Amsterdam | Leisure & Lifestyle
Amsterdam offers a wonderfully diverse selection of leisure and lifestyle activities. With world-class restaurants and fabulous shopping, renowned entertainment options and annual events, people will have no problem settling into their new lives here.
Numerous nationalities make up the city’s cosmopolitan atmosphere, but English is spoken almost everywhere, making communication a lot easier. There is plenty of entertainment in Amsterdam for singles as well as the ones with families.
Shopping
When it comes to shopping in Amsterdam, the city has everything expats could want, including international brand outlets, antique stores, exclusive boutiques, contemporary Dutch design and street markets.
Although the concept of shopping malls is not very popular in the Netherlands, there are a few compact shopping areas in Amsterdam. Many roads in the city center are closed to cars making the shopping experience even better.
Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat feature similar high-street brands; the Nine Streets (De Nejen Straatjes) are packed with vintage shops and boutiques; trendy Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmmerdijk has a mixture of shops & restaurants; Pieter Cornelisz Hoofstraat, in the museum district has luxury shopping and Spiegelwartier is good for arts and antiques.
Those looking for an authentic experience can also explore independent designer shops dotted all over the city.
Eating Out
Although Dutch cuisine isn’t that famous as French or Italian food, a mixture of international restaurants in Amsterdam reflects its diverse population. There is a great variety to choose from, with everything from Indonesian, Surinamese, Indian and Japanese to North African, Turkish and Eastern European cuisine.
The prices fit any kind of pocket, from affordable fast-food chains and streetside herring shops to Michelin-starred restaurants. People may want to avoid the tourist areas when choosing a restaurant, since many have inflated prices without the quality to match, but there are a few gems among them.
Some of the best areas to search for food include Haarlemmerstraat, Nieuwmarkt, Utrechtsestraat, the Nine Streets Area and Reguliersdwarsstraat.
The only downside to eating in Amsterdam is the famously poor service, which can be quite jarring for anyone used to more polite treatment. With a few notable exceptions, most establishments provide good food but not much in the way of staff friendliness. As always, a smile and a nice word can go a long way towards warming up the atmosphere, but it shouldn’t be taken personally if nbot reciprocated.
Nightlife
Amsterdam’s nightlife is anything but boring and expats can spend their nights as quietly or as wildly as they wish.
There are many pubs and ‘brown cafes’, which usually have a good selection of beers, while numerous clubs await dance lovers wanting to party till morning. The main spots to spend a night out include Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, the Jordaan and the Red Light District, although this last one can be overcrowded by tourists. These areas are packed with bars, live music venues and nightclubs.
