Where to live in Amsterdam

This small, atmospheric city has plenty to offer everyone: culture, museums, great food, nightlife, wonderful apartments, 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 is bathed by rings of canals. Central station can be thought as being the hub of the wheel with streets running out like spokes and linking the canals together: the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and the Singelgracht. 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, luxury apartments, tiny boutiques and shops of every kind. The Nine Streets in particular offer ample opportunity for exploring. Amsterdam 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.
   * Jordaan: On the west side of the Canal Belt lies the charming Jordaan, a former workers quater. The Jordaan has an intimate character and is known for its myriad of small restaurants and cosy pubs, and is home to a great biological market every Saturday. 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. It contains what some call the ‘Museum Quarter’ it is the most genteel od Amsterdam’s districts. 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 for Amsterdam apartments and rising prices reflect this.
   * The Plantage: To the east of the Southern Canal belt is this popular area which is home to Artis Zoo and the wonderful Tropenmuseum.

The Westerpark is another neighbourhood that has benefited from regeneration in recent years. The expansive 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

Submitted by Amsterdam Housing http://expat-amsterdam-housing.com/index.html