Venlo in autumn: from the Maas to the Floddergats
The town combines a river, an old centre and stories of changing rulers.
Venlo lies on the Maas, which plays a connecting role for the town. Anyone wanting to explore further afield will find the Nationaal Park De Maasduinen listed as a nature tip in the same tourist information.
In the historic centre, the old town hall draws the eye. The ground floor was once a market hall; according to Visit Venlo it is now used mainly for receptions, gatherings and weddings.
Not far from the main streets lies the Floddergats, the local name for the narrow sixteenth-century Keizerstraatje. Visit Venlo links a story about Napoleon to it, but presents it as a legend.
Venlo went through Spanish, Dutch Republic and French periods. In the mid-nineteenth century the town walls were demolished and the town expanded along its main approach roads. Behind today’s centre, then, lies a history of shifting borders and growth.
For those who want to combine the town with a museum, the Limburgs Museum stands at Keulsepoort 5, opposite Venlo station. The museum announces activities for the autumn holiday, 17 to 25 October 2026 inclusive. Its own site also lists Schatten uit het Rijks door de ogen van nu as a current exhibition.