ASA Excursions from Maastricht
To understand a country and its surroundings in greater depth, including its history and its culture, it’s important to head out of the big cities, or even beyond the borders altogether. We plan some excursions to help you do just that (and you’re welcome, of course, to venture off on your own during your breaks and weekends).
If you’re spending a semester abroad in Maastricht, you’ll have three overnight trips included in your program. Summer programs include one day trip.
Excursions planned for each program vary, but past terms have included trips to:
BERLIN, GERMANY
(Overnight trip)
One of our first trips together as a group will be to gritty and glamorous Berlin—an introduction to European travel. You’ll explore this city’s complex history, the merging of the East and the West, and the locals’ fascination with politics as evidenced in its graffiti and beyond. Berlin is an innovative and edgy capital, a creative place full of opportunities to enjoy art, live music, and other forms of culture. Here, modern architecture mingles with sites of important historical significance. There are also about 175 museums that dig deeper into more specific topics. We’ll try German food—perhaps kebabs, schnitzel or pretzels, for example—and take advantage of the many green urban spaces to wander and rest. Berlin has been ranked as the best student city in Germany and the third best in Europe, and is known for its excellent nightlife, so you’re sure to find plenty to do!
A WEEKEND IN THE NETHERLANDS
(Overnight trip)
We’ll take a weekend to get to know your host country beyond Maastricht, exploring your choice of political or cultural highlights in The Hague—home to the UN's International Court of Justice, embassies and huge homes. There are also palaces there, art, great food, and creativity. Then you’ll spend some time soaking up Dutch culture at the open air museum Zaanse Schans (a neighborhood in the town of Zaandam near Amsterdam) with its green wooden houses that make it look like an 18th century village. Another highlight of our Netherlands adventure is the chance to get creative as a group working on a project to create your own Delft blue tile. As in Berlin, you’ll find in The Netherlands a mix of innovation and tradition. You’ll see windmills that are hundreds of years old, canals and houseboats, tulip fields if the season is right, and some examples of cutting-edge design and architecture.
PARIS, FRANCE
(Overnight trip)
Another popular trip you may take from Maastricht is to La Ville Lumière—the City of Light. Sophisticated, elegant, gritty, and innovative, Paris rarely fails to impress. It’s a diverse cultural and business hub, and home to some of the world’s greatest writers, artists, fashion designers, chefs and more. We’ll spend a fun-packed weekend in the capital, wandering along its famous boulevards amongst its rich architectural beauty, boutiques, and bistros. We’ll spend time exploring the treasures held in its galleries and museums, listening to its street musicians, marvelling at its iconic landmarks, enjoying some indulgent French cuisine, and letting a little bit of spontaneity allow the city to work its magic on us.
Which one sounds like the most exciting to you?