Hoensbroek

Hoensbroek is a town in South Limburg, the southernmost region of the Dutch province of Limburg. It's part of the municipality of Heerlen but has a long, separate history and was an independent municipality until 1982. Hoensbroek's castle is one the most well-known castles in the country. Since there isn't much more to see or do for the average traveler, Hoensbroek castle is best visited as a day trip from one of the many destinations in the area. However, if you do find yourself staying the night here, there are a few options to eat, drink and sleep.

Understand
With over 20.000 inhabitants, Hoensbroek is a major part of Heerlen. Rather than being a district of that city, it's a town on itself and its people will tell you they live in Hoensbroek, not in Heerlen. Nevertheless, for outsiders it's somewhat hard to distinguish, as the two have grown together as one large built-up area.



Get in
Hoensbroek is well-connected by road, with the A76/E314 passing directly by. If you're getting in by car, follow the A76/314 and take exit 5 to Nuth/Hoensbroek. The Emmastraat connects the town directly to nearby Brunssum. There's a train station which is served by regional trains in the directions of Sittard and Heerlen. At least 8 different bus lines connect different parts of Hoensbroek to other destinations in the region. The main ones include:


 * Line 51 to Maastricht, Valkenburg and Brunssum
 * Line 42 to Geleen and Schinnen
 * Line 21 to Gulpen, Heerlen and Brunssum



Get around
Hoensbroek's center is not very large and you can get around on foot or by bike. However, since the town has limited tourist attractions apart from the castle, it's convenient to have a car at hand to explore sights in nearby towns. There's a good bus network operated by Veolia in case you're headed for the outer parts of the town.

Buy
Hoensbroek's town centre has a range of shops and supermarkets, but they clearly cater to daily needs of locals. Don't expect too much in the sense of shopping for fun, as there are only a few gift and speciality shops. While you're better of in Heerlen or Maastricht for a shopping spree, there are a dozen or so clothing stores and several drug stores. Most shops close on Sundays, although the Albert Heijn supermarket (Kouvenderstraat 100) is open from 10.00-18.00h.

On Friday mornings (08:00 - 12:30h) there's a small market on the market square.