As Dutch and English both developed from West Germanic, they share many similarities and it is surprisingly easy for native speakers of either languages to learn their foreign counterparts.
Although many other cities around the world have developed bike transit systems, Amsterdam was among the first major hubs to adapt its infrastructure around cycling and has remained ahead of the curve ever since. Markets are still part of daily life in many neighbourhoods around Amsterdam. Albert Cuyp Market for example, has taken place in de Pijp for well over years and always features a wide array of products ranging from Dutch flowers to freshly baked stroopwafels.
Due to its focus on dense, warming meals, Dutch cuisine tends to get a bad rap abroad and at home. Nonetheless there are some seriously awesome recipes hidden within Dutch cookbooks, including many delicious, hearty dishes like stamppot and erwtensoep and mouthwatering, cream-filled cakes such as tompouce or bossche bol.
Not to mention, the mountains of glorious, creamy, golden cheese available at every supermarket. Amsterdam has more than its fair share of excellent espresso bars and many of these hangouts double up as artisanal coffee roasteries. The city also hosts an annual coffee festival in March, which takes place in the massive cultural centre, Westergasfabriek. Amsterdam has the largest concentration of monuments in the entire Netherlands and many of these sites are located within its historic city centre.
Though the city is largely known for its incredible 17th-century architecture , there are many older and newer buildings in Amsterdam that equal, or may even surpass, its main sites in terms of historical and cultural significance. Aside from big names like Amstel and Heineken , Amsterdam also accommodates several, smaller independent breweries. In the Netherlands it is exceptionally rare for cinemas to screen films with dubbing and most foreign language films appear with their original audio tracks.
Furthermore there are over 10 cinemas in Amsterdam, including many spectacular arthouse theatres, such as architectural masterpiece the Eye or student-run hangout Kriterion. There are three key reasons the Dutch are so fit and healthy: exercise, diet, and a brilliant healthcare system.
In , the Euro Health Consumer Index which ranks healthcare services gave the Netherlands first place. Meanwhile, the UK managed a measly 15th. The Dutch doctors will do all they can to keep you from popping your clogs. Before your big move to the Netherlands, it's wise to think about medical cover for when you're out there. That's why we've partnered with Cigna for private medical insurance in the Netherlands.
With four levels of annual cover to choose from and extra modules for more flexibility, Cigna will sort you out with a plan that suits your needs. Start building a customised plan with a free quote to protect your most important assets — you and your family. All that cycling energy must be coming from somewhere. In fact, 19 of the top 20 countries were in Europe, but nobody came close to the Dutch. For hearty grub and proper nosh, look no further than life in the Netherlands.
The people of the Netherlands have made up for living in such a low country by growing incredibly tall. Research from the journal eLife in showed Dutch men to be the tallest in the world, averaging a height of cm , or a little over six foot. The potential of 8. Children are the future and the Netherlands have taken this very seriously.
Check out our expert ratings and find the best money transfer provider today. Try as hard as you like, but any attempt to speak to a Dutch person in Dutch will almost inevitably result in them replying to you in English.
This is really annoying for people who go to the Netherlands to practice their Dutch. According to the worldwide English Proficiency Index, the Netherlands has the highest proficiency of English as a second language than any other nation. In the UK we call it politeness, in the Netherlands they call it weakness. You never need to worry about what people secretly think about you because they will have told you already. To make things even less English, people in the Netherlands also hate queuing.
When the bus or the train arrives, your elbows had better be ready. That phrase will come in fairly handy in the Netherlands. There are actually two official languages in the Netherlands: Dutch and Frisian. While the first two belong in Germany, West Frisian is a Dutch thing, spoken by about , people mostly in the northern province of Friesland. Weirdly, Frisian is the closest living language to English, and the English language owes quite a lot to the Frisians, eg. It all started a long time ago in the 17th century when William of Orange took the throne, and everyone realised what a wonderful, jazzy colour orange was.
Today, the Dutch only need to slightest excuse to turn their whole country into a dazzling explosion of bright orange. The Dutch developed the orange carrot in the 17th century by adding more beta carotene a natural orange pigment , and then grew so many that everyone basically forgot about the other types of carrot.
The Dutch got there first. In December , the Netherlands became the first country to legalise gay marriage, leading the way for nations all over the world. The rent in Amsterdam depends on where in the city you decide to reside. It also depends on whether you pick a furnished or unfurnished place and whether the price includes bills. The following tables are rough estimates of overall average costs. Note that a potential landlord might require you to provide evidence that your household earns twice or even four times more than the monthly rent.
Consider that when choosing your home. Taking out private health insurance in the Netherlands is mandatory for everyone, even if you have coverage in your home country. That is the only way to get access to healthcare in the country, including Amsterdam.
The only care that is provided by the state is the aid for chronic disease treatments. Taking out at least a standard insurance package is obligatory. The components of the standard package are regulated by the government so all the providers will offer you the same coverage. Standard insurance package includes. Remember that you will also need to cover the initial costs up to a certain sum before your health insurance starts paying for your healthcare.
Keep in mind that your choice of a hospital depends on your health insurance. Restituie policy allows you to attend any hospital of your choice. Natura policy allows free care only in hospitals that your insurer has a contract with.
For more information and contact details, go to this search engine and check out available hospitals in neighboring areas as well. Registering with a local general practitioner immediately after you move to Amsterdam is undoubtedly the best practice.
That ensures that if and when you require medical help, you are only one call away from getting it. This online tool will help you find a general practitioner in your area. Just enter your post code in the search bar and see what is available. You can also get information on the doctors available in your municipality by picking up a brochure at the local city office. There you will find ratings and reviews of each place, names of doctors on the team, and their available working hours.
Amsterdam is a well-connected city, and you have plenty of public transportation options to get you around. Buses, trams, metros, taxis, ferries, and, of course, bikes are all at your service when you are trying to get from point A to B. You can buy single journey or one-day tickets on the bus or use a transportation chip card. Keep in mind that since you can no longer use cash when purchasing your ticket from the driver.
Cycling is the mode of transportation that makes Amsterdam famous. Most people tend to purchase their bikes, but before you do, you can consider using one of the many bike rental places around the city. People living or working in Noord really benefit from the free ferries across river IJ. The ferries are frequent and quick and take pedestrians and people riding bicycles and driving mopeds. In total, there are 14 different ferry routes with four of them leaving from central station.
If you decide to live further away from the city center, metros will help you stay connected. To use the metro you need to tap your chip card at the entrance to the metro station or buy a single one-hour ticket. They cannot be stopped anywhere on the street that is why the best way to hail it is by approaching a designated taxi stand. Most of the lines are connected through the central station, which means they can quickly take you from any suburban neighborhoods to the city center.
You can buy a one- or two-day ticket on the tram or use a transportation chip card to pay for your ride. Public transportation chip card OV-chipkaart is the most convenient way to pay for your travels when taking a bus, tram, metro, or a train. You can get a personalized with your passport-style photo or non-personalized chip card.
Whichever one you get, you have to tap it every time you are entering or leaving public transportation. The card readers are situated near every entrance of appropriate vehicles.
It also allows you to plan your journey from your current location. You can also do so on the GVB website. If you want to travel outside of Amsterdam apps like ov provides information about transportation in the whole country , NS Reisplanner the official app for Dutch national rail , and Schiphol Airport app the official airport app might come in handy.
Do you want to relocate? If you have never moved abroad, the process will be overwhelming, and if you have, you know the burden that lies ahead. Whatever stage you are at, InterNations GO! Our expert expat team is ready to get your relocation going, so why not jump-start your move abroad and contact us today?
Best to start early! If you are thinking of how to move to Amsterdam, be prepared to do plenty of searching. A limited amount of space tur Amsterdam is a great place for professionals that wish to advance their careers. Working in the city will require ded Once we've helped you move to Amsterdam, we can make you feel at home by introducing you to other expats who have already settled and are part of our Amsterdam Community.
Attend our monthly events and activities in Amsterdam and get to know like-minded expats in real life. Nov 12, , AM. Nov 13, , AM. Nov 13, , PM. Start here. Living Tap to see all guide sections. Relocation Services. Life as a Foreigner Beautiful canals, stunning architecture, and plenty of things to do and see are all waiting for anyone who visits Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Lifestyle Cycling is a big part of the Amsterdam lifestyle. Is Amsterdam Expensive? Tips on how to keep your bike safe: Get a sturdy bicycle lock preferably made of steel, not U-shaped. If possible, use two bicycle locks. Drugs in Amsterdam While many tourists do not know, as a person who wants to live in Amsterdam, you should be aware that drugs in the Netherlands are not legal.
Ideal Work-Life Balance Even with such big corporations in the job market, the working culture is still very relaxed. Diverse International Atmosphere The overall appeal of Amsterdam has attracted many expats to the city, which makes it very international. Cons of Living in Amsterdam Tourists Everywhere The city center is often busy with tourists, which makes it very unappealing to the locals.
Expensive and Scarce Housing While Amsterdam does offer a variety in terms of types of accommodation, there is hardly any available for rent.
No Time to Shop The work-life balance is essential to everyone. Hard to Practice the Language Dutch is often necessary to advance your career, so working on your language skills is vital; however, practicing Dutch in Amsterdam can be an issue.
Need to Relocate to Japan? Get started. De Bijenkorf —a luxury department store where you can find many designer brands. Kalverstraat —another big shopping street with shops of many popular brands.
Spiegelkwarter —the antiques shopping street of Amsterdam. Haarlemmerdijk and Haarlemmerstraat —two trendy shopping streets with a variety of independent boutiques and specialty shops.
PC Hoofstraat —a shopping street with major designed brand shops. Batavia Staad Amsterdam —an outdoor shopping mall located in the outskirts of the city with more than shops, cafes, and restaurants. Where to Go Shopping: Groceries Albert Heijn —mid- to high-range grocery store; the most common shop around; available as an express shop as well.
Dirk van der Broek —budget grocery store that strikes the right balance between price and quality. Jumbo —usually big, mid-range grocery store with a wide selection of products. Ekoplaza —high-range organic grocery store chain with a selection for food, home, and body products. Vomar Voordeelmarkt —budget grocery store with a basic selection and good deals.
Aldi —budget grocery store; basic, yet international selection. Lidl —budget grocery store; just like Aldi, has a basic selection and offers some international products as well.
Marqt —high-range ethical grocery store with a selection of many organic and hard-to-find products. Where to Go Shopping: Markets Albert Cuyp Markt —open Monday to Saturday from to ; biggest market in Amsterdam with over stalls of fresh produce, street food, clothes, homeware, and more. Dappermarkt —here you will find over stalls that offer fresh produce, clothes, plants, and specialty foods; open from Monday to Saturday.
Sunday Westergas Market —an excellent place to look around if you are searching for art, ceramics, houseware, clothes, jewelry, and accessories. The market has indoor and outdoor cafes, live music, and a park nearby. Waterlooplein —the biggest flea market in Amsterdam is located near Amsterdam City Hall and takes place every day except for Sundays. Singel Flower Market —apart from a colorful variety of plants, you will be able to find souvenirs and snack stalls.
Top Phone Providers in Amsterdam Many providers might require a Dutch bank account for you to set up a contract.
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