See

St. Martinus church

The neo-Gothic and Catholic church dedicated to St. Martinus is one of the highest situated churches in the country. Right in the heart of the village, along the main road, its clearly visible from miles away and can't be missed. At this spot, a small church was established as early as the 7th century by St. Clodulfus, and later, medieval church stood here until 1860. In the period directly after, construction of the current church began. It was designed by famous Dutch church architect Carl Weber and as mostly finished around 1862. Likely due to financial issues, it took another 18 years to get it completely finished. It is a so-called hall church and its mostly neo-Gothic interior includes a number of art works and a large pipe organ. There are services on Saturday at 18:00, Sunday at 10:00 (both with the church choir) and Thursday at 19:00).

history

Hours: The side entrance is usually open during day

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Vaals, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

Drink
Fiets & Wandelcafé A gen Kirk
This cosy little café opposite the church (hence the name "a gen kirk", "at the church") is decorated from floor to roof with Christian art, statues and bibles. The tourist information office uses the place as a leaflet post and there's a small outdoor terrace next to the main street. You can also eat here, as there is a simple but budget friendly menu for lunch and dinner (mains from €10). There are also 4 bed & breakfast rooms upstairs.
See
Cement Factory ruins
Right next to Hotel Vijlenerhof is a small steep down-hill road (Boombergweg), which leads to the hamlets of Mellechet and Rott. It passes the ruins of the large cement factory that was built here at the end of the 19th century. The remains of the factory were further demolished by the Germans in World War II, and just a few small parts of the factory walls are left.
Eat
Cuba Libre
The specialty of this Cuban restaurant is sopa de platanos, a banana soup. Not everyone's favourite, but interesting for sure. Opened just a few years ago, the owners have made this restaurant one of the most lively places around, with regular cocktail- and salsa workshops and other activities. They also provide free walking routes of the village.
mains from €16
Do
Vineyard St. Martinus
If you think of a country where wine is produced, the Netherlands is almost certainly not the first country you'll think of - but yes, there is a vineyard outside Vijlen. This family-run vineyard has been producing the village's own wine since the late 1980s. You can take a guided tour or taste the different kinds of wine they produce, but you'll have to book in advance.