Rotterdam is not often the first choice on an expat's list of places to live, but they are doing the city a disservice because it is one of the most dynamic, booming and constantly shifting cities in the Netherlands with a refreshing lack of tourists.

On this page:

• Hillegersberg
• Kralingen
• Kop van Zuid
• Other suburbs

There are lots of new restaurants, galleries and trendy shops opening in this architecturally exciting city. Rotterdam is clean and feels relatively safe for an urban environment.

There are lots of places to go and things to do — including activities with kids — all within easy reach. Compared to other major European cities the centre of Rotterdam is very accessible both by public transport and, amazingly, by car. You can even park. It's very international, and there are a number of expat-friendly suburbs and satellite towns with a good concentration of non-Dutch residents.

Rotterdam's jewel is Hillegersberg, a leafy suburb on the north-east edge of the city. The area escaped wartime bombing, leaving the old village centre and elegant residential streets intact. It's a 20-minute drive to the centre of Rotterdam, and homes in Hillegersberg are sought after by the Dutch and expats alike. It is expensive, but buying a house in Hillegersberg is a safe move due to its enduring popularity. It is also home to several of the international schools.

Hillegersberg is only ten minutes from the city centre, and has an excellent bus and tram network. Being on the edge of the city also means a few minutes on your bike brings you to meadows with lambs and calves, or to the Rotte (the waterway which runs through Rotterdam and from which it gets its name).

Hillegersberg is located around two fair-sized lakes, where there is endless boating and sailing in the summer and where everyone goes skating the minute it freezes long enough in the winter.

If you're young, single or "dinky" (two incomes, but no children) and want to live in Rotterdam, the neighbourhood of Kralingen is likely to appeal. Fifteen minutes east of the centre, Kralingen has multi-million-euro mansions found cheek-by-jowl with student digs and council housing. Near a lake and woods, the area has a very international feel and a huge variety of affordable to up-market housing available.

Also favoured by young expats, Kop van Zuid is a trendy new development, right in the middle of the harbour, directly across the New Waterway from the city centre — great for executives wanting to get to work quickly in the mornings. Like the Docklands in London it is a mix of renovated old warehouses and smaller, newer housing and apartments. Up-market urban prices apply.

Schiebroek, along with the newer Prinsenland and Ommoord are becoming favoured expat sites. For those looking to rent rather than buy, it is relatively easy to find family accommodation at reasonable prices in Ommoord.

[Copyright Expatica 2006]

Subject: Where to live in Holland + Rotterdam