo is a popular hangout for the
employees of the companies that work near the Limbrich-
terveld shopping mall. A relative newcomer in the area, this
place has made short work of its veteran competition on
the already crowded market. It mainly owes its success to
its crunchy French rolls and the long list of tasty ingredients
that it offers. Its surroundings and the shop itself may not
be what one would call interesting or fashionable, but the
food is definitely worth a detour to Breutjes Zo. QOpen
10:00 - 18:00, Mon 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun. (€3
- 5). PTLGKS

sittard.geleen.inyourpocket.com

Chinese
China TownH-7, Kerkstraat 33, Born, tel. (+31) 464 81
25 50. If you’re in search of a decent meal then this Chinese
restaurant, with a decidedly uninspired name, is a safe bet.
The ingredients are fresh and of good quality, but, sadly, you’d
probably find more ambience in a cemetery. That said, most
Asian restaurants don’t excel when it comes to personality,
but China Town manages to bring this lack of design-savvy to
a whole new level. The dirty carpet, dated interior and meagre
starters don’t help either. QOpen 16:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun
12:00 - 22:00. (€11 - 16). PTULGKXS
Fine Food J-8, Tunnelstraat 77, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464
52 11 06. People who’ve visited China know that the food
over there is very different from the sweet and sour chicken
you’ll often get here. Luckily, you can safely try any of the
dishes not listed on the menu as chances are the chef will
come out to meet you personally as cooking is his number
one passion. Unfortunately, the interior at Fine Food could
be much better, but that seems to be an intrinsic part of
most Chinese restaurants in Holland. The friendly service
is, however, a major bonus. QOpen 16:00 - 21:00. Closed
Mon. (€12 - 17). PGKXS
Fong Wah A-1, Rijksweg Noord 85, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 52 16 83, www.fongwahserveert.nl. Although the
building looks pleasant enough from the outside, the interior
confirms its status as yet another ugly Chinese restaurant.
Who came up with the idea to have peach-coloured tablecloths
surrounded by pink and cobalt blue chairs? Fortunately, Fong
Wah has good daily lunch specials and the unlimited buffet for
a set price might just tempt you to stay longer. If not, you can
orderyourfoodtotakeaway. QOpen11:30-22:30,Tue16:00
- 21:00. All you can eat: €19.80. TAUGKS
Hong KongB-1, Markt 23, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 51 31
13, www.hongkongsittard.nl. Many Chinese restaurants in
the Netherlands are little more than cafeterias serving boring
stir-fried dishes and we suppose that there’s nothing wrong
with that, but the stylish Hong Kong is a welcome exception.
The view of the Markt is itself a reason to visit, but if you
book a spot at the hotspot table (one day in advance) then
prepare yourself for a wonderful evening. In the middle of
the table are fondue pot stands where you can cook all your
dishes on sticks yourself. QOpen 11:30 - 22:30, Mon 16:00
- 22:30. (€14 -19). PTJALVGKS
Kota Radja E-3, Rijksweg Noord 11, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 74 18 78, www.kotaradja-geleen.nl. Nearly one in
every five people in the world is Chinese and this number is
increasing. It makes perfect sense then that the number of
Chinese restaurants would also be on the rise giving us plenty
of options. Unfortunately, Kota Radja seems to attract atten-
tion by not attracting much attention at all. It’s an ordinary
takeaway - no more, no less. Despite the lack of patrons we
have to admit that the prices are reasonable. Then again, you
get what you pay for. If you’re into bland and watery stir fries,
this is the place for you. QOpen 16:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat, Sun
11:30 - 22:00. Menu €15. PAUGKS
Lotus I-12, Zuidhof 25/26, Geleen, tel. (+31) 464 74
29 55. As far as ambience is concerned, Lotus isn’t a place
that will put Geleen on the map since it doesn’t seem to have
any atmosphere at all. However, you are given the choice of
two cuisines under one roof, namely Chinese and Indonesian.
The serving sizes are considerable, quite spicy, especially by
Dutch standards, and the place is spick and span - a rarity in
restaurants of this genre. QOpen 16:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun
11:30 - 23:00. (€14 - 18). PVGKS
E28 Restaurants
Mandarin F-3, Rijksweg Noord 42, Geleen, tel.
(+31) 464 75 83 30, www.mandaringeleen.nl. This
is Sittard-Geleen’s one and only undisputed gourmet
Chinese restaurant. Mandarin is decorated stylishly,
unlike many of the clichéd aquarium-like restaurants you
usually encounter. The takeaway section offers gorgeous
traditional benches and cupboards and a reclining golden
Buddha guards the entrance of the restaurant. When
you look further you’ll see an immense black tiger and
enormous vases and the background music completes
the experience and makes one think they’ve stepped into
a emperor’s pagoda. Naturally, you’ll pay a bit more than
at similar establishments but you won’t regret it. QOpen
16:00 - 22:00, Sat 15:00 - 22:30, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. (€13
- 18). PTGKS
Mr. Li Wok B-2, Markt 7/10, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464
00 78 00, info@dewok.nl, www.dewok.nl. For many
Dutch people the words all-you-can-eat is synonymous with
an ultimate night out since you know what your dinner will
cost beforehand and you’ll have plenty to eat. This is Dutch
economical thinking at its best and local Chinese have
capitalised on this attitude. Although we’re not advocates
of the principle, Mr. Wok Li is, however, a pleasant surprise.
The staff is friendly, the service is good and there’s plenty
of food on offer. QOpen 16:00 - 22:30. Closed Mon. (€15
- 20). PTGBKX
Dutch
Paula’s Broodje I-11, Rijksweg Noord 70, Geleen,
tel. (+31) 464 75 80 07, paulasbroodje@home.nl,
www.paulasbroodje.nl. Forget the misleading name
if you’re thinking of having a bite to eat here. Paula’s
Broodje may have gained local renown with its excellent
sandwiches, but the friendly owner’s real passion is
cooking complete meals. Paula serves a colourful mix
of dishes like scampi, pasta and ribs in this nostalgic
restaurant that looks and feels like somebody’s living
room. Our absolute favourite is the Duvelse Lepkes a
traditional regional dish perfect for meat lovers. Don’t
fret about the wild boar and the enormous stag’s heads
that glare at you from the wall. They can’t hurt you any-
more. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. (€12 - 16).
PTLVGKS
In many countries taking
home any leftover food from
a restaurant is accepted if
not encouraged. Your rema-
ining steak or pizza is placed
in a so-called doggy bag so
you can enjoy what’s left
of your meal at home. But
although this is standard
practice in the United Sta-
tes, it’s still frowned upon
in Holland. This seems quite at odds with the
world’s perception of the Dutch as a frugal and
eco-friendly lot. We think it’s time for a change in
this antiquated way of thinking, especially since
the Dutch currently throw away €235million worth
of food every year.
A doggy bag... please!

Hungry for more?
‘t Stübelke A-2, Rijksweg Zuid 73, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 51 34 71. Ignore the other dishes on the menu and
order the fantastic mussels! At ‘t Stübelke they make them
the original way served in a pan with tiny sauce cups and fries.
And it’s that simplicity which makes it perfect, just like eating
at your Dutch granny’s - if you have one. The carpet on the
toilet strangely adds to that sensation. Let’s hope that the
men can still aim after those delicious beers! QOpen 17:30
- 22:00. Closed Mon, Tue. (€20 - 25). T6ULKS
Fast food
McDonald’s J-9, Lissabonlaan 6, Sittard, tel. (+31)
464 86 11 70, www.mcdonaldsrestaurant.nl/sittard.
With the Golden Arches you know what to expect and, of
course, the ones in Sittard and Geleen are no exception.
This McDonald’s is conveniently located next to the Fortuna
Sittard football stadium in case you need a burger before or
after a match. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 24:00,
Sun 10:00 - 23:00. (€2 -7). KS
French
De Lijster I-11, Rijksweg Zuid 172, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 74 39 57, www.restaurantdelijster.nl. If you’re not
particularly fond of modern décor, but love classic French
cuisine and wine, then you’ll feel right at home at De Lijster.
You can’t miss the large white building in which it’s housed
and you can also sit outside on the terrace in the summer.
If you’re not sure what to order you can always try one of
the chef’s suggestions, but in our opinion you usually can’t
go wrong with chateaubriand and béarnaise sauce. The
more adventurous can also try the veal sweetbread with
oyster-mushroom cream and cognac. QOpen closed, Sat,
Sun 17:00 - 21:30. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri. Lunch
diner both day: 12:00-14:00, 17:30-21:30 (€20 - 30).
PTH6ULGBKXW
De Limbourg B-2, Markt 22, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 51
81 51, info@hoteldelimbourg.nl, www.hoteldelimbourg.
nl. If you’re looking for style and atmosphere, there are few
better places to eat than the restaurant at the Hotel De
Limbourg. The tender steaks and delicious traditional regional
dishes are part of a small, yet impressive menu. Located in an
historic, elegant building right on the Market Square in Sittard,
it offers plenty of things to look at both inside and out. All this
culinary pampering in combination with the visual spectacle
comes at a price, but that probably comes as no surprise.
QOpen 12:00 - 21:00. (€19 - 24). PTJHA6UL�
VGBKXSW
Ophovener Molen J-10, Molenweg 56, Sittard, tel.
(+31) 464 58 59 93, info@ophovenermolen.nl, www.
ophovenermolen.nl. There are only a few restaurants in
Sittard-Geleen and its picturesque environs that are more
authentically local than the Ophovener Mill. The surrounding
waters of the Sittard park add even more ambience to this
already cosy and romantic place and its beautiful outdoor
terrace. The staff is attentive, friendly and enthusiastic, but
unfortunately all the attractive ingredients of a perfect night
out will ultimately create an enormous bill. No one ever said
that style and quality can be had on the cheap, so treat your-
self to a well-deserved splurge. QOpen 12:00 - 21:30, Sun
12:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue. (€18 - 22). JHLGB
Greek
AkropolisE-4, Rijksweg Centrum 84, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 75 46 95, www.akropolisgeleen.nl. Sittard-Geleen
has a handful of Greek restaurants, but Akropolis, which has
been open since 1984, offers the best chance of a good Hel-
lenic dish for anyone out late at night. It has everything you
might expect from a local Greek restaurant including large
murals of the sun, sea, beaches and ancient architecture.
Akropolis has a staff of smiling Adonises and the whole family
takes part in serving the food. QOpen 17:00 - 22:30, Sun
16:00 - 22:30. (€15 - 20). PTJUBKS
Athene B-2, Rijksweg Centrum 1, Geleen, tel. (+31)
464 74 68 89, www.athenegeleen.com. Even though
Greece’s economy is in shambles, none of this seems to have
affected Athene. In fact, the owner of this place could probably
contribute a small fortune to help support his homeland just
by selling all the superfluous knick-knacks he has on display
all over his place. The cuisine is quite good and the menu
is so extensive you’d need half an hour just to read what’s
available. QOpen 16:00 - 23:30, Sun 14:00 - 22:30. (€16
- 20). PTJLKS
Dafni B-2, Markt 5, Sittard, tel. (+31) 464 00 99 60,
www.dafnisittard.nl. Those who have travelled through
Greece might immediately recognise the kindness and
hospitality for which it’s so renowned at Dafni. Despite its
spacious and atypically impersonal décor, it’s nonetheless
imbued with a warm ambience. Owner Katerina and her fam-
ily tempt their patrons with Greek culinary surprises and the
pikilia (Greek tapas) are delicious as are the garides with
garlic. Although most people usually associate Greek cuisine
with grilled meat dishes, there are plenty of other treats on
the menu at Dafni. QOpen 16:00 - 22:00, Sun 14:00 - 22:00.
(€12 - 16). TJGBKS
E29Restaurants

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