5 easy ways to feel at home in the Netherlands

Moving abroad is about more than just finding a new place and a job. Most internationals spend their first months figuring out how Dutch life works, meeting new friends, and creating their new routine. Alongside practical steps such as registering with your municipality and opening a Dutch bank account, exploring your new surroundings can help you feel at home much faster.

Here are five activities to feel more at home. 

Spend a Sunday at a food festival

The Dutch love outdoor festivals, especially during late summer. Food truck events, local markets and wine festivals can be found across the country, from Amsterdam and Utrecht to smaller cities. They are informal, affordable and perfect for meeting people.

Try this: Visit a local food festival with colleagues or friends and challenge yourself to try one Dutch snack you've never heard of before.

Go beyond the postcard museums

While the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum are must-sees, some of the most memorable experiences come from smaller, hidden gems. Places like Amsterdam’s STRAAT Museum, the Dutch Open-Air Museum (Nederlands Openluchtmuseum) in Arnhem, and regional museums offer fresh insights into Dutch daily life, history and culture.

Try this: Pick one museum outside the top 10 tourist attractions and make a day of it with lunch in the neighbourhood.

Join a sports club, running group, or meetups

Many expats find their biggest challenge is building a social circle outside of work. The good news is that Dutch people often connect through shared activities. Joining a sports club or local association is a great way to meet people and become part of the community.

Most clubs offer one or two sessions each week, and if you're feeling competitive, there may even be matches or competitions at the weekend. Whether it's hockey, padel, yoga or a weekly run, joining a group is one of the fastest ways to meet people.

Try this: Sign up for a recurring event rather than a one-time visit. Familiar faces can quickly become friends.

Explore a new city by train

One of the biggest surprises for many internationals is how compact the Netherlands is. If you're used to living in a larger country, you may find that almost the entire country is within reach for a day trip.

With NS, travelling between cities is quick and easy, making spontaneous adventures part of everyday life. You can stroll along Amsterdam's canals, explore Maastricht's history, or relax on Zeeland’s beaches. Even destinations on opposite sides of the country are often easy to visit and return from in a single day.

Try this: Plan one train trip each month and discover a different Dutch city.

Visit a cultural event during the new season

As summer winds down, discover theatre performances, live music, exhibitions, and festivals launching their new seasons. Most Dutch cities also have their own local online events calendar, making it easy to find cultural activities and community events close to home.

Try this: Book tickets for something entirely new. Sometimes the best way to understand a country is to experience what its residents enjoy.

Open a Dutch bank account

There is one practical detail many newcomers underestimate: a Dutch bank account. Whether you're buying museum tickets, splitting a dinner bill with new friends, paying for public transport or shopping online, daily life in the Netherlands revolves around local payment methods, such as iDEAL-Wero, and mobile payments. Many internationals feel uncertain about these payment methods at first.

That's why many expats choose to arrange their banking early. With ABN AMRO's SETTLE offer, eligible internationals can earn up to €175 cashback when opening an account. That means less time worrying about paperwork and more time exploring your new home.