A Brief Foray into the Netherlands and Belgium

You'll need to be up early to get on the road and head west straight for the Netherlands. Don't worry too much if you're not able to grab much for breakfast, your first stop will be a Dutch cafe in just under an hour.

You'll be crossing the border into the Netherlands in under an hour, so celebrate by stopping at the first major Dutch town you'll encounter.
Roermond is renowned as something of a shopping mecca with its 150-store Designer Outlet, but on this occasion, you'll simply take a seat outside of this welcoming cafe and enjoy the views of the 13th-century Munsterkerk church.
The cafe is open from 9am and off-street parking is nearby.

Maastricht is the southern-most city in the Netherlands, and one of its quirkier attractions is the underground Kazematten tunnels.
Built between 1575 and 1825, this network of subterranean walkways was intended to be used as both a refuge from sieges and a way to surprise the enemy from below.
You'll need to book a tour to visit the tunnels (along with the North Caves and Fort St Pieter) but fortunately, there are daily guided tours. Book a place in advance online here.

It's time to explore the eastern side of the River Meuse, so park up at this Q-Park facility and enjoy an hour and a half exploring the riverside on foot, and grabbing some lunch too.

Just a block away from the river, this stylish brasserie offers a delicious lunch menu specialising in dishes made from locally-sourced produce. Indeed, many of the fruit and vegetables you'll find on your plate have been grown in the restaurant's own garden.
Other specialities here include Norman oysters, soused herring, and a bouillabaise for two. Lunch is served Monday to Sunday from 12pm until 2.30pm. Reserve a table at the restaurant's website here.

If you've some time after your lunch, take a stroll through Maastricht's cobbled streets to sample the lively and charming riverside.
Then there's a hidden gem to find before moving on!

If you're after a new page-turner for your holidays but your Dutch (or Belgian German!) isn't up to much, then you're in luck. The city's first-ever English-language bookshop opened in 2020, and it has quickly become a welcoming hub for the region's ex-pat community.
On sale you'll find comic books, books for adults, young adults, and children, and even board games. Closed on Sundays, this shop is open 11am until 5pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. On Mondays to Wednesdays, the doors close at 2pm.
For more information and a look at their current selection, head to the book shop's website.

In just half an hour you'll be in yet another country! This time Belgium offers a warm welcome, in the historical city of Liege.
Much of it can be explored on foot, so check in to your hotel and take advantage of the private parking.

Although it was only founded in 2013, this much-loved bakery has swiftly established itself as a Liege institution.
It's so popular here that you'll do well to avoid waiting in a snaking queue, but it's worth the hold-up. While there'll be madeleines, pancakes, and dozens of pastries to choose from, there is only really one choice. It is, of course, the Belgian waffle.
After you've tucked in, enjoy a gentle stroll around the historical centre of Liege. It's important you save your energy, for next up you have some climbing to do! The bakery is open from 7.30am until 6pm every day except Mondays, when it is closed.

Despite the name, Mount Bueren is not actually a mountain. Rather, it is one of the world's most extreme staircases. With 374 steps, rising up on a 30-degree slope, reaching the top is no small feat, and grants those who achieve it with a supreme view over the city.
It is said that the stairs, built in 1881, were intended to provide the city's soldiers with an easier route from the citadel to the city centre in the event of an invasion. Though another theory is also plausible - that the route kept the soldiers away from diversions in the city's bars and red-light district.
If you happen to be in Liege on the first Saturday of October then you're in luck, La Nocturne des Coteaux (the Night of the Hills) features candles lining the stairs from the bottom step to the top.

This European adventure may have begun in Germany, passed through the subterranean marvels of the Netherlands, and is now enjoying Belgian hospitality. But for dinner it's time to tick off another European experience at this 33-year-old Swiss restaurant.
Serving French and Belgian faves alongside specialities from Switzerland, starters here include fabulous characuterie and cheese sharing boards and a delicious hot goat's cheese salad.
But the headline attractions here are the sumptuous raclette and fondue options, which you simply do not want to miss. Located in Liege's Market Square, the restaurant is open for dinner from 6pm until 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed on Mondays. To book a table, head to their website here.

After your Swiss fondue, it's time to try a product that the Belgians call their own. Peket is a fruit brandy made with juniper berries that is popular in many of the cities and towns that straddle the River Meuese.
It is especially loved here in Liege, where it is glugged by the litre during the 15th August celebrations in the city's Outremeuse quarter.
At this characterful bar, with its brick walls and bright orange facade, you'll be able to enjoy a taste of Peket and many of Belgium's other speciality ales. It is open every day until 1am.

Those Belgian beers can be potent, so before long it'll be time to head back to your hotel for a restful sleep, ready to explore more of Liege in the morning before heading back into Germany.