6x walking in Venlo and North Limburg

Venlo is full of poetic spots. All over the city, poetry features on the walls: literary works of art by famous poets and upcoming writers. Walk the Poetry Route and spot them all. Some poems are at eye level, while others stand out a little higher on Venlo's façades. For example, the route takes you past Café de Locomotief, which features Paul Snoek's poem 'Above the trees' on its white façade. In total, you will come across 13 poems. This inspiring route will give you food for thought. Stopover tip: cafe Milk and Cookies on the Parade. Drink speciality coffee in an atmospheric setting, overlooking the wandering crowd.

The Poetry Route starts at Venlo's station square.

• Read more about each poem during your walk here
• Follow the route online or get a physical map. The map is available at the Venlo Library (Begijnengang 2) and Tourist Information Venlo at Boekhandel Koops (Klaasstraat 17)
• Opening hours Milk and Cookies: Monday to Friday from 08:00 - 17:30, Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 - 17:30

Stationsplein 1, Venlo, venloverwelkomt.nl

Milk and Cookies: Parade 64, Venlo, milkandcookies.nl

Venlo has a rich history. You will find places with a history throughout the city. The Heritage walk takes you past Venlo's 24 most important historical hotspots. During the walk, you will pass medieval trading houses and centuries-old chapels. One of the city centre's showpieces is the City Hall, a national monument in Renaissance style. Above all, cast a glance at the beautiful stained-glass windows. If you look closely, you will see the coats of arms of former city administrators engraved in the windows.

The Heritage walk starts at Keulsepoort 3. From Venlo station you can walk here in 3 minutes.

• Dive into the stories behind the historic buildings during your walk the website of this walk

Keulsepoort 3, Venlo, erfgoud-wandelroute.nl

Art lovers take note: in Venlo, you can take a free city walk past 25 works of art. The Public Art Route is a walk along a variety of artistic highlights. You will pass different types of art, from historic water fountains to modern sculptures. For example, you will encounter the Peace Flame in Juliana Park. This sculpture - designed by Frans van Nieuwenborg - symbolises a protest against senseless violence. On and near the artworks, you will find plaques with QR codes, which you can scan for more information. The great thing about the Public Art Route is that as you walk, you pass beautiful places in Venlo. For instance, you can walk part of the route along the Meuse.

The Public Art Route starts on the Prinsessensingel near the Oude Haven. You can walk there from Venlo station in just under 10 minutes.

• The route and information about the sculptures can be found on this walk's website 

Prinsessesingel, Venlo, openbarekunstroutevenlo.nl

Behind the Maasboulevard in Venlo, you will find countless unique and local businesses. The shopping route will take you to, among other places, Sounds: the city's premier record shop. Here you can browse through thousands of vinyl records and CDs. With any luck, a live band or singer-songwriter will perform during your visit. Via the Kwartelenmarkt, walk on to Het Romerhuis. The display cases of this chocolaterie are brimming with homemade chocolates. A sweet tooth's paradise. Fond of wine? On your city walk, stop by Vinoteca Lina: one of Venlo's finest wine shops. The shop resembles an underground wine cellar, with wine barrels and vintage rugs on the floor everywhere.

The local shopping route starts on De Parade. You can walk here in 5 minutes from Venlo station.

• Shopping route length: 1 kilometre
• Most shops are open between 09:00 - 18:00 on weekdays and between 09:00 - 17:00 on weekends. Check the shops' websites for exact opening hours

Parade, Venlo, visitnoordlimburg.nl

Sounds: Parade 66, sounds-venlo.nl
Het Romershuis: Wijngaardstraat 2, hetromerhuis.nl
Vinoteca Lina: Jodenstraat 14A, vinotecalina.com

North Limburg is bursting with places where serenity drapes over you like a blanket. A contrast to the city's cosy hustle and bustle. Find silence in the monastery gardens of Steyl monastery village. This famous monastery village is located just outside Venlo, in a beautiful location on the river Meuse. During a silent walk through the gardens of the St. Michael's Monastery you can do some reflection. Catch a moment at the Lourdes grotto and pause to admire the statues of saints. Atop Sacred Heart Hill is the Sacred Heart statue, a historical national monument. The green hill features plants in the shape of a cross.

Rent an OV-fiets at Venlo station and pedal to Steyl monastery village in 20 minutes.

• Monastery garden opening hours: daily 09:00 - 17:00
• The monastery garden of the St. Michael's Monastery is free to visit

Sint Michaelstraat 7, Venlo, visitvenlo.nl

Did you know that Germany is a stone's throw from Venlo? The train will take you from Venlo station to Kaldenkirchen station in just 5 minutes. Your NS walk starts here. Part of the route runs through the Nettetal: a bird sanctuary. Climb into the observation hut and spot blue herons and reed buntings. Further along the route - hidden in the green forests - is the centuries-old Krickenbeck Castle. The imposing castle with its proud turrets takes you back into the past. Has your walk made you hungry? Stop off at Restaurant Café Birkenhof. The menu is extensive, from German schnitzels to veggie burgers. With fresh energy, walk the final kilometres towards the end point: the centre of Venlo.

• Walk length: over 16 kilometres
• Opening hours Restaurant Café Birkenhof: Monday to Thursday 12:00 - 22:00, Friday 12:00 - 23:00, Saturday 11:00 - 23:00, Sunday 09:00 - 23:00
• You can expect to pay around +/- €15 for lunch here.

Restaurant Café Birkenhof, Heerstraße 60, Nettental, birkenhof-restaurant.de

^{Text: Jeske van Steen - Insiders
Image: Venlo Partners, Venlo Stadspartners, De Groote Heide, A. J. Van der Wal, Petra Lenssen, Valeria Boltneva, Lizenz Creative Commons Wikipedia, Pexels}