It's close to Amsterdam and, some say, a whole lot better. Find out why many expats choose to live in picturesque Haarlem.

Haarlem has a rich history and energy all its own, so it is no wonder its residents scoff at the idea that their quaint city is a mere suburb of Amsterdam. Sure, living just 15 minutes by train or car from Schiphol and the capital has its benefits, but on the weekends many Haarlem-based expats are content to head to local pubs, clubs and restaurants. Foreigners who settle in the city often find out about its lifestyle benefits, including cheaper accomodation costs than Amsterdam, from fellow expats and colleagues. "Before moving to the Netherlands we came here for business and visited Haarlem after we found that many of the people we worked with lived there," says American expat Alex Appoloni, who has lived in Haarlem for three years. New arrivals to the city join a population of about 150,000. However, the greater Haarlem area, or Kennemerland, has a population of about 215,000 and includes the residential neighbourhoods of Bloemendaal, Aerdenhout, Bentveld, Heemstede, Overveen, Sant-poort, and the planned community of Schalkwijk. The fashionable Zandvoort beach and the Kennemerduinen National Park are on the western (North Sea) side, about 7km from the centre (or a 20 to 30 minute cycle). The region offers varied accommodation, but as you'd expect, housing is more costly in the city centre. The old, central area known as 'vijfhoek' is a popular residential area for young Haarlemmers. More expensive accommodation, including houses that cost EUR 500,000 and up, can be found in Bloemendaal, Heemstede and Aerdenhout. If you're looking to buy a home or apartment in Haarlem note that you'll need to be a registered resident of the city for two years to buy accomodation that costs EUR 136,135 or less. Working in and around town As the capital of North Holland, the city government and the province is the chief employer in the region, which enables most Haarlem residents to also work in the city. For those expats who have to commute to work, the city centre has two NS stations - Centraal and Spaarnwoude - that offer train service to Amsterdam (about six trains an hour) and other major cities. Getting around the city itself is easy: the centre is small, so walking or cycling are the best ways of getting about. The many surrounding residential areas can be accessed by the Connexxion bus service with operating times between 6am and just before midnight. After bus service hours, taxis are usually available from Centraal Station (though getting one after the last train comes in from Amsterdam — around 1.40am — is next to impossible). For residents who live far out of the city centre, Trein Taxis from the station are a cheaper alternative. It's all about the quality of life Although many expats turn to Haarlem without knowing much about the local community, it's not long before they fall for the city's charms. "I'd lived in Amsterdam, but I got tired of the hustle and bustle, and decided it was time for a change," says Irish expat John Smyth, who has lived in Haarlem for six months. "Haarlem is a quaint, relaxed Dutch city with good nightlife, good amenities and it seems like there's always something going on." Haarlem is known for its historic streets, picturesque facades, monuments and museums - including the Frans Hals Museum and the oldest museum in Holland, the Teylers Museum. With the city's plentiful restaurants — many of the best located around the Grote Markt and on the Laange Veerstraat — eating out is also a popular pasttime. "Because Haarlem isn't geared towards tourists, it has a large number of quality restaurants that are reasonably priced because they depend on return customers," says Appoloni. There are also several large parks within cycling distance around the city including the nature reserve Kennemerduinen National Park, Spaarnwoude and Englandpark in Haarlem-Schalkwijk. For more information about Haarlem visit the English language section of the Gemeente Haarlem website at www.haarlem.nl or www.haarlemonline.nl 9 June 2004  [Copyright Expatica 2004] Subject: Haarlem