Roermond is a city in the southeastern Netherlands, in the province of Limburg at the confluence of the Maas and Roer rivers. It sits close to the German and Belgian borders, which gives it a certain crossroads character — Limburg Dutch sounds quite different from Amsterdam Dutch and the Burgundian temperament of the south shows in the food and café culture.
The old city centre is well-preserved and compact, with the Sint-Christoffelkathedraal (a Gothic cathedral) at its heart and streets lined with historic townhouses. The city was ranked among the best shopping destinations in the Netherlands, and the combination of the traditional shopping streets and the large Designer Outlet Center just outside the old town draws visitors from across the Benelux and western Germany.
The Designer Outlet Center is one of Roermond's biggest draws in its own right — several hundred brand-name stores at discount prices, open 363 days a year. It is more of a day trip destination than a travel destination, but the old town around it rewards a few hours on foot. The Maas valley around Roermond has pleasant cycling routes through the Dutch lowlands.