Expat guide on where to live in Amsterdam
Expat guide for where to live in Amsterdam, city that is known for its international, intercultural population. Not only does it accommodate a large influx of tourists, year round, but it also provides homes to residents from numerous, diverse parts of the world. This has become apparent in how the different parts of the city have developed and evolved. While there are certainly native Dutch residents interspersed throughout the city, there are also distinct flavours to certain areas of the city.
In the city centre, which includes the areas around the central canals, it is often very crowded with tourists, and yet, the resident population is mainly Dutch. This is primarily due to the fact that the apartments that are available in this area are difficult to come by or are generally very expensive. Nonetheless, this area should not be overlooked, for it is certainly breathtaking, as many of the apartments are historical landmarks themselves, and the canals promise year round beauty, just outside your door.
Recently, there have been new residential development projects within the city in response to the growing population of inhabitants. As a result, new neighbourhoods have sprung up around the city centre, breathing new life into areas that once seemed devoid of Amsterdam’s vibrancy. These areas, like the Old West, Bos en Lommer, de Baarsjes and the new residential zones that seem to be rapidly sprouting up in the northeast, along the harbour of the Ij, are now becoming hot spots for expats, international students and young Dutch families.
Many people from within the city and those moving into Amsterdam are coming to embrace the value that they are finding in the serenity and physical space that is offered just outside the city’s beautiful, yet bustling- and always easily accessible- centre.
The apartments in the city centre as well as those in the surrounding areas provide residents with a sense of the city, be it a different feel of Amsterdam’s cultural and historical diversity, so it is important to consider what kind of Amsterdam you want to experience when you step outside in the morning and when you return to your home each day.
