Velvet Cave — Attraction in Valkenburg aan de Geul

No point visiting if you don’t speak Dutch. I am used to visiting places in the Netherlands where everything is only in the local language and that’s okay. However, this 1+ hour tour that you don’t have a way to leave in the middle was specially challenging. They give you a pamphlet in english before entering the cave which I guess they want you to memorize because you can’t read it in the dark once you’re inside. There is a website with audio that you’re supposed to use if you don’t speak Dutch which doesn’t work once you’re inside because there is no internet connection. Finally, whatever I could memorize wasn’t very useful because the guide kept pointing at things that were not even mentioned on the pamphlet. If there was a way for us to escape the tour early we would have but unfortunately you have to survive the entire tour to get out.

They clearly don’t want non-dutch speaking tourists visiting here. So highly recommend spending your time and money somewhere else where you feel more welcomed. For dutch natives, it might be a totally...

Kerstmarkt Fluweelengrot ia a very unique shopping experience. All the stores are in a network of caves. Valkenburg/Kerstmarkt views this is an attraction, so even though you are shopping in stores, you are still required to pay a small fee at the door. Trust me, it’s definitely not for paying the heating bill! Ha ha. Please wear comfortable shoes! Velvet Cave shops range from Christmas ornaments, blankets, bakeries, and just anything you can think for Christmas decorations. If you’re anywhere in the area, I highly recommend visiting velvet cave, and for sure, Valkenburg. By the way, if you are planning on traveling between Amsterdam, Maastricht, or Valkenburg, make sure to download the NS Travel Planner app on your cell phone. You can order your tickets for the train or the bus via your app and skip lines or confusion at the...

Really enjoyed the tour of the caves, went especially to see the cave paintings, wasn't disappointed they are lovely. Although the tour is in Dutch, ( no different really to visitors to our country who go on tours here to Stately homes etc, it's all done in our own language) the guide was very good and was helpful to us English speaking people. If we had any questions, he was more than happy to answer. You do get a sheet of paper that explains certain points and paintings in English that you can read. There are toilets in the ticket office, and a drinks machine Well...