An ABN AMRO banking expert shares his decades of experiences in helping people move to the Netherlands and set up their affairs here. Two decades ago, moving to the Netherlands was quite an adventure. ‘A client came not knowing what was happening here,’ recalls Daniel Poot, who has spent his 50-year career at ABN AMRO assisting all kinds of immigrants from well-travelled diplomats to first-time expats. ‘I was downstairs at a desk and everyone who wanted to open an account... More >

With rain at home and the prospects for summer breaks abroad still open to question, why not catch up on some Dutch culture instead? Back by popular demand – the DutchNews.nl inburgering course. Lesson 22: What you need to know about having a baby in the Netherlands The Netherlands is notorious for its painkiller-free home births. But there are lots of other essential things you need to know to make sure you have a baby the Dutch way. The home... More >

With rain at home and the prospects for summer breaks abroad still open to question, why not catch up on some Dutch culture instead? Back by popular demand – the DutchNews.nl inburgering course. Lesson 20: 10 Dutch sites on the Unesco world heritage list By the end of this month, Unesco experts will have decided if two new Dutch locations should be included on the world cultural heritage list – the Lower German Limes and the ‘Colonies of Benevolence’ in... More >

The Dutch tradition of brewing beer goes back centuries, when there were hundreds of breweries fermenting their own, unique brews. Gradually, a few big players took over and the Netherlands became primarily a lager-producing country, until only 15 breweries were left by 1980. Fortunately for us, all that has now changed and Dutch micro-breweries have reclaimed their rightful place at the pinnacle of the beer world – brewing everything from blonde beers to bock beers and from IPAs to porters.... More >

Ivy curls around the rusted steel balconies, inside the bed is made and the kitchen sparkles, and a rack of bikes are downstairs ready for the next journey into Amsterdam. These are the ‘fully serviced designer rentals’ at NorthOrleans, a halfway home between a long-term place to stay and serviced apartment, perfect for newcomers to the city. David, a British-Dutch management consultant, has recently moved in and appreciates the ease of living in this new development, minutes from the ferry... More >

With most of the coronavirus restrictions now lifted, the calendar is packed with things to do this summer. Here is a selection. Go medieval with the Romanovs At the Hermitage in Amsterdam it’s all about the middle ages and what the Russian court made of them in the 19th century. Some 250 objects, from both eras, explain the world of  knights in shining armour and courtly love and why it resonated so much with the czars. There is a 500... More >

This August, Taalthuis is offering crash courses in Dutch for adults and children, both face-to-face and online, so newcomers can greet the re-opened Netherlands in its own language. We find out more. When the second lockdown hit, Jessica Coetzee (19), a South African au pair working in Bilthoven, was concerned that she would have to cancel her Dutch lessons with Taalthuis. ‘I was going to do a course in person, but with the coronavirus and everything, it was so confusing,’... More >

Dutch weather can be a fickle beast. But one thing’s for certain: as soon as the sun comes out (or even when it doesn’t) the Dutch will be outside in force. Eating and drinking overlooking one of Amsterdam’s hundreds of waterways is practically a civic obligation. So we’ve rounded up 10 of the best restaurants with waterside views for you to visit this summer. Most come replete with sunny terraces, but some offer indoor dining with canal views for those... More >

With just a few weeks until the schools close for the summer break, it is time to start planning how you can make the most of the holiday season. Here are some things to think about: Foreign travel The government has just cleared several more destinations for holiday and family visits, and while popular holiday locations such as France and Spain still face restrictions, the options for a break abroad continue to increase. It also looks as if the European... More >

The Rijksmuseum, built to glory in the riches of the Golden Age, has opened its first major exhibition on the slavery that fuelled this wealth. Senay Boztas takes a tour. Amongst black women in Suriname, there is a tradition of weaving rice seeds into their braids. This custom, according to the Rijksmuseum’s extraordinary exhibition on slavery, goes back to the Okanisi tribal mother, Ma Sapali. Sapali, so the oral history goes, was enslaved in West Africa but managed to smuggle... More >

In Groningen, work is continuing to clear up the damage caused by extracting millions of cubic metres of gas from under the province. For the residents of the village of Overschild, this means demolishing and rebuilding almost every building.  The eastern road into Overschild shares as much anonymity with any other in rural Groningen, lined with large trees protecting distant horizons dominated by wind turbines. Just past the village’s welcome sign, a new road on the right reaches around the... More >

Make opening a Dutch bank account the least of your worries with the help of experienced expat advisors at ABN Amro. One surprise many internationals face when they arrive in the Netherlands flashing their foreign credit or debit cards is that some Dutch supermarkets and local shops won’t accept them. This is a common experience related to Ronald de Kruijf, a financial advisor for expats based in Eindhoven. He is part of a team serving around 100,000 ABN Amro expat... More >

The International Community Advisory Panel is carrying out a new survey into views of the international community on education and your input would be most welcome. This is a follow-up to a survey carried out in 2017 and ICAP aims to find out what progress has been made since then, as well as to update research into your views on schools (both Dutch and international) and special needs education. What are your experiences of the education system, whether local or... More >

From June 5, museums, country houses and theatres can open their doors to the public again. Here’s some suggestions of what to do – and don’t forget to book your ticket online. Welcome back the Holland Festival To start the fun in a wholesale sort of way, the annual showcase of national and international performing arts the Holland Festival will be kicking off this month, with previews of what is to come, coronavirus permitting. Opera, dance, performance, theatre, film are... More >

Living in the Netherlands but with income in another country? You may have to deal with several different tax deadlines. May 17 might not mean a lot to you…but if you are living in the Netherlands with an obligation to file taxes in the United States, you will know that this was ‘tax day’, an important deadline for this year. And one question all tax advisors frequently hear is: ‘where do I need to pay my tax?’ Unfortunately, there’s not... More >

The sun is finally back with us, so the time is right to get into that summer vibe, settle back in your easy chair and relax with a Caribbean cocktail. To help you really slip into summer, luxury hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam has reopened the doors to The Grand Beach after the great success of last year’s edition. This year, The Grand’s atmospheric courtyard has been transformed into a real sandy city beach, inspired by the beauty of... More >