Partij-Wittem

Partij-Wittem is a village in South Limburg, the southernmost part of the Netherlands. The village comprises the two hamlets of Partij and Wittem. As a whole, it is part of the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem.

Understand
The village is situated along the small river Geul. The history of the village dates back to at least the 12th century, when Wittem is first mentioned in official records. The castle of Wittem dates to the 13th century. The monastery of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in Wittem is a major point of interest in this area too.

Lying along the old road from Maastricht to Aachen, Wittem, and the castle especially, received a number of very prominent guest. Among them was Charles V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, who granted Wittem Imperial immediacy, making it a so-called "Vrije Rijksheerlijkheid". Since the emperor was far away and Wittem was small (like neighboring territories), its lords had a rather free life without interference from outside, apart from the constant quarrels with adjoining lords. Other important historic visits (or rater, overnight stays) included those of Charlemagne, Pope Leo III (on his way to Tongeren), Peter the Great and William the Silent.

Get in
The old Roman road from Maastricht to Aachen runs through the village. Nowadays, the N278 is the main road connecting Partij-Wittem to those places as well as villages on route, such as Margraten and Vaals. The N258 connects Partij-Wittem to Valkenburg.
 * Bus 21 connects the village to Gulpen and Heerlen via Brunssum
 * Bus 50 runs through it on its way from Maastricht to Aachen and back
 * Bus 58 provides another connection to Heerlen and Gulpen.

Get around
If you don't mind a good walk, you can explore the area on food. A bike or car is convenient if you want to explore more of the area, but there are no renting possibilities in the village itself.

Buy
As Wittem is a rather well-known pilgrimage destination, all kinds of religious goods are available as souvenirs. Next to the monastery there's a small shop with a divers collection of Christian books, arts and souvenirs. The monastery also has an adjoining bookstore.

Eat
There are a few restaurants, but some of the best ones are part of a hotel. Therefore, see the sleep section for more options.

Drink
When visiting Wittem, you should of course try the local monastery's beer: Gerardus Kloosterbier. You'll find it in all the café's and restaurants in the village.

Connect
For internet and postal services, you'll have to head to nearby Gulpen. Cellular reception and mobile internet are okay for most providers. Your lodging will typically have (slow) wifi available.

Go next
Nearby destinations include:

The old German city of Aachen and the Belgian Liège aren't far either, and make great day trips.
 * Maastricht, the capital of the whole province of Limburg and one of the most beautiful historic cities in the country
 * Gulpen, the main village in the municipality to which Partij-Wittem belongs
 * Valkenburg, the main tourist destinations in South Limburg
 * Vaals, right on the border with Germany
 * Simpelveld