The southern Dutch city of Maastricht is one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, and home to many art institutions and art fairs, including TEFAF Maastricht, Europe’s premier trade show for fine art.

© Michael Adair – Courtesy of TEFAF Maastricht

Each spring, the city hosts TEFAF (The European Fine Art Foundation) Maastricht. From the moment TEFAF opened its doors in 1988, it has dedicated itself to presenting the world’s finest art under one roof. TEFAF is set within the stunning floral installations by Ten Kate Flowers and spectacular architectural design by Tom Postma.

Featuring 270 prestigious dealers from some 20 countries, TEFAF Maastricht is a showcase for the finest artwork currently on the market. Alongside the traditional areas of Old Master paintings, antiques and classical antiquities covering approximately half of the fair, you can also find modern and contemporary art, jewelry, 20^th-century design and works on paper.  This year, TEFAF Maastricht runs March 11–19.

© Michael Adair – Courtesy of TEFAF Maastricht

Other art venues in Maastricht are open year-round, offering interesting exhibitions in unique and beautiful surroundings. Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof, located in the center of the city, is a private photography museum housed in the Spanish government building, one of the oldest non-religious buildings in Maastricht.

Bonnefanten Museum, founded in 1884, houses its art collection in one of the most distinctive-looking modern buildings in Maastricht. Shaped somewhat like a spaceship, its glimmering cupola was designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi. The museum offers interesting, eclectic rotating exhibitions and a wonderful permanent collection. Boekhandel Dominicanen, once a Dominican Church, is a magnificent 13^th-century building now home to a busy bookshop.

© Michael Adair – Courtesy of TEFAF Maastricht

There are many picturesque historical hotels in the city, including Teaching Hotel Château Bethlehem located in a centuries-old castle. In 2010, Château Bethlehem was completely renovated into a full-fledged hotel, with 26 guestrooms, a restaurant, bar, meeting rooms and public areas. The rooms in Teaching Hotel are furnished by both long-established and new  Dutch designers. Each of the rooms is different, and the hotel is a practical training environment for first-year students of the hotel school, where teachers monitor the students at every step of “learning by doing.” Double occupancy rates in March start at $157.