Valkenburg
50°52′ N 5°50′ ETownThe Netherlands
Valkenburg is a small town in South Limburg that turns into Kerststad Valkenburg, the Christmas Town, from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and it suits anyone who wants Christmas markets inside marl caves, though weekends get so busy that the organizers ask people to come on weekdays. Its two cave markets, the Gemeentegrot and the Fluweelengrot, run until 30 December and need timed tickets.
Photo Kleon3 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Valkenburg packs two cave markets, an evening parade and an open-air village into a small old town, and staying the night means you can take an afternoon cave slot, watch the 19:00 or 19:30 parade and walk back to bed. Kerststad Valkenburg asks visitors to come on weekdays and by train, which is easier to do from a hotel in town than from a day trip.
Things to do in Valkenburg
Take the train from Valkenburg
- Valkenburg to Maastricht · timetable
Valkenburg sits in the Geul valley in the far south of the Netherlands, close to Maastricht and the German border. The hills around it are full of old marl quarries, and two of them become Christmas markets for the season: the Gemeentegrot at the foot of the Cauberg and the Fluweelengrot under the castle ruin. Above ground the town adds WinterGlow on the Walramplein, the evening Christmas parade and a programme of street performances. Plan on an hour to an hour and a half per cave, and book the slots before you travel.
Kerststad Valkenburg asks people to come on a weekday and by public transport. The town's streets are narrow and fill quickly on Saturdays, while Valkenburg station is the easy way in. From 6 December the kribkeswandelingen lead you out of the crowds on walks past dozens of nativity scenes in the villages of Sibbe, Schin op Geul, Broekhem and Houthem.
Worth knowing
- Leave about an hour and a half between your two cave slots if you are doing both markets in one day.
- Wednesdays in December give you a parade without the Saturday crush.
- Kerst in MergelRijk, another cave attraction with sculptures and a 30-metre miniature Christmas story, runs until 3 January and welcomes dogs, which the two cave markets do not.
Quick answers about Valkenburg
When is Kerststad Valkenburg 2026?
Kerststad Valkenburg runs from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The Gemeentegrot and Fluweelengrot cave markets are open from 13 November to 30 December 2026.
Do I need to book the Valkenburg cave markets?
Yes, for weekends especially. Both cave markets in Valkenburg sell timed tickets online, and Kerststad Valkenburg says weekend slots often sell out.
How do I get to Valkenburg's Christmas markets?
Take the train to Valkenburg station, which has services from Maastricht and Heerlen. The organizers recommend public transport, and Arriva sells a €5 Kerststad train ticket within South Limburg in 2026.
Is Valkenburg a good place to stay?
Valkenburg packs two cave markets, an evening parade and an open-air village into a small old town, and staying the night means you can take an afternoon cave slot, watch the 19:00 or 19:30 parade and walk back to bed. Kerststad Valkenburg asks visitors to come on weekdays and by train, which is easier to do from a hotel in town than from a day trip.
Within 12 km
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