Until 2016, Maastricht was cut in two by the A2 motorway: a busy thoroughfare with traffic lights, traffic jams and fine dust. Today, that traffic is underground, in the King Willem-Alexander Tunnel, and something very different has emerged above ground: a quiet, green promenade some two-and-a-half kilometres long. The Groene Loper is not just another park; it is a city boulevard designed for walking, cycling, meeting and living.
Whether you are looking for a place to run, take a stroll, walk the dog or just sit on a bench: the Groene Loper invites you to exercise as well as rest. You walk under more than a thousand trees, past lawns, flower strips and small squares. Along the way, you pass playgrounds, works of art, neighbourhood vegetable gardens and coffee shops - a mix of city and park in one long line.
Along the Groene Loper, completely new residential areas have been built, with an eye for sustainability, architecture and community spirit. But it has also made existing neighbourhoods such as Wyckerpoort, Wittevrouwenveld and Scharn more open and accessible. What used to feel like the outskirts is now suddenly in the middle of a lively strip of city.
The Groene Loper is an ideal cycle route for those who want to travel quickly but leisurely for north to south, without traffic lights or car traffic. Along the way, you ride past neighbourhood initiatives, school gardens, running groups and people on benches with a newspaper or coffee. It's not a place where many tourists come, but one where you feel the rhythm of the city.
The Groene Loper is not a park you look out on, but a park you use. It is not a destination in itself, but a line connecting everything. That is precisely what makes it special: it is not designed to impress, but to give space. And in that space, all sorts of things happen - small, local and ever-changing.
Are you visiting the Groene Loper and want to be assured of a parking space? Then simply reserve your parking space online at Q-Park De Colonel. Would you rather park somewhere else in Maastricht? Take a look at our complete offer of parking facilities in Maastricht.
At Q-Park De Colonel, you can park from as little as €17 per day. Reserve your parking space online in advance and be assured of a parking space. You can easily drive in and out based on your license plate and you don't have to pass by the pay machine.