If you are new to Amsterdam, you are likely shocked at the sheer volume of bikes everywhere. In fact, there are approximately 23 million bikes in the Netherlands which equates to an average of 1.3 bikes per person!

Although biking is the preferred method of transportation in Amsterdam, some newly arrived expats can be hesitant to get on a two-wheeler. I get it! Even as a Dane (I was basically born on a bike) who hadn’t biked for many years after moving to Amsterdam from London, it took me a fair amount of courage and a little practice to get back on the bike-lane. Now, there is not a single day that I don’t bike and I absolutely love it! For those who drive a car, it’s the same feeling of complete independence and ability to get on your own without relying on others.

I hope this short article will help newcomers to Amsterdam with a few practical tips on how to bike in a safe way and what to look out for.

Traffic hierarchy:

The hierarchy is as follows – Trams, bikes, pedestrians, moving vehicles (cars, buses). While cars will stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, bikes often don’t. Legally they should, but in practice they often don’t. There is a pragmatic reason for this in the sense that the sheer volume of bikes would mean a constant stop to the flow of traffic. As a pedestrian you can easily stop walking, but if bikes have to stop at all crossings it would clog up the bike lanes and make it unsafe at times. As a cyclist you need to pay attention to zebra-crossings, try to signal or make eye contact with pedestrians in order to “agree” on who goes first. Personally, I always stop for elderly people, children and often tourists if easily identifiable (the ones who walk leisurely  in the bike lanes and cross any street only looking at the pretty surroundings… you know who I am talking about).

Helmet or no helmet?

It is shocking for many non-Dutch expats to see so many bikes, but no helmets, me included. In Denmark most cyclists wear a helmet, especially children and so for this reason I did too when I arrived in Amsterdam…but it didn’t last long. Biking is generally not considered dangerous here and therefore helmets are not mandatory or even encouraged. However it is a personal choice and if you want to wear a helmet to feel more comfortable, you should not hesitate doing it. With the rise in electric bikes I would not be surprised if we start seeing more cyclists in Amsterdam with helmets on.

How many people can you fit on a bike?

“A lot”, is the answer and there are no rules on how you carry them! I often wonder if I am at the circus or on my way to work when I see people standing at the back or front of someone else’s bike. It is quite an acrobatic skill to commute this way, but it is not illegal. However, children under the age of 8 must have a designated seat on a bike so please keep this in mind. Parents in Amsterdam often bike their children around in a bakfiets (cargo bike). Two-wheelers are preferred over three-wheelers as they take up less space on the bike lane. There are many places where you can test-bike bakfiets before buying one. Juizz Amsterdam is a good place to start.

Where is a good place to start?

If you are not yet ready for the bike-lanes of the city, but still want to practice, going to less busy areas or parks is a good way to start. Although tempting, avoid Vondelpark on a sunny weekend afternoon. It is complete carnage with runners, bikers, walkers, tourists, bike tours and all sorts of other people. Rembrandt park is lovely and more quiet. You can also go early in the morning (before 9am) to the 9 streets or the Jordaan or any of the inner canals. Take in the sights with minimal pedestrians or other cyclists.

Texting while biking: A personal story

Completely illegal! In fact, any distractions on your phone while biking is a traffic violation. Let me tell you a personal story to warn you of the dangers of distracted biking. A few weeks ago I was biking through Vondelpark on my bakfiets with one of my kids. I took my phone out of my pocket as I felt it vibrate. The moment I looked at my screen, two uniformed police officers appeared out of nowhere and signalled me to pull over. They asked for my ID and how long I had been living in the Netherlands. Naïve as I was, I thought maybe they were doing a random police survey, but when the police officer informed me that texting while biking was made illegal in the Netherlands two years ago, I realized I was in trouble and not taking part in a survey….

Of course I understand that it is common sense not to text while biking, I genuinely didn’t know that it was ILLEGAL. After all, it feels as though the general biking rules in the Netherlands are quite lax… am I right?!

Without any hesitation, the police officer asked for my address and said that a fine would be sent to me. I asked if a warning was not sufficient as this was my first ever traffic violation, but my efforts were in vain.

Alas, I did the crime and will accept the punishment. I asked the police officer how much the fine would be (thinking it would be around 40 EUR in line with a small speeding ticket). Oh boy, was I wrong. The fine was 169 EUR and arrived promptly the next day in my mailbox with a convenient link to pay via IDEAL.

Safe to say, my phone is now safely stored away in my backpack whenever I get on my bike. For clarification I should add that any phone activity while biking is illegal so whether you are looking at directions or changing a song on Spotify, just don’t do it. Get a phone holder instead which will keep you both safe and financially stable.

Biking is a fun, healthy, sustainable and a very inexpensive form of transport. It is a great way to discover Amsterdam at your own pace and an even better way to integrate into the true Dutch lifestyle. Take it easy in the beginning, and before you know it, you will be parading around Amsterdam without even touching your steering wheel! Good luck and happy fietsen!

The post Life on 2 wheels appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

Amstelveen’s location is quite convenient in terms of proximity to Schiphol airport, to some international schools such as ISA, BSA and AICS, and to ‘downtown’ Dam Square, Amsterdam. But the best part about it is that it is surrounded by the Amsterdamse Bos – you can simply and swiftly access the Amsterdamse Bos from several neighbourhoods / wijken in Amstelveen by biking or by walking there! Overall, Amstelveen, like many other neighbourhoods in The Netherlands, is safe, peaceful, and friendly.

The neighbourhood is quite diverse and is a fair representation of Amsterdam’s cosmopolitan nature with plenty of restaurants serving different cuisines, cafes, sport clubs, grocery shops and a few shopping malls. I will list some of the more popular ones here, so keep reading!

Housing

Amstelveen is a suburb of Amsterdam, therefore houses generally tend to be bigger than the ones in Amsterdam city. In general, the types of houses in Amstelveen are called: connected houses, corner houses, apartment buildings and even some stand-alone houses.

The buildings are relatively new and the architecture is different to the iconic canal houses in Amsterdam. Streets are larger with plenty of parking spots, parking in most of Amstelveen is free of charge.

You can search for houses for rent or sale: Pararius, Funda, in addition to other platforms or with the help of a real estate agent (makelaar).

Schooling

Amstelveen has many public schools in its ‘littler’ neighbourhoods, in addition to a few international schools:

• International school of Amsterdam
• Amity International School
• Amstelland International School
• Florencius International School

In terms of nurseries, the majority of them are Dutch, apart from the nurseries in the above-mentioned international schools and Hestia Amstelveen, a bilingual English/Dutch nursery.

Places of Interest / Family Fun

• Amsterdamse Bos, especially Geitenboerderij Ridammerhoeve
  The Amsterdamse Bos is man-made forest  in the municipalities of Amstelveen and Amsterdam, though most of the park is located in Amstelveen. The forest offers many tracks for hiking, jogging and walking, in addition to other sports such as horseback riding and rowing. There are many cafes and restaurants in the forest. One of the more popular attractions is the goat farm where children can play with goats, feed them and watch other farm animals from a closer distance.
• Cobra Museum of Modern Art
  The Cobra Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Amstelveen. The collection consists of key works by artists associated with three art movements, Vrij Beelden, Cobra, and Creatie.  On Wednesdays, all Amstelveen residents have free admission to the museum, in collaboration with the municipality of Amstelveen.
• Clara Maria Cheese & Clog Farm
  This is a beautiful farm house where you can get fresh dairy produce, attend a cheese workshop and learn more about the cheesemaking process. The farm is also a place where you can buy the old Dutch wooden clogs.
• Amstelveen Public Library
  The Amstelveen public library is located right outside Stadshart mall. It offers free membership to children and an adult membership costs 20 euros per year. Even if you are not a member you still can use the library if you are looking for a quiet place to read, or enjoy a cup of tea/coffee. The library offers Taal Coach for those who want to earn Dutch and are looking for free of charge coaches to help. The library hosts many workshops every month for children and teenagers, and language story time for young children.

“During winter you can have a walk in the Bos and afterwards enjoy a nice cup of tea or coffee at any of the cafes in and around the Bos, Also, when it snows and it is really cold, the large lake behind the Gemeente Amstelveen freezes and often people can skate on it, IF the Gemeente puts up a sign that shows it is safe to skate here! Skating can also take place on the frozen canals and the large rowing canal in the Bos, depending on how frozen the water is.”
– From the Mamas.

Daily Life

There are many ‘mini parks’ for each block of houses in Amstelveen – making the neighbourhood not only very green, but also very family friendly.

Grocery stores are scattered across the neighbourhoods of Amstelveen – Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Vomar, are larger supermarkets but you also find several specialised stores like India, Surinami, Japanese, Middle Eastern etc. grocery stores as well.

Amstelveen hosts a weekly Farmers market, every Friday, at the Stadshart Mall from 9am to 4pm. The market carries fresh cheeses, eggs, vegetables and fruits, fresh meat, fish, and the freshly, hand-made Dutch stroopwafels!

On Tuesdays, the mall hosts an organic market “BioMarkt”, which though way smaller than the Friday market, carries only organic produce.

For shopping, Amstelveen has many small shopping centres, but you find the largest variety in the Stadshart mall.

“Don’t miss the fresh stroopwafels every Friday at the Friday Markt .”
– From the Mamas.

Sports

Amstelveen is packed with sport clubs where children and adults can practice many types of sports: at Sportlaan you can find several sports schools/clubs for football, baseball, tennis, basketball or swimming, to name a few. Most of the clubs accommodate non-Dutch speakers. There is also a Golf course in Amstelveen where you can rent to play or book lessons. They have classes for children as well as for adults.

“During summer you can always go canoeing or rent a boat and for little ones. Kids love the Groot Kinderbad and Klein Kinderbad, which are outside paddling pools for young children.”
– From the Mamas.

Learning Dutch

BC “Before Corona!” most of the Dutch classes in Amstelveen used to be in person, now you more easily find Dutch courses online. However, if you are looking for an in person experience you can always visit the Amstelveen public library to apply for one of their classes for Dutch, or join their weekly coffee time to practice your Dutch speaking. Registration at the public library is free of charge for children and it costs a small amount for adults. For in person classes you can also check Platform C for Dutch courses – it is located right next to the mall, the public library and Amstelveen central bus station.

Sustainability

As a neighbourhood, Amstelveen is top-notch in terms of sustainability – Most of the houses have solar panels and produce part of their own electricity; electric car chargers can be found in every corner (there are more than 100 electrical car chargers in Amstelveen); you find underground containers for garbage; and, in each block there is a block of 4 containers for Paper, Glass, Textile and PMD. There are frequent and consistent initiatives for ‘Green Amstelveen’ which help to make the neighbourhood become even more environmentally friendly. The Gemeente (municipality) of Amstelveen subsidies solar panels for houses and offers support to its residents to encourage the use of green and alternative energy. You can check the latest sustainability efforts at this link.

For a first-hand account, from fellow Mamas, about living in and around Amsterdam, check our Neighbourhood Guides Series

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If you consider Amsterdam Centraal Station as a starting point, then Centrum (or the city centre) radiates outwards from there in all directions. A bulk of the city expands southwards, east, west and includes a large area north of the Ij as well. The beautiful picture postcard canals, stately and romantic canals homes, narrow streets, red light district, Jordaan, Waterlooplein and the Plantage lie in what’s known as Centrum or the Canal Belt.

Surrounding Centraal Station are the iconic Negen Straatjes (The Nine Streets). These are the nine u-shaped streets that follow the inner canals—Singel, Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Like most parts of the city offer ‘mixed’ housing – some social housing, some on free market rent, and some ownership.

Some homes in the Canal Belt are ‘fancier’ then others even though they might be on the same street. The Canal Belt has canal facing homes, but you’ll find beautiful homes in the streets and alley that are not on the water as well. This historic neighbourhood is flooded with tourists and dotted with amazing restaurants, cafes, bars and stores.

Housing

The city centre is the oldest part of the city and has buildings dating back to around 1600. With that in mind, homes in Centrum are often:

• Old canal 4-5 floored houses, divided into apartments on each floor.
• In buildings that are up to 500 years old, and with that, come uneven, sloping floors, old floorboards and creaky stairwells.
• With heritage and age, many windows are single-paned (not great for energy conservation).
• Very steep, narrow, dark stairwells.
• Vermin is often an issue.
• Cobbled streets.

Search for houses for rent or sale: Pararius, Funda.

Schooling

There are some good schools, though not many international schools as yet.

Points of interest

Play areas: Herenmarkt
Park: Vondelpark, Begijnhof, Oosterpark
Zoo: Artis
Markets: Waterlooplein, Albert Cuyp, etc. etc.

Parking/biking

Being a more crowded part of town, parking of cars and bikes will be challenging, and you might not want to let your kids run around on their own when younger. The city is criss-crossed by trams, buses and metro.

From the Mamas:

We asked members of Amsterdam Mamas to share their experience of living in Centrum and here are some snippets of what they said:

• The best part of living in centrum is experiencing Liberation Day, overlooking over the Amstel.
• We love it because of the older canal houses with loads of history. Homes have lots of stairs but it teaches kids really early on how to use them safely.
• We can walk to the zoo from our home and frequently go there even just for an hour. We love shopping at Tinkerbelle for classic toys right up the street.
• Waterlooplein is a 5 min walk with metros and trams connecting in all directions.
• It is peaceful with lively shops, bars and parks.
• It is international and still has a lot of Dutchies.
• You should worry about secure bicycle parking (that it won’t get stolen).
• It is surprisingly family oriented and many neighbours have been living in the same canal house for 50+ years!
• Everything is within walking distance, parks, the Jordaan and Elandsstraat; it’s good for walking and for running and is about a 15 min walk to get to Vondelpark or Westerpark.
• Super convenient!
• Centrum has older historical apartments with narrow stairs. Most buildings are historical with facades that cannot be changed.
• It was difficult to get a feel of the atmosphere
• When looking for a house, avoid anything close to a bar/restaurant.

For a first-hand account, from fellow Mamas, about living in and around Amsterdam, check our Neighbourhood Guides Series

The post Neighbourhood Guide: Centrum appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

The Netherlands

Don’t overlook the many beautiful destinations within The Netherlands itself: beautiful coastline, historic cities and towns, amusement parks, and forests.

Holiday Destinations Within The Netherlands

A Weekend on Texel

Summer Travels Near and Far

Stay in a Castle in Domburg

Spain and Portugal

The Iberian Peninsula is filled with glorious cities, stunning scenery, warm people, and delicious food.

Barcelona

Galicia

Lisbon

Seville

Algarve, Portugal

France

France has it all – mountains, beaches, castles, quiet country towns, glittering cities, and the je ne sais quoi that is so French.

Paris

Disneyland Paris

Brittany: Biking Holiday

Central Europe

Mountains, castles, charming cities, river valleys – the center of Europe has innumerable places to see and things to do …

Budapest

Berlin

Vienna

Prague

Zagreb

Poland: Stay in a kid-friendly palace

Romania: Stay in the Prince of Wales’ Transylvanian Guesthouse

Slovenia: Go Green in the Julian Alps

Italy and Greece

Sun soaked Mediterranean towns and beaches, ancient ruins, vibrant people, and loads of crowd pleasing food, you can’t go wrong visiting either of these ‘classics’.

Athens

Rome

United Kingdom and Ireland

Beyond the exuberance of London there is a vast and beautiful countryside and coastline filled with friendly, cozy, accomodations and people in the UK, and the Emerlad Isle lives up to its image of being green and friendly.

London

Ireland Glamping

Edinburgh

Scandinavia

Are you ready for a very long, beautiful, day? Go north and experience the natural wonders and beauty of Scandinavia in the summer!

Stockholm

Norway: Hiking

Denmark: Legoland Billum

Looking for family-friendly accommodation in Berlin? Consider booking your stay via booking.com/amsterdammamas. Find the perfect accommodation for your family while supporting Amsterdam Mamas at the same time! 

The post Quick Guide: European Summer Holidays appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

Here are five of my favorite peculiarities of Dutch culture.

1) The Weather

The Netherlands has four seasons. Each has their own characteristics but they all have one thing in common: RAIN. It rains a lot. Whether it is lente (spring), zomer (summer), herfst (fall) or winter (winter) … there will always be some form of rain.

Therefore, we have numerous names for specific types of rain, like:

motregen = light rain

miezer =  also light rain, but this light rain gets you super wet anyways

een bui = rain for a limited amount of time, usually the exact amount of your bike ride

een stortbui = een bui but worse

hozen = lots of rain for a long amount of time

There are many more, but these five should give you a sense of how central rain is to our weather.

Still, the weather can change every day, and sometimes every hour. Therefore it is ALWAYS a go-to topic of conversation. No matter who you’re talking to – your boss, someone at the bus stop, the queen, your dog – saying something like: “Wat een weertje, hè?” (This weather, right?). It is a perfect conversation starter.

Other options:

Het is koud/heet!  = It’s cold/hot!

Bah, wat een regen! = Yuck, this rain!

Lekker warm, toch? = Nice and warm, right?

* Sidenote: Be sure to invest in a proper raincoat! Especially if you decide to ride a bike. Which leads me to the next point …

2) Biking

Even though the Dutch public transportation system is very extensive and will bring you to almost every corner of the country, the best method of transportation in the city is biking. You can go virtually anywhere by bike. Plus you’re completely independent, it’s cheap, and healthy. But it can also potentially be dangerous. (Those triangles  – haaientanden, i.e. sharks teeth –  painted on the roads and bikepaths are Yield indicators – if the point of the triangle faces you, please yield!) If you don’t know how to ride a bike yet, I suggest taking your bike to a peaceful area outside the city center to practice first, for safety reasons.

If you do get on your bike (YES!), here are a few things you need to know first:

• Dutch city dwellers ride their bikes like they’re the only ones in the world. If you’re slow or wobbly on your bike, they will probably curse at you a bit and go around you. Ignore this and focus on your own ride.
• Some people consider traffic lights to be just decoration, and not everyone follows the rules. So be careful – even when the light is green.
• There will always be headwinds no matter what direction you are going, so bring a brush 😉 .
• If you’re here with your family, the bakfiets is a lifesaver. Having a car in the city is expensive and mostly useless, since you’ll be stuck in traffic all the time. A bakfiets will allow you to transport your children, dogs, partner and groceries all over the city. Buy an electric one for extra comfort and no sweaty armpits ;-). Always be sure to lock your bike to the max and be careful around trucks and busses!

3.) Birthdays

De kringverjaardag or ‘celebrating your birthday while sitting in a circle’.

As a child I experienced many kringverjaardagen, mostly with relatives. The concept is as follows: The person celebrating their birthday makes as much space as possible in their living room, and puts as many chairs as can fit in a circle. When you arrive as a guest, you’re expected to take a seat and not move from this seat until you leave. So be sure to arrive a little late (but first read ‘Planning’ below), to ensure you don’t have to sit next to Tante Tineke the whole day. The person celebrating their birthday is also the host and therefore has limited time to spend with each individual guest. This ordeal takes up most of the day and is filled with cake, bites, soup, buffet, and of course, coffee.

Sidenote: Amongst the non-Dutch who have endured such a birthday, it has become known as ‘the circle of death’.

We treat others on our birthday! 

At work, you are expected to bring your own cake to share with everyone. When throwing a party, you buy your guests’ drinks. In return, it’s appreciated (and expected) that guests bring a gift.

4.) Planning

It can be challenging to have a spontaneous date with a Dutch person because they usually have something planned already. It’s embedded in our culture to plan everything ahead. If you want to do something with a Dutch person, they’ll look at their agenda, say “Even kijken” (let me check) and then make a suggestion for a date in three weeks! It’s not pretty, but it is what it is. Also, punctuality is key. We always try to be on time, and will call or send a message if we’re late.

5.) Dutch Food

Potatoes are the traditional food for the Dutch, preferably ‘stamped’ into mashed potatoes. Throw in some veggies like kale (boerenkool), pour gravy into the hole you create in the middle of the dish, add a U-shaped sausage and: Klaar is Kees! (Done!). It’s called ‘stamppot’ and it’s the perfect cold-weather food.

For lunch we eat boterhammen (directly translates to ‘butter hams’, i.e. slices of bread) brought from home, and topped with some cheese or sliced meat. We end our lunch on a sweet note with a boterham met hagelslag (slice of bread with chocolate sprinkles). Lekker! Lunch doesn’t take up much time, so there’s more time to do other stuff. So practical!

If you enjoy the food you’re eating, you make a waving gesture towards your cheek and produce the sound: mmmm!

The post Top 5 Things New Arrivals Need to Know About Dutch Culture appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

The Netherlands is bike country. Whether it’s the flat landscape or its top-notch public transport system (compared to the UK anyway), you have a country where cars are often no longer an absolute necessity. Granted, in small rural villages this might not be the case, but my family and I live in a small town outside Amsterdam and haven’t had a car for nearly four years. All of our regular destinations (school, preschool, sports clubs, supermarket, town centre, train station, etc) are within easy walking distance, even for my four-year-old. Part of that is from choosing our location well, but we also benefit from living in a country where alternatives to the car are prioritised.

Pros of Car Ownership

1. Convenience: you can go where you want when you want.
2. Space: you have space for bags, art and science projects, sports equipment, friends, pets, birthday cakes, etc., etc..
3. Comfort: it’s dry in the car and it rains a lot in the Netherlands.

Cons of Car Ownership

1. Expense: whether you are bringing your existing car into the Netherlands from elsewhere or buying here, it can be expensive. Even beyond just purchasing a car, there are other factors …
2. Fuel: as of September 2018, the Netherlands had the highest price of petrol in Europe!
3. Parking: while parking your bike is not always a piece of cake, parking a car, particularly in a city, can be considerably more tricky … and expensive. In Amsterdam you will need to get a residence parking permit. You pay for them by the half year and the price for those six months ranges from €32.50 – €267.50, depending on neighbourhood. Amsterdam public street parking is the most expensive in the country, as are car parks; indeed, Amsterdam is one of the most expensive cities in Europe for on street parking. You can’t always manage to park close to where you want to go either.
4. Insurance: monthly insurance bills vary widely depending on the make of the car, coverage, location, and your driving record. A modest car in Zuid, with moderate coverage and good, but not spotless, driving history will cost a minimum of € 25 per month.
5. Traffic: the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and even with great public transport … there’s a lot of traffic.
6. Time: the car is something else you need to keep clean.

Okay, how about NOT owning a car? Surprisingly, the pros and cons of not having a car do not entirely match up.

Pros of No Car Ownership

1. Saves Money: (see Cons of Owning a Car above) and Dutch public transport is an excellent alternative – reasonably economical and convenient with an OV Chipkaart.
2. Health: no car means walking, and biking more which has both physical (you stay fitter) and mental (no traffic jam stress) benefits.
3. Easy Alternatives to Non-Ownership: not owning a car doesn’t mean you are cut off from them entirely! There are lots of rental and car sharing options.
4. Being Green: there is no question that not owning a car is better for the environment.

Cons of No Car Ownership

1. Time: it often takes longer to get where you’re going as public transport doesn’t go everywhere and its schedule and yours may not be copacetic.
2. Convenience: you need to carry your shopping home.
3. Comfort: you generally get wetter when it rains.

There are workarounds for families who don’t have a car.  A weekly shop may need to be spread out over several visits; alternatively you can order your groceries online. While a few places, particularly the coast, can be difficult to get to, for most other places the journey there simply becomes part of the day out. And once the children are big enough to sit in a booster seat (over four years old and 15kg) you can get portable seats that are much easier when renting cars. We frequently fly to the UK, pick up a car at the airport, then drive round seeing family, and finish at a different airport where we leave the car and fly home again.

Maybe our car-free status will change when the children get older and have different after school events and the logistics become more complicated. Certainly, everyone’s needs and situations are different, but I would encourage everyone to seriously consider whether owning a car is truly serving your and your family’s needs.

Useful Links for Decision Making

City of Amsterdam Parking

Insurance Comparisons

Importing and Exporting Cars to the Netherlands

Getting a Dutch Driver License (for Amsterdam, but the process is the same whichever municipality you live in)

Car options for the Car-Free

Public Transport Trip Planner

The post To Have or Have Not: The Car Dilemma appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

Trips Near …

Even when you think you’ve got every single day of the summer school holidays planned in advance, there will be a day or more when you just want to get out of the city, but are stumped. No worries, for fun day or weekend trips consider the following options:

Favorite Day Trips

Haarlem and Vicinity

Delft

Breda

Maastricht

Den Haag

Beaches and Lakes Near Amsterdam

Hoge Veluwe: A national park and a national treasure, the Hoge Veluwe offers camping, biking, horse riding, Safari adventures, fishing, restaurants, hotels, meditation workshops, farmers’ markets … and a world class art museum? Wow!

Texel

Efteling

And Trips Far!

If you are thinking of venturing further from Amsterdam … Prague, Athens, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Austria, or Spain, anyone? These are only a few of the destinations covered by Amsterdam Mamas. Start packing!

Quick Guide with Kids Directory

7 Offbeat and Family Friendly Stays in Europe

Looking for family-friendly accommodation in Europe? Book your stay via booking.com/amsterdammamas and we’ll receive a portion of the reservation value. Find the perfect accommodation for your family and support Amsterdam Mamas at the same time!

The post Quick Guide: Summer Travels Near and Far appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

When moving to The Netherlands with children, your first plan might be to send them to an international school. International schools offer curricula that are recognized around the world and the language of instruction is usually English. If you are planning to move out of the Netherlands again shortly, this might be the best choice for you. Learning Dutch may not make much sense for a short-term stay (unless you will be moving to Belgium next).

If you are planning on staying for a longer period of time in the Netherlands, then a Dutch public school may be a good choice for your family. The public schools are of good quality, your children will learn a new language and, furthermore, it makes it easier for them – and you – to integrate into local society.

A Quick Overview of the Dutch School System

A unique feature of the Dutch school system is the choice in types of education. Among the state-funded schools, there are religious schools, schools that follow philosophical or pedagogical principles such as Dalton or Montessori, bilingual schools, and more. They all follow the Dutch curriculum.

Local Dutch basisscholen (primary schools) are for children aged 4-12. After the age of 12, children go to a middelbare school (secondary school), which has different levels: VMBO, HAVO, and VWO. For a summary, watch a video produced by Nuffic, titled School System in the Netherlands. 

There are many advantages to a local Dutch school. Your children will learn Dutch and this will help you, as a parent, learn too. Your children will get to know Dutch kids in the neighborhood and make friends with them. Additionally, most schools are monitored by the government for quality and most of them are free except for a small parental contribution (between 40-80 euros per year) to cover extracurricular activities. This is far cheaper than an international school.

Most children in the Netherlands go to a public school close to their home. Walking or biking to your primary school is normal. This will allow you to integrate into local life by dropping your children off at school by bicycle!

Bridging Classes While Your Child Learns Dutch

It can feel scary to leave your child in a Dutch school if they don’t yet speak the language. The Dutch government has made some provisions for this.

In most cities, children age four and five attend a normal Dutch school. At this age, children learn a lot through play and they absorb a new language quite easily. From the age of six, when children start reading and writing, children follow a Dutch immersion program (language class or Nieuwkomers class) for about a year. After this year they will continue at the local Dutch school. There are immersion classes for primary and secondary schools. The younger the child, the easier it is for them to pick up a new language. Secondary immersion classes take about 1.5 years to complete and sometimes foreign children start at secondary school in group of children of a younger age than them. In language classes, your child is not the only one who doesn’t speak Dutch. Students from all around the world are together learning their new school language!

View a map of all newcomers’ classes and international classes in the Amsterdam area and learn more about their individual enrolment procedures and policies.

Subsidized and Unsubsidized International Schools

Some international schools are partly funded by the government and others are private. For subsidized international schools, the annual fees are between 3,600 and 8,500 euros, depending on the school and grade level. Subsidized schools generally offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.  This is easily transferable to other IB schools in other countries and classes are mostly taught in English. Fully private schools have fees upward of 12,000-26,000 euros. Some of these schools offer the specialized curricula of other countries (i.e. French, Japanese, American, or British), while others follow the IB curriculum. 

Celebrate Your Choice

If your child speaks English, an international school may give you a safer feeling. Some teens may do best doing high school level work in English. Nevertheless, it has been proven that learning another language has many positive effects on the brain. If you are planning on staying in the Netherlands for a longer period of time, going “local” is certainly a great possibility.  In either case, you will be there to cheer your children on as they overcome new challenges and celebrate successes.

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Roos Stallinga, who was born and bred in the Netherlands (and can thus be classified as an expert cycler), starts her guide by laying out a few essential do’s and don’ts when you attempt biking in Amsterdam. For while it is true that most people learn how to cycle as a child, riding a bike in Amsterdam is a completely different story! Stallinga briefly explains the rules of the road and where to buy a proper bike, but she also shares all the inside info on how to become an all-round Dutch cyclist. For example, although you can cycle in whatever you want, don’t wear a helmet! It is a very uncommon thing to do in the Netherlands, and will immediately make you stand out.

After spending her first chapter getting us acquainted with “the Amsterdam cycling dance” (a direct quote from one of her Amsterdam interviewees), Stallinga moves on to the core of this book: discovering Amsterdam via two wheels. The book is organised by different cycling routes; there are eight routes in all, each exploring a different area of the city. Every chapter starts with a very detailed map of the route and will include a list of must-sees, need-to-visits, and hidden gems, which run the gamut between the obvious ones like the Rijksmuseum and the Jordaan, to lunch and coffee spots that will be new even to most Amsterdammers.

 All in all, after cycling these different routes you are officially a true Amsterdammer – and a professional cyclist for that matter! And you will see the city in a whole new light!

Every part of the city is thoroughly covered and full of pleasant surprises, whether it is the better known attractions in southern Amsterdam like the Amsterdamse Bos and the vibrant De Pijp neighbourhood, or the less well travelled areas such as Amsterdam Oost and the multicultural Zuidoost. The final three routes take you to the Oostelijke Eilanden and IJburg, Amsterdam Noord, Durgerdam and Amsterdam West. All in all, after cycling these different routes you are officially a true Amsterdammer – and a professional cyclist for that matter! And you will see the city in a whole new light!

While reading the book, I made several new additions to my ‘love-to-go-there-once’ list. Some of these include Hemelse Modder (Heavenly Mud) described in Route 1, where, among other great dishes, they serve heavenly chocolate mousse (hence the restaurant’s name); a secret swimming spot at the stunning Prinseneiland;  and the little known Museum Het Schip which celebrates the architectural and design achievements of the Amsterdam School of Architecture (Amsterdamse School).

The route descriptions would benefit from including more practical information such as length and level of difficulty. Is it beginner, average or expert at cycling along the narrow canals? Is it kid friendly? For instance, Route 1, which takes you across the busy Red Light District, might be a bit too tricky for a complete novice; Route 7, which explores the North of Amsterdam and its surrounding villages looks like a pretty long ride if you go with kids.

Stallinga, who produced this book herself together with designer Remi Brouwer did a fantastic job combining facts, tips, suggestions about where to cycle – and where to take a well-deserved break – interspersed with comments from local Amsterdammers who both explain and express their love for a certain neighbourhoods in Amsterdam, as well as talk about their personal relationships with the good old Dutch two-wheeler.

Stallinga and Brouwer put a lot of effort in the content as well as the layout of the book. The photos in the book – from bikes being fished out of canals to a lovely sunset view in Westerpark – really add to the content and the suggested cycle routes. Ride with Me – Amsterdam is a must-read for temporary Amsterdammers, but definitely, if not even more, for the locals who can forget how beautiful it is to explore their own city.

By bike.

And without a helmet.

Amsterdam Mamas received a free copy of this book in exchange for our honest review.

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Learning to cycle in Amsterdam traffic can be quite a challenge if you are not used to the local system. After living in the city for three years, I wanted to share my recently acquired “insider knowledge” with a wider audience. 

Here is a summary of crucial cycling advice for newcomers:

1) Familiarise yourself with traffic regulations

In a crowded city, a basic understanding of traffic rules is essential. Learn to tell whether you have the right of way: when do you need to stop, and when can you continue?

Pay attention to signs and road markings. If you do not understand the meaning of a symbol or a piece of Dutch text, you could be missing out on important information. Knowing what is permissible and what is not gives you confidence, and allows you to make decisions quickly and efficiently, whereas uncertainty and hesitation will slow you down.

In the event that something goes awry, it is good to be able to pinpoint whether that was due to a mistake on your part (which you can subsequently learn from), or whether it was someone else’s fault.

2) Get up to speed on road etiquette

If every scenario was perfectly addressed by a system of logical, comprehensive traffic regulations, and every road user followed these regulations all the time, then cycling would probably be easy. Given the sheer variety and complexity of traffic situations that occur in reality, that is just not possible.

Many aspects of cycling are governed instead by unwritten rules – guidelines that are not explicitly described in written regulations, but have evolved over time to become part of the collective consciousness. Such rules are specific to a particular culture and location, and typically have to be acquired through experience, observation, and common sense. Learn how to strike the right balance between being a polite cyclist, and being over-accommodating.

3) Use spatial awareness

Observe the traffic around you and learn to identify patterns of movement from various road users. At what speed are other people moving? How experienced are they? Can you trust them to maintain control over their actions, or are they behaving unpredictably and uncontrollably?

Communicate through body language: turn your head, look around, make eye contact, and use your hand to signal if you are planning to turn or stop. Use the bell or call out if necessary.

Develop your sense of balance so that you can stop, slow down, or speed up at a moment’s notice. Practise going at a snail’s pace or remaining in the same spot while keeping your feet off the ground. Try standing on the pedals and adjusting your body position to maintain your balance. Practise navigating sharp corners, bridges, barriers, diversions, and traffic junctions – all of which require good motor skills.

4) Cycle with friends

It can be very helpful to have a buddy to guide you through the city and act as a buffer against vehicular traffic. Make sure that your friend communicates clearly with you, letting you know in advance if you need to make a turn, or giving you a heads up for approaching objects.

Remember though, that even the most empathetic and thoughtful of friends may not always be aware of your needs, pace, or skill level on a bike – particularly if they are much more experienced in heavy traffic than you are. Which brings me to the next point …

5) Go at your own pace

Be careful not to follow people blindly – whether they are good friends or strangers. For example: if the cyclists in front of you decide to dart across a traffic light that is just turning red, or they inch past other road users without leaving sufficient room for you to do the same, remain calm and assess the situation.

You do not have to rush to keep up – stop and wait for the traffic light to turn green again, or make way for other road users if it is appropriate. You are in charge of your bike, and you need to make your own decisions independently.

Similarly, if you have a bad experience (we all do), take it easy, breathe, and give yourself time to recover – and then get back on your bike again as soon as you can!

6) Familiarise yourself with the technicalities of cycling

When buying a bicycle and accessories, you can search through online classifieds, such as Marktplaats.nl, or visit bicycle stores. Numerous stores also provide rental bike services, usually coming along with a sturdy lock. Read up on how to prevent your bike from getting stolen. Keep your bike well-maintained: check the sides of the tires to identify the right tyre pressure, and keep the pressure within the recommended range.

Get to know the difference between hand brakes and foot brakes (also known as “coaster brakes”). Foot brakes are operated by pedalling backwards, hence the pedals cannot be spun backwards freely. When you come to a temporary stop, such as at a traffic light, keep one pedal at a high position so that you can easily push off again.

When it gets cold and wet, consider wearing a waterproof jacket, trousers and gloves. If it gets really chilly, you can insert hand warmers into your gloves for extra warmth. For longer journeys, you can pay a fee to take your bicycle with you on the Metro and train during restricted hours. Alternatively, NS International (the train provider in the Netherlands) provides an OV-fiets rental service, making it easier for commuters to get to their final destination.

photo credits: Header: Tim Bleeker. Other pics: Xing Chen

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