Don’t be fooled by Amsterdam’s village-like charm: It’s a European capital and as such offers an exciting art, music, film museums and theater scene. Amsterdam is great for going to gigs: legendary venues make Amsterdam a popular stop for almost all major touring pop, rock bands and acts. But Amsterdam is also packed with options for museum and theater lovers – even if you don’t speak any Dutch. Make also sure to look at the productions by the world-class performance of the Dutch National Opera, which also collaborates with leading international companies.

The Dutch are famous for how tolerant they are. A large part of their history involves welcoming foreigners to the country and allowing them to continue living lives as they chose (in old times this being freedom in religion, and nowadays in cultural background, sexual orientation etc.). Maybe, because 30% of Amsterdam is foreigners; it’s one of the strongest expat communities in the world. So much so that you can live in the city for years, and learn no Dutch.

Even to this day, the Dutch sense of community / living together has great respect for an individual’s freedom to live life as he or she chooses; much more so than in other countries, including those that claim to be the freest in the world. Amsterdam can look back on a long history of different nations. Today it prides itself on rich culture life and diverse population. The people who live, work, study and visit here, are the people who make Amsterdam vibrant and give it a multicultural mix with different Lifestyles. This means that many Dutch people have no problem speaking to you in English.

Dutch people are incredibly friendly and would always ask with genuine curiosity what are you doing in the Netherlands and asked many interesting and intelligent questions. A fear of strangers just isn’t Dutch. They are encouraged to get out of the house and do things as much as possible. As a result of this, they are generally way more at ease in social situations than other cultures and are great at making conversations in a relaxed manner.

Amsterdam offers a culinary melting pot reflective of the city itself. Whether you’re looking for international cuisine or a cozy local dish, you’ll find plenty to please your palate in Amsterdam.

The Xpats-Service Team is looking forward to welcome you in Amsterdam.