Maasmechelen

This Belgian Limburg town on the Meuse river, close to the Dutch and German borders, with cafés and restaurants concentrated in a compact centre. Maasmechelen has a coal-mining past, and several former mining sites have since been redeveloped; its multicultural character — shaped by waves of Dutch, German, Polish, and Italian workers — reflects that industrial history. The wider region is ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites.

• Population36,251
• Nearest water from center1.0 km
• Nearest mountain from center8.9 km
• UNESCO within 50 km8