Scenic drives through South Limburg
South Limburg is the only true hill country of the Netherlands: sunken lanes between marlstone walls, orchards, half-timbered villages and more castles per square kilometre than anywhere else in the country. These are our two measured drives through the area, both without a single metre of motorway. Drive them as they are, or let the planner build a loop from your own starting point.
Two measured drives through the hills
Castle route South Limburg
Seven castles in a morning or afternoon, from the only hilltop castle of the Netherlands to its only terraced one. Sunken lanes, orchard avenues and views over the Geul valley, zero motorway.
Mergelland route by car
The classic loop from Maastricht past the three-country point at Vaals, the half-timbered villages of the Mergelland and the vineyards of the Apostelhoeve. Eight places that together show the whole of the hill country.
A round trip with curated stops from your own start
Type your start town and we build a loop of about two hours with two curated stops from our own selection. Adjust everything afterwards: duration, stops, vehicle.
88 stops in our database, each checked by hand. A place name is enough; no need to share your location.
Fine stops along the way
Why South Limburg is such good touring country
Nowhere in the Netherlands does the landscape change this quickly: in an hour of driving you pass marl quarries, sunken lanes under overhanging trees, vineyards on the south-facing slopes and half-timbered villages like Epen and Mechelen. The roads are winding and narrow, exactly the kind of tarmac a scenic drive asks for, and the terraces of Valkenburg, Gulpen and Slenaken break the drive naturally. Convertibles and touring cars are happiest here; for motorbikes some local seasonal bans apply on a few popular roads (see the questions below), and by camper you park most easily on the edge of the villages.
Frequently asked questions
Which South Limburg drive suits me?
For castles and a compact drive (72 km, a good hour and three quarters), choose the South Limburg castle route from Valkenburg. For the full hill country with the three-country point, the half-timbered villages and the vineyards, drive the Mergelland route from Maastricht (76 km). They barely overlap and together make a perfect weekend.
Can you ride the Heuvelland by motorbike?
Mostly yes, but mind: in parts of South Limburg local seasonal motorbike bans apply on some popular roads, especially at weekends. We take them into account in our curation and will mark bans automatically once our detection is live. Always follow the signs.
When is the best time for a South Limburg drive?
April and May, when the orchards blossom, and September and October, when the hillside woods turn colour. Summer weekends are busiest, especially around Valkenburg and the three-country point; on weekdays you have the sunken lanes almost to yourself.
Are these drives suitable for convertible and camper?
For a convertible or touring car this is the finest corner of the Netherlands: open air, slopes and views. By camper both routes work well, but the sunken lanes are narrow; park on the edge of the villages and expect oncoming traffic on the narrowest stretches.
Are these routes free?
Yes. Viewing, generating from your own start, downloading the GPX and roadbook and sharing are free, with a small Touren.app credit. Plus adds ad-free and offline driving.