cathedral
Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom)
The first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany, built by Charlemagne as his palatine chapel in the 9th century.
10 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeNetherlandsLimburg
Kerkrade
Limburg, Netherlands · Europe
About Kerkrade
Kerkrade works well as a base: 30km from Hoge Kempen National Park.
Kerkrade is in Limburg, Netherlands, with about 50,000 people. You drive on the right here.
Kerkrade (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkɛrkˌraːdə] ; Ripuarian: Kirchroa; Limburgish: Kirkraoj; German: Kerkrade or Kirchrath) is a town and a municipality in the southeast of Limburg, the southernmost province of the Netherlands. It forms part of the Parkstad Limburg agglomeration.
Kerkrade is the western half of a dividedRead more
city; until 1795 the city was part of the Austrian Netherlands and from 1795 to 1815 it was part of the French Empire. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna created the current Dutch-German border and divided the town into the Dutch Kerkrade and the Prussian (German) Herzogenrath. This means that the eastern end of Kerkrade marks the international border.
The two towns, including outlying suburban settlements, have a population approaching 100,000, of which nearly 47,000 are in Kerkrade.
Where to Stay in Kerkrade
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Kerkrade.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Kerkrade.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Kerkrade?
Within an hour or so of Kerkrade: Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) (10 km), Vaalserberg Drielandenpunt (13 km), Valkenburg Marl Caves (16 km), Vrijthof Maastricht (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Kerkrade?
The nearest famous roads are Baraque de Fraiture, Mosel Valley Wine Route and Moselle Valley Road (B53).
Where is Kerkrade?
Kerkrade is in Limburg, Netherlands.
Road trip
Drive to Kerkrade
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Kerkrade. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 49,777
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Netherlands
- Region
- Limburg
- Timezone
- Europe/Amsterdam
- Coordinates
- 50.8658, 6.0625
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Netherlands
Watch for cyclists. They generally have priority.
Full driving guide for NetherlandsTags
Worth the detour from Kerkrade
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Vaalserberg Drielandenpunt
The Netherlands' highest mainland point at 322.4 metres, where the Dutch, Belgian and German borders meet near Vaals.
13 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Valkenburg Marl Caves
Hill-country Valkenburg hides Roman-era marl tunnels, a ruined castle and the Netherlands' only true hilltop drives.
16 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Vrijthof Maastricht
A grand cafe-ringed square anchored by two medieval churches in the Netherlands' oldest, most Burgundian city.
26 km · about 30 min drive
national park
Hoge Kempen National Park
Belgium's first national park, a heath and pine landscape in Limburg with six gateway entrances and visitor car parks.
30 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Gileppe Dam
A 19th-century dam near Spa crowned by a 13-ton stone lion, with a 78 m panorama tower and forested Ardennes reservoir views a short detour off the Verviers road.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Thorn
The 'white village' of Limburg: an entire former abbey-principality of whitewashed brick lanes and cobbles beside the Maas, painted white in the Napoleonic era to dodge a window tax and kept that way ever since.
36 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Monschau
Slate-and-timber Eifel town crammed into the narrow Rur gorge near the Belgian border, its lanes essentially unchanged for 300 years; a historic mustard mill still grinds and the castle ruin hosts open-air concerts.
37 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Kerkrade
- Right hereVaalserberg DrielandenpuntThe Netherlands' highest mainland point at 322.4 metres, where the Dutch, Belgian and German borders meet near Vaals.
- 32 kmGileppe DamA 19th-century dam near Spa crowned by a 13-ton stone lion, with a 78 m panorama tower and forested Ardennes reservoir views a short detour off the Verviers road.
- 41 kmSignal de BotrangeAt 694m this is the highest point in Belgium, marked by a stone tower on the Hautes Fagnes plateau.
- 73 kmBaraque de FraitureBelgium's second-highest point at 652 m, a windswept Ardennes plateau crossroads on the N89 with a small ski station and sweeping high-fen scenery.
Driving in Netherlands
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€2.04/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Kerkrade.
Plan a trip around Kerkrade
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Kerkrade.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.