MAASTRICHT – WHERE TEFAF MEETS THE NEW ART OF TRAVEL

The name Maastricht derives from the Latin Mosae Trajectum – the crossing over the River Maas built around 50 BC, a strategic junction between North and South, power and trade, culture and exchange. Today, Maastricht once again represents a bridge: between history and avant-garde, canonical mastery and contemporary vision, marketplace and museum. And during TEFAF, above all, between the world’s leading art fair and a new, more conscious art of travel.

The history of TEFAF dates back to 1975 and the first Pictura fair in Maastricht’s Eurohal, where around 20 exhibitors presented primarily Old Masters. The founders recognised the city’s strategic location in the heart of Europe’s tri-border region. Early success was modest, but the consolidation of several national antiquities dealers marked a turning point. With the opening of the Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Centre (MECC) in 1988, TEFAF found its institutional home. Today, it is regarded as the world’s leading fair for art, antiques and design. Its authority rests on curatorial rigour: Old Masters, modern art, design and jewellery meet one of the strictest vetting procedures in the global art market.

Photocredits: TEFAF/Jitske Nap, Maison Rowena, Loraine Bodewes, Michael Huber

From 14 to 19 March 2026, 275 exhibitors from across the globe will gather in Maastricht. The value of the works presented runs into the billions. Yet TEFAF is more than a marketplace – it is a temporary institution of museum calibre. The aesthetic design of the stands, the carefully composed floral installations and the density of curatorial excellence create the distinctive atmosphere that attracts leading museum directors, curators and international collectors year after year. More than 200 private jets will land at Maastricht Aachen Airport during the fair – testament to TEFAF’s global reach. Since 2016, the foundation has also presented a second, more intimate edition in New York’s Park Avenue Armory.

For Maastricht, its retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers, TEFAF is one of the defining moments of the year. Around 60,000 visitors are expected. Where art is negotiated at this level, travel itself changes. It becomes more selective. More meaningful. More intentional. Just five minutes from the MECC lies one of the region’s most distinguished addresses: Van Oys Maastricht Retreat, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, opened in summer 2025.

The history of the former Kasteel Oost dates back to the early 13th century. Over time, the castle changed ownership several times, most recently in 2005. Its current owners, Michel and Leon Maes, chose to reimagine the estate – including its former agricultural remises – as a retreat where a new dimension of travel culture could unfold. 81 individually designed rooms and suites, the fine-dining restaurant Create by Guido Braeken, Restaurant Maes – Cuisine du Terroir, Wine Bar César, Atelier du Vin, the culinary studio Atelier du Terroir, and six event spaces of up to 400 square metres are distributed across three buildings: the historic castle at the heart of the retreat, the restored remise and the newly constructed Carré.

Alongside sustainability, heritage and cultural depth, Van Oys Maastricht Retreat is dedicated to culinary artistry. At Create by Guido Braeken, guests enter a gastronomic universe – from planet-rooted interior design to a flavour architecture awarded two Michelin stars. Braeken is among the Netherlands’ most distinctive culinary voices. His cuisine is structured and precise, grounded in classical technique yet open to contemporary interpretation. Here, the ingredient is not merely a component – it is the origin. At Restaurant Maes, Cuisine du Terroir, under Executive Chef Raymond Remmen, the philosophy continues in a refined farm-to-table concept. Guided by provenance, seasonality and natural flavour, the majority of products are sourced within a 50-kilometre radius, in close collaboration with Euregio producers.

With the opening of OYSANA Spa & Sports earlier this year, Van Oys Maastricht Retreat introduced a further dimension of the art of slow travel: the art of cultivating deep relaxation in rhythm with nature. The concept is supported by BENELUX-exclusive woods_ moods signature treatments, complemented by advanced multisensory touchless therapies – creating a restorative experience rooted in authenticity and connection.

Maastricht once connected regions and markets. Today, it bridges cultural spheres. While TEFAF examines, curates and elevates art within global discourse, Van Oys provides the setting in which it can be experienced with depth and attentiveness.