The Hague offers a diverse set of neighbourhoods for expats relocating to the area to choose from. The city is divided into eight districts, each of which is further partitioned into different neighbourhoods.
In general, the more prosperous neighbourhoods are found in the northwest of the city, while less affluent areas are typically located in the south and east.
The Hague is comprised of eight districts:
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The area defined by the Archipel, Statenkwartier and Duinoord neighbourhoods is an extremely desirable and central place to live. Embassies, luxury villas, apartments and mansions are nestled amongst shops, restaurants and cafes, resulting in an exciting urban atmosphere.
- Archipel: The Archipel neighbourhood in the Centrum district is close to the town centre, museums and parks. The beautifully renovated, old style houses found here are full of character and historic atmosphere. Prices reflect the area’s desirability and limited space makes parking a challenge.
- Statenkwartier: Located in the city centre, the Statenkwartier neighbourhood in the Scheveningen district is filled with beautiful, spacious homes built in the early 1900s. The area’s plentiful Art Nouveau architecture, specialty shops and cafes make it a popular destination.
- Duinoord: Homes in the Scheveningen district’s Duinoord neighbourhood are typically smaller than those found in the Statenkwartier, but are charming and full of character. Much of the architecture dates from the late 19th century and today the area is known for its somewhat bohemian atmosphere.
Those looking for a less urban environment can find larger living spaces and more ‘green’ within the Haagse Hout district. This area is typically popular amongst families with children, as it provides easy access to downtown amenities while offering a quieter, more natural setting.
- Benoordenhout: The Benoordenhout neighbourhood in the Haagse Hout district is a quiet mixture between urbanity and nature. It’s woodland setting on the north and east sides belies its close proximity to the city centre and easy access to the motorways. Parking is plentiful.
- Mariahoeve: The Mariahoeve neighbourhood is also located in the Haagse Hout district and offers a similar set of 1930s architecture, green surroundings and easy parking. The British Junior School is located here.
Other neighbourhoods popular with expats include Bezuidenhout (Haagse Hout), Marlot (Haagse Hout), Vogelwijk (Segbroek), the beach resort areas of Kijkduin and Scheveningen, Van Stolkpark (Scheveningen), Westbroekpark/Duttendel (Scheveningen), Belgisch Park (Scheveningen) and Zeeheldenkwartier (Centrum). For housing, search through these available rental apartments in your preferred neighbourhood.
Several of the neighbourhoods where many expats are located have English-language websites. These include:
Amsterdam has some worth-visiting markets which can be a nice alternative for the standard shopping rituals. These atmospheric markets offer the best way to pick up some bargains for you or your friends. They offer a taste in the local life and give visitors a other view of Amsterdam. Some of these markets open daily, others open on certain days. Here’s an overview of some of the best markets:
Bloemen market – Famous flower market
This is Amsterdam’s famous floating flower market, the only one of its kind in the world. The stalls are indeed “floating” on houseboats, but they are semi-permanent fixtures now. It caters to tourists, who flock to see thousands of blooms of every color and buy Dutch bulbs to take home. Location: Singel, between Koningsplein and Muntplein. Open: Year-round, Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Waterlooplein Flea Market – Amsterdam’s best Flea and Antiques market
Amsterdam’s largest flea market is like 200 garage sales going on at once and the “neighborhood” is home to the posh and the tacky. It’s easy to browse for hours in the maze of second-hand clothes, African drums, tie-dye shirts, antique rugs and furniture and bric-a-brac of all kinds. Unlike most markets in Amsterdam, bargaining isn’t necessarily frowned upon here. Location: Waterlooplein. Open: Year-round, Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Albert Cuyp market – Amsterdam’s famous market in the Pijp
This experience is a must for Amsterdam visitors who love bustling markets. The 100-year-old, open-air street market (the city’s largest) features nearly 300 vendors selling everything from fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, spices, chocolate, cheese, flowers and plants to clothes, jewelry, shoes, bike accessories, bedding, fabrics and cosmetics – basically everything. Prices are dirt-cheap, but product quality often reflects this, so beware. Flowers are less expensive here than at the famous Bloemenmarkt. Location: Albert Cuypstraat. Open: Year-round, Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Spui Book Market
Bibliophiles will marvel at the endless tables and tents of this used and antique book market. Dealer collections run the gamut from biography, literature, poetry and fantasy-fiction to art, history, psychology and geography. While most books are from the Netherlands, some English and international titles are for sale, as well as antique maps, prints and records. Location: Spui. Open: Year-round, Fridays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Spui Art Market
Also known as “Art Plein Spui,” this favorite Amsterdam market in the heart of the city showcases the work of up to 25 professional artists from a rotating group of 60, whose media include everything from oil, acrylic, watercolor and etching to photography, sculpture, ceramics and jewelry. Location: Spui. Open: March – December, Sundays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Thorbeckeplein Modern Art Market
Paintings are the features of this Eastern Canal Belt market, which caters to those who prefer an abstract or modern look. Location: Thorbeckeplein. Open: Mid-March – October, Sundays 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Noordermarkt Flea Market
Wares at this popular market range from tote bags made from old World War II army
gear to fine Asian antiques. Die-hard flea-market shoppers get here quite early, especially on Mondays. Location: Noordermarkt, Jordaan. Open: Year-round, Mondays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Boerenmarkt on Noordermarkt – Amsterdam’s organic market
Alongside the popular flea market on Noordermarkt is one of Amsterdam’s biggest organic farmers’ markets. Local and regional growers sell fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, while organic bakers offer all-natural breads, cookies and pastries. There are even stalls dedicated to organic olive oils, whole grains and various spice pestos. All these ingredients make for a beautiful, bustling display of color and smells. It’s a must if you’re in the Jordaan on a Saturday. Location: Noordermarkt, Jordaan. Open: Year-round, Saturdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
While you visit these markets, of course keep an eye on your personal belongings. Markets tend to attract pickpockets, and Amsterdam is no exception. Be warned! If you’re planning a visit to Amsterdam, check these short-stay apartments. For longer stays, look into these long-stay apartments in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is undoubtedly an exciting city to live in.
This small, atmospheric city has plenty to offer everyone: culture, museums, great food, nightlife, parks and family activities. Amsterdam is officially divided into 15 districts, which are each further subdivided into neighbourhoods.
The city’s history, tolerance and social housing policies have helped to ensure diversity throughout the city. The majority of expats looking for a ‘typically Dutch’ urban environment tend to end up in the canal rings encircling the old city centre, the Jordaan, the Old South or the Pijp.
- City Centre Canals: The old city centre is surrounded by four U-shaped canals: the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. The canal houses lining these canals have retained much of their old-style grandeur and provide the perfect location to enjoy Amsterdam’s extraordinary city life. The canals here are packed with cafes, restaurants, tiny boutiques and shops of every kind. The Nine Streets in particular offer ample opportunity for exploring.Apartment prices in this part of the city centre reflect the neighbourhood�s desirability, and on-street parking is limited and expensive. Residents can expect to wait years before being granted a parking permit. Parking garages offer nearby alternatives, but expect high prices and a short walk or bike ride to reach them.
Houseboats also line the sides of these canals and living in one can offer a slightly cheaper alternative for finding accommodation in this part of town.
- Jordaan: The charming Jordaan is located just outside the main canal rings in the city centre and is made up of a number of smaller canals and streets that run perpendicular to the Prinsengracht. This area was originally an old working class neighbourhood and today is an extremely sought after place to live. The Jordaan is known for its myriad of small restaurants and cafes, and is home to several well-known markets on Saturday and Monday. As with the city centre, parking in this area is limited and expensive.
- Old South: The Old South is one of the most popular expat neighbourhoods, as it is close to the city centre yet offers larger living spaces and more green, thanks to its close proximity to the Vondel Park. While living in the Old South is quieter than in the City Centre and Jordaan, the area still offers a number of (upmarket) shops, restaurants and cafes. This is an expensive part of town to live in, although parking is easier and parking permit waiting lists are somewhat shorter.
- The Pijp: The Pijp is one of the up-and-coming areas of Amsterdam, having benefited from recent city regeneration efforts. The area is ethnically diverse and filled with interesting shops, restaurants and one of the city’s largest open-air markets (the Albert Cuyp market). In recent years, the Pijp has become a highly sought after neighbourhood to live in and rising prices reflect this.
The Westerpark is another neighbourhood that has benefited from regeneration in recent years. The enormous Westerpark park, with its trendy cafes, old industry buildings, rolling fields, wading pool and constantly rotating event schedule has done a lot for the area. Westerpark borders the Jordaan and provides easy access to the Amsterdam ring road and highways.
For a less urban environment, many expats also relocate to Amstelveen, a suburb of Amsterdam directly to the south. The area is green, has a neighbourhood feel and is close to the city’s largest park (the Amsterdam Woods (Amsterdamse Bos)) and Shiphol airport. Many international companies are located in Amstelveen, and the International School of Amsterdam is also found here.
If you have plans to move to Amsterdam and you do want to find an Amsterdam apartment in a great location, make sure you do get the right info!
Life in The Netherlands
This is hardly a definitive guide on life in The Netherlands but if you’ve never heard of the place…
The country
The Netherlands is a small but well-formed country with a limited internal market. Consequently the Dutch look across their borders with German-made, high-power binoculars for additional markets to do business with.
According the CIA World Factbook:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Dutch Society
- Sixteen million Dutch folk live here (more or less) and they are really packed in.
- The Netherlands is the fourth most densely populated country on the planet.
- It’s a democracy – tolerant and open – at least according to the brochure.
- While quite religious centuries ago, 70% no longer attend church although Calvinism still has a hold on values and beliefs.
- It is said that the Dutch are stingy – but, in reality, they are simply very careful with pretty much everything from food, to money, to expressions of wealth and comfort.
- There are many rules and people are worryingly well-informed. This sometimes contrasts with the Dutch in a social setting where they are friendly and approachable.
An Egalitarian People
- The Netherlands has an egalitarian society.
- You must earn status and respect (not abuse family ties).
- We are all equal here – this may be difficult to understand if you are not Dutch.
- In general, the Dutch are not risk takers. They like to consider consequences well in advance.
- People are willing to take responsibility where things go wrong or credit for success.
Who the client is
- The Dutch work hard although mostly for 36-40 hours a week.
- Service is often regarded as poor by visitors to The Netherlands. This is particularly true of Amsterdam.
- Due to its egalitarian roots, sales persons feel themselves totally free to disagree with and criticize their customers.
Consensus
- Consensus is king (and can be really annoying)
- The Dutch spend hours a week listening to colleagues who have a ‘right’ to express an opinion on something even where they have no knowledge or background
- Change is a lengthy process involving patience, stamina and aging.
Directness
- Dutch people say what they mean. “Do you like my new shoes?” Answer – “No.” The concept of a white-lie does not exist or has been banned by law.
- Dutch directness is often mistaken by foreigners as rudeness. However, you may not actually be mistaken. Some Dutch people really are rude.
- The Dutch are suspicious of very courteous dialogue, afraid that an unpleasant message may be cunningly hidden which they are unable to detect.
- Politeness can cause annoyance as it is considered a waste of time.
Loss of face
- The Dutch expect others to be open and direct like them. They will tell you what they think of you and criticise your work indifferent of your status if you are a superior or a subordinate.
- They expect you to criticise their work in return, honestly and directly. If you detect mistakes in their work and you do not inform them about these mistakes, they will be extremely disappointed with you.
- The Dutch do not feel ashamed when you inform them of a mistake. On the contrary, they feel that you give them the opportunity to correct and thus improve themselves. The Dutch feel that in the end, one learns from his mistakes.
- Loss of face is a rather unknown concept in Dutch society when compared to other cultures.
- Everyone involved needs to be heard. In the end a compromise will be reached in which every one agrees. Once agreed upon the work can progress steadily. Therefore, changes are usually lengthy processes.
Imports – partners
- Germany 17.7%, China 10.5%, Belgium 9.3%, US 7.3%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.4% (2007)
- Agriculture – products:
- Grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries
- Agro-industries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing.













