Roermond - a city and a popular outlet in the Netherlands
The ancient city of Roermond, built in the 13th century, is located on the border between the Netherlands and Germany, at the confluence of the rivers Meuse and Ruhr. This is a small province in which about 60 thousand people live, but despite its small size, this is where the most visited outlet in the country is located.
Roermond is popular with tourists mainly due to shopping. All the streets of the city are strewn with shops of different price categories, here you can buy high-quality clothes, unusual souvenirs and traditional goodies.
A small province as if did not feel the past centuries - and to this day Roermond can be considered a medieval city, since more than 80% of buildings belong to this period. Here are beautiful architectural monuments and old houses, magnificent cathedrals and small churches.
What to see in Roermond? What is sold in the outlet of the same name and how to get to it? The answers to all your questions are in this article.
Sights of Roermond
National park de meinwegA large park with an area of 1800 hectares was opened in Roermond in 1995. After 7 years, in 2002, it became part of the Maas-Swalm-Nette international conservation area, where various insects, wild animals and birds live on 10 thousand hectares.
Fans of hiking and travel can spend time in the park with benefit - go through the picturesque, untouched countryside straight to Germany. It takes about 4 hours to travel along the central one-way road, but there are shorter paths.
MunsterkerkImportant! If you want to cross the border on foot, find the appropriate route on the Internet in advance, best of all on the travel forums. At this point between the countries there are no customs officers or border guards, but sometimes there are insurmountable obstacles in the form of 2.5 meter fences.
Built in 1218, the Church of the Virgin Mary is one of the main religious attractions of the Netherlands. This is the only cathedral of the late Romanesque style in the whole country, the remains of its founder - Count Gerard III, buried with his wife, are stored here.
The church was partially destroyed in the middle of the 16th century, but after several centuries it was completely restored according to the project of Peter Kuipers, whose monument was erected nearby. In 1992, the building underwent another reconstruction, as it was damaged as a result of a strong earthquake.
The majestic Munsterkerk church is most attractive in the evening, when multi-colored lamps illuminate the two towers and the central entrance to the cathedral. The magnificent cathedral outside is quite restrained inside, but despite this, many travelers consider the church to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Today Munsterkerk is one of the TOP-100 places of cultural heritage of the country.
The church is located on a green square with a rotunda near the railway station, in the very center of the city. Free admission.
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Maasplassen SquareThe central square of Roermond is an interesting place. It combines modern shops, cafes and restaurants with medieval buildings and amazing nature.
It is in this place that the famous Roermond outlet is located, but the Maasplassen artificial lakes that appeared on Maas as a result of the extraction of gravel from under water are worthy of no less attention. The total area of these reservoirs is about 30 km², a small part of them is located in the Kingdom of Belgium. Today it is no longer an industrial, but a recreational area of the city, where you can stroll along the calm promenades or take a ride on one of the many small yachts.
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Mansion de fornSurrounded by modern residential buildings on the outskirts of the city, there is a magnificent De Forn mansion, for many centuries owned by representatives of the local aristocracy. This is a high three-story red brick building with a sloping roof, decorated with towers and stucco. Due to the many outbuildings and reconstructions, the mansion received the appearance of a disproportionate structure, but that was what became its main feature.
Near the castle there is a small park with tall trees and a picturesque reservoir. This is a great place for a walk with the whole family.
Outlet Roermond (Designer Outlet Roermond)Important! The De Forn mansion was and remains a private property, so there are no excursions on its territory, and the entrance inside is closed.
Roermond's main attraction in the Netherlands is the outlet of the same name. Lovers of branded items come here from all over Europe to complement their wardrobe with an inexpensive piece of last year's collections.
Roermond's outlet has everything from bags and watches to children's toys and sportswear. Here are the 200 most famous stores in the world, including Adidas, Armani, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Michael Kors, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren and Prada. In addition, on its territory there are 26 cafes and restaurants of various price categories, several places for families with children.
Important! From all purchases in the outlet you can return 20% of the cost according to the tax-free system if the amount of the goods exceeds 100 € and it is in the original packaging.
The outlet is located in the historic city center, in the main square of Maasplassen. The distance to it from Amsterdam is 180 km, from Dusseldorf - 65 km. There are several ways to get to the stores:
- On a shuttle bus from the cities of Cologne (20 € two way, only on weekends) and Düsseldorf (ticket 15 €, runs from Friday to Sunday). You can see the exact bus timetable and buy tickets on the official outlets.mcarthurglen.com outlet website;
- By train from many cities in the Netherlands. The outlet is just a 15-minute walk from Roermond Train Station;
- By intercity bus. Flix Bus offers great deals from Amsterdam and other cities for as low as 7 € per person. You can order a ticket at www.flixbus.ru.
Advice! Travelers say that outlet discounts reach 80% of the initial cost, but you have to pay for it by the time spent in the queues at the entrance to the shops. To avoid this “pleasure”, come here on a weekday, preferably at the opening itself.
The outlet is located at Stadsweide 2, 6041TD Roermond. Entrance is open daily from 10 to 21.
Read also: Groningen is the international capital of bicycles in the north of the Netherlands.
How to get to Roermond
The most convenient, fast and affordable type of intercity transport in Roermond is the train. It can be reached from:
- Eindhoven for € 9.8 one way. Trains run every half hour between 6 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Travel time - 30 minutes, distance - 55 km;
- The Hague for 24.2 €. The interval between trains - 20-40 minutes, go from 5 am to midnight. To overcome 190 km on this type of transport will take two hours;
- Amsterdam for 23,4 €. Departure every half hour from 5:21 to 00:30. Distance between cities - 180 km, travel time - 1 hour 49 minutes.
Prices on the page are for May 2018.
The city of Roermond is the dream of a shopaholic tourist. Good shopping and a good trip!
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