National Social Programme - IFMSA-NL

Transcription

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations - the Netherlands
International Federation of Medical
Student’Asociations - the Netherlands
the Netherlands 2015
National Social
Programme
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www.ifmsa.nl
Table of contents
Introduction 3
How do I participate in a NSP? 4
What do I bring to a NSP?
4
Typical Dutch 5
National Social Programme 1: Amsterdam 9
National Social Programme 2: Leiden
10
National Social Programme 3: Utrecht
11
National Social Programme 4: Maastricht
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What to do the other weekends:
-Groningen 13
-Utrecht19
-Amsterdam24
-Leiden27
-Rotterdam28
-Nijmegen34
-Maastricht36
Optional Day Trips 39
Fun Parks in The Netherlands42
Travelling by Public Transport in the Netherlands
43
Contact information45
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Introduction:
During your summer in The Netherlands, four local IFMSA-NL committees will be hosting a
National Social Programme for the incoming students of SCOPE and SCORE. During four
weekends you will be introduced to the cities of Amsterdam, Leiden, Maastricht and Utrecht!
Date
10-12 July
17-19 July
7-9 August
21-23 August
City
Amsterdam
Leiden
Utrecht
Maastricht
This booklet intends to give you an overview of the social programme for this summer as
well as all the practical information you may need when staying in one of the Dutch cities.
Furthermore, this booklet is intended to inform you about the other IFMSA-cities not hosting
a National Social Programme (NSP) and additional information about fun things to see or to
do in The Netherlands.
We hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us in The Netherlands. If you have any questions about
the National Social Programme 2015, do not hesitate to contact us!
Your NSP coordinators,
Alex Chi and Nina Gelineau
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How do I participate in a NSP?
Within 2 weeks before the start of a NSP weekend, you will receive an email with an online
subscription form, contact information and the deadline for joining. Make sure to sign up
before the deadline and you are guaranteed of a fun weekend!
Regularly check the Facebook-group (NSP IFMSA-NL Summer 2015: > Click <)
to stay up to date.
What do I bring to a NSP?
As you will be staying at dorms of local members of IFMSA, or incomings of the city itself,
it is important that you bring your own sleeping gear (camping mattress, pump for the mattress and a sleeping bag) unless you have been informed otherwise. Not bringing sleeping
gear may not guarantee a proper sleeping place. Besides sleeping gear, you will of course
need to bring your toiletries and other stuff you use on a daily basis. Certain activities might
require you to bring specific items, either mentioned in this booklet, or in the email you will
all receive in order to sign up for the NSP.
For now, this list might help you while packing!
0 Sleeping gear (camping mattress, pump, sleeping bag)
0 Tooth brush
0 Tooth paste
0 Towels
0 Toiletries
0 Pyjama
0 Extra clothing
0 Phone charger
0 Camera (in case you want to take pictures)
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Typical Dutch:
Some useful words/phrases in Dutch
Hello
How are you?
Fine, thanks. And you?
My name is...
I’m from...
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Have a nice day
Bye
Thank you
I don’t understand you
How much does this cost?
Can you help me?
Cheers!
Do you speak Dutch/English?
Do you want to dance with me?
I love you
IFMSA rocks!
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Hallo/hoi
Hoe gaat het?/Alles goed?
Goed, dank je. En met jou?
Mijn naam is.../ik heet...
Ik kom uit...
Goedemorgen
Goedemiddag
Goedenavond
Nog een prettige dag verder
Doei (‘doeidoei’ for extra dutch effect)
Dank u
Ik begrijp je niet
Hoeveel kost dit?
Kan je me helpen?
Proost!
Spreek je Nederlands/Engels?
Wil je met mij dansen?
Ik hou van jou
IFMSA is te gek!
www.ifmsa.nl
Dutch food
Here we tried to compile a list of some typically Dutch food with some background, availability and a
rough price indication. Try and eat as many of these as you can, but don’t leave the Netherlands without
at least having stroopwafels, a kroket and a haring!
Kapsalon:
The origin of the main ingredient is definitely not the Netherlands. This is an adaptation from the Turkish
doner kebab. It consists of an aluminum container with a layer of fries, a layer of kebab meat, a layer of
molten cheese, and a layer of vegetables and sauce of your choice (usually a combination of iceberg lettuce, onion, tomato and cucumber with garlic sauce and hotsauce). This dish originates from Rotterdam.
In Dutch “kapsalon” means barbershop. Stories tell there was a barbershop right next to a kebab place.
The barber would make it a habit of ordering the special combination of ingredients regularly after his
shift. At a certain point the cooks would just say: “oh it’s the barbershop again”. The Kapsalon was born.
Since then it has spread to kebab places throughout the Netherlands.
The dish contains a high amount of calories and fat. Kebab places near bars and clubs are usually open
until around 4 A.M. or even until early in the morning. This makes the Kapsalon the perfect dish for
people who are craving food after a good night of drinking. Prices can be really different from place to
place, but €4,50 for a small one and €6,00 for a large one are good guidelines.
Stroopwafel:
The world famous caramel cookie. This is one of the Dutch treats practically every foreigner loves. The
stroopwafel is consists of two crispy waffles with a thick syrup in between. These can be bought in a lot
of different places. At the weekly marketplace in the city center, or all week in the big cities like Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam there are stands which sell big fresh stroopwafels. These are definitely worth the money to try once (€1). If you want to buy multiple waffles, to take home for example,
the best place to go is the supermarket. I would not recommend buying the cheapest ones (€0,80 for
10), but also the most expensive ones (€2 for 10) are not the ones to get. The middle class (€1,40 for 10)
taste amazing and are still very affordable. Unless you want a very expensive cookie jar (they do come in
pretty nice jars), don’t buy stroopwafels at the tourist shops. Prizes can get really crazy there.
Kroket and Bitterballen:
The kroket is a dutch snack. It’s a thick meaty ragout, rolled into a stick, covered in breadcrumbs and
deep fried. You can eat this on a breadroll or eat just the kroket. The Bitterbal is basically a kroket, but
ball shaped. Bitterballs and Krokets are usually eaten with mustard. A Kroket is something you eat as a
snack, or as lunch. At a snackbar a kroket is around €1,50, at a lunch place they might be more expensive, but this really depends on the kind of place and the way it is served (amount of krokets, served
with fries or breadrolls). And Bitterballs is something that is eaten when you are having drinks. A lot of
bars serve Bitterballs the price depends on the kind of bar but should be between €4-6 for 10. Be careful
when eating a Kroket or Bitterbal, although the outside feels cooled down, the inside can still be very
hot!
Frikandel:
The idea of a Frikandel is the same as that of the hotdog. It’s a sausage which consists of a lot of kinds of
different processed meats. Though it is much bigger than a hotdog, it’s deep fried and it doesn’t necessarily come served on a breadroll. The best way to it is a Frikandel Speciaal, the Frikandel is carved
lengthwise and topped with mayonnaise, curry ketchup and raw diced onions. You can get the Frikandel
at a snackbar. €1,50 for a plain one and €2,30 for a Frikandel Speciaal.
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Stamppot:
Stamppot is a very down-to-earth meal consisting of mashed potatoes with varying ingredients like carrot
and onions (hutspot), kale (boerenkool stampot) or endive (andijvie stamppot) and usually served with
a delicious, smoked, juicy, mild sausage (these so called ‘rookworsten’ are sold at the store HEMA). The
dish is usually eaten in winter, but the ingredients are sold all year round in the supermarket and it is
cheap and easy to prepare (<€2 per portion)
Erwtensoep:
Another Dutch winterdish. Erwtenstoep is a thick pea soup also containing a variety of pork cuts, celery,
onions, leeks and carrots. It is topped with slices of rookworst and served with ryebread and bacon on
the side. In restaurants erwtensoep is usually not served during the summer, but in supermarkets they
sell cans all year long.
Kruidnoten:
Kruidnoten are associated with the Sinterklaas holiday december 5th, but they hit the supermarkets
approximately 3 months before. Kruidnoten are like crunchy little round cookies. Although recently the
holiday itself has gotten critiqued about it possibly being racially insensitive. The kruidnoten are really
tasty.
Oliebollen:
Oliebollen are lumps of deep fried dough. Sometimes there are raisins mixed in the dough, making the
oliebol a krentenbol. Oliebollen are usually only sold and eaten in the winter. It is even a tradition to eat
oliebollen on new year’s eve. The oliebol is best eaten fresh. So it is still warm and soft on the inside.
Buy these fresh at a market stall or bakery (1€ a piece). Don’t even bother buying these in plastic bags at
the supermarket, but some supermarkets do sell fresh ones as well.
Drop:
Liqorice in english. Are small black pieces of candy. It is something that is not liked by all foreigners.
They can be sweet or salty, soft or hard, round or square (or actually any form you can think of) . Basically there is a lot of variety. Liqorice is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra. The sweet extract of this root is
obtained and mixed with sugar and other additives to create drop. If it is your first time eating drop the
best gateway drop would be the soft sweet ones (“zachte zoete drop”at the supermarket). For the more
party oriented people there also is dropshot. This drink is sold in two editions. There is one with a 20
alcohol percentage, only sold at liquor stores and there is a 14.9 alcohol percentage bottle which is also
sold at supermarkets. As the name suggests dropshot is usually taken as a shot.
Patat:
These are fries. This might not be Dutch food exclusively, since they are sold all over the world, but the
way it is eaten in the Netherlands is different. The most popular sauce is mayonnaise and the classic
serving method is a pointy paper bag with the sauce poured over it, or a plastic container with a special compartment for the sauce. Get this at any snackbar (2,50)€, every decently sized trainstation has
a smullers. While they don’t sell the highest quality it is easy to get before you get on a train. The best
quality fries are not sold by big chains, so you would have to ask your local exchange officers for the best
patat in your city.
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Here is a list of Dutch toppings for fries:
Patatje met: Literally translated “fries with”. Even though you don’t say it. This means fries with mayonaise.
Patatje met satésaus: Fries with peanut sauce. This is influenced by the Indonesian cuisine because the
fries are served with Indonesian peanut sauce.
Patatje speciaal: Much like the Frikandel speciaal, but with fries. Fries with mayonnaise, curry ketchup
and raw diced onions.
Patatje joppie: Fries with joppiesaus. Joppiesauce is a mixture of mayonaise, curry ketchup, raw diced
onions and curry spices.
Patatje oorlog: Oorlog is the dutch word for war. This is to represent the sloppy way the fries are served.
It is served with peanutsauce, mayonnaise and raw diced onions
Haring:
A herring is a fatty fish. It is eaten raw with diced onions. You can either put it on a breadroll, or go the
more traditional route and grab it by the tail and lower it into your mouth. Most of the times you will get
the haring at a fish stand and it it outside, but be carefull! seagulls also love herring.
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National Social Programme: Amsterdam 10-12 July
Friday
19.00 Arrival at Amsterdam Central Station
- Meeting point: Starbucks, near the exit
20.00 Drop your stuff at your host’s room
21.00 Dutch Game Night (Carolina Macgillavrylaan 690)
23.00 Party!
Saturday
Breakfast at home in the morning
11.00 Canaltour
- Meeting point: in front of the main entrance at the Central Station
12.30 Lunch at Museumplein
- If it’s raining we will go to “Basis” (Tolstraat 182). We will let everyone know I’m advance if
this is the case.
13.30 Crazy 88
- The winner will get a prize
17.30 Meeting point: in front of the main entrance at the Central Station
18.00 Dinner at Restaurant Rimini (Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 75)
19.30 Free time
21.30 Tour through the Red Light District
- Meeting point: in front of the Palace on Damsquare
22.30 Party!
Sunday
Breakfast at home in the morning
11.00 Van Gogh Museum (Paulus Potterstraat 7)
13.00 Lunch and Free time
16.00 Goodbye drinks at Hannekes Boom (Dijksgracht 4)
- This is close to Amsterdam Central Station, so bring your luggage
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National Social Programme: Leiden 17-19 July
Friday
20.00 Arrival at Leiden Central Station (bring your bags to the lodge)
21.00 Welcoming party at Vi-Kings (Noordeinde 28)
Saturday
9.00 Breakfast at the HEMA (Haarlemmerstraat 130)
10.45 Going to The Hague (Den Haag) by train
11.15 City tour in The Hague
13.30 Having a lunch at the Malieveld
14.30 Going to the famous beach of The Netherlands: Scheveningen
17.00 Going back to Leiden by train
18.30 Running Dinner
21.00 Pub Crawl
Sunday
10.00 Picknick at the Van der Werfpark
13.00 Quest along the highlights of Leiden
16.30 Goodbye time
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National Social Program: Utrecht 7-9 August
Friday
19.00-21.00: Arrival at Utrecht Central Station
Meeting point: In between the big glass elevators in the central hall, near the piano
19:30 Dropping your stuff off at your host’s room
20.00 Dutch Game night at ‘Sterrenzicht’ (Keerkringplein 40)
23.00 Party (optional)
Saturday
08.45 Hema-Breakfast (Steenweg 59)
Meeting point: 08.45 at the Neude
10.15 Exploring the city center/photo-contest
12.45 Lunch at the ‘NJR’ (Kromme Nieuwegracht 58)
13.45 walking towards the Dom Tower together (We need to be there on time!)
14.15 Tour of the Dom Tower and climbing it (Domplein 9)
16.00 Free time
Prepare for some partying!
19.00 Dinner in a restaurant down town/ Santa Lucia
Meeting point: at Janskerkhof across the entrance of the church (de Janskerk)
Then walking towards Santa Lucia together (Nobelstraat 14)
21.30 Party all together!
Café Nieuwe Dikke Dries (Oudkerkhof 36)
Sunday
11.15 Brunch
Meeting point: at Janskerkhof across the entrance of the church (de Janskerk)
Then walking towards the the NJR together (Kromme Nieuwegracht 58)
13.30 Canoeing in the canals
At the docks (Oudegracht 4)
15.30 Tea-party and saying goodbye
At the Wilheminapark
Please don’t forget to bring your own sleeping bag, a small mattress and a pillow. And also please
bring 10 euro’s in cash for the costs of participation. We can’t wait to meet you this summer!
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National Social Program: Maastricht 21-23 August
Friday
18:00 Arrival (meeting point: het vrijthof)
21:00 Pub-crawl
Saturday
11:00
12:30
14:00
16:00
18:30
21:30
City Tour
Lunch @ Sint Pietersberg
Kazematten (The Caves)
Free time
BBQ
Muziekgieterij/Pub-Crawl
Sunday
12:00 Brunch @ Maastricht Central Park
13:30 Games at the park/Free time
17:00 Departure
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Information about Groningen
Although Groningen is not a very large city, it does have an important role
as the main urban centre of this part of the country, particularly in the
fields of music and other arts, education and business. The large number of
students living in Groningen also contributes to a diverse cultural scene for
a city of its size, and also has a huge impact on the
liveliness of the city.
Tourism in Groningen: http://toerisme.groningen.nl/english
Places to eat
- Bagels & Beans
A lovely bagelshop which has the best bagels, muffins, brownies.
Openings hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 – 17:30, Saturday: 9:30 – 17:00
www.bagelsbeans.nl
‘t Feithhuis
Martinikerkhof 10: located in the center of Groningen. You can go here for breakfast, lunch, high
tea or dinner.
Phone: +3150313 5335
www.restaurant-feithhuis.nl
‘t Pannekoekschip
Schuitendiep 1017: an old sailing ship is converted into a pancake restaurant. The whole restaurant is in the style of ship from 1908. Come inside and choose from one of the typical traditional
Dutch pancake.
Opening hours: every day from 12:00 to 21:00
Phone: +3150312 0045
www.pannekoekschip.nl
Zomers
Vismarkt 56: A nice place to go for lunch, or just to get a drink. At the back of the building there
is a large terrace.
Eetcafe de Eerste Kamer
Peperstraat 9: the “Eetcafe de Eerste Kamer” is located close to all the bars. They give you the
possibility for a cheap dinner, and later their bar will be opened.
Opening hours: 12:00-24:00
Opening hours: Kitchen: daily 17:00 – 21:30, Bar: weekend 21:30 – 05:00
www.eerstekamercafe.nl
De Drie Gezusters
Grote Markt: the Three Sisters, also called “The Three” as a
complex, is not only a great cafe, but it is also the heart of the city of Groningen.
At the pub you can have a drink or something to eat. Later in the evening it is even
possible to dance.
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Febo Groningen
a very typical Dutch snack bar, which has all kind of different
snacks. You can get the snacks inside, but also by pulling them out of “the wall”.
You should try one of the Dutch snacks as “kroket” or “frikandel”. Lots of students
get a snack here in the night, when they go out.
Opening hours: Sunday – Monday from 11:00, Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00
www.febodelekkerste.nl
Places to drink
If you‘d like a coffee or some tea in the morning or afternoon there are quite a few nice options in
Groningen. In the Brugstraat, there‘s Doppio, a lounge style café which offers a variety of coffees and
teas, and even several kinds of hot chocolate. In the Herestraat (the city‘s main shopping street) you
can go to Coffee United; a small and cozy café where you can sit and watch shopping people pass by.
And lastly, at the Vismarkt, there‘s a Douwe Egberts store and café, which serves lots and lots of different kinds of coffee and tea. All the places mentioned serve snacks to go with your coffee such as muffins, pies and so on. If you‘d like to go out for a drink in the evening you can go to the traditional ‘Drie
Gezusters’: an enormous complex on the Grote Markt. This building has different rooms, with different
decorations, and all kinds of people visit this place. If the weather is warm and sunny, the terrace is
open and people will sit here all evening. Another place to go to is the News Café, also at the Grote
Markt. This is a modern bar serving all kinds of drinks.
Attractions
Canoe or pedal boat/pedalo:
An excellent way to get to know the city of Groningen in a different way is by boat. Groningen has a
lot of water and from there the city looks completely different. Especially if the weather is fine, a boat
trip would be very relaxing. You can hire a pedal boat/pedalo or canoe by ‘t Peddeltje. It’s located
under the Herebrug bridge.
o Opening: daily, 11.00-19.00
o Phone: +31503130661 (9.00-16.00)
o Price for 2 hours: Pedal boat/pedalo €15,00, Canoe (1 pers.) €8,00, Canoe (2 pers.) €12,50
Boat excursion
If you prefer a more relaxing tour, a boat excursion might be something for you. During the one-hour
trip a guide will give information about the city.
Tours: Monday-Saturday: 11.15, 12.45, 14.00, 15.15 and 17.15; Sundays: 13.45, 15.15
o Location: Stationsweg 1012
o Price: €9,00
o Phone: +31503128379
Bowling
o Reservation is required!
o Opening: changes
o Location: Gedempte Kattendiep 4
Phone: +3150-3120695
Price for one hour: Monday-Thursday €25,00, Friday-Sunday €27,00
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Bicycling
Although bicycling isn’t really considered a sport in Holland, it still is a nice way to explore
the city and the surroundings. Getting out of the city is quite easy and there is plenty of
farmland with cows and windmills for you to discover. The route is marked on the map. If
you want to get to know the city of Groningen a bit better, don’t be afraid to use all the little small streets you see. They are a great way to get away from the crowds (at least a bit..)
and see another side of Groningen.
Opening: daily 7.30-20.30 (Saturdays 8.00-20.30)
Price: €5,00
Location: Oude Boteringestraat 16
Museums and architecture
Nederlands Strip Museum
Westerhaven 71: the Dutch Comic strip Museum is the only museum in the Netherlands about
Comic Strips. So, if you like comic strips, you should really visit this. Besides all famous strip
comic strip heroes, you can see how comic strips are made and temporary exhibitions. And,
if you’re really lucky, you can see a strip cartoonist at work!
Opening: Tuesday - Sunday 10.00-17.00
Price: €8,50
Noordelijk scheepvaartmuseum
Brugstraat 4: the Nautic museum gives you an idea of the history of shipbuilding and shipping in the northern part of The Netherlands from the Middle Ages until today. The museum
is situated in two authentic houses of the Middle Ages. A special exhibition about the bicycle
factory of Groningen can be visited too.
Opening: Tuesday through Saturday 10.00-17.00 (Sundays 13.00-17.00)
Price: €6,00
Graphic Museum
Rabenhauptstraat 65: the Graphic Museum provides an overview of the history of the art of
printing from the earliest methods to modern –day, with regularly changing exhibitions. Even
an original bindery can be seen.
Opening: Tuesday through Sunday 13.00-17.00
Price: €4,00
University Museum
Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat 7a: the University Museum has all sorts of objects and instruments
used at the university. The collection includes material for medicine, biology, psychology
and physics. Furthermore the museum contains minerals and fossils, prints and costumes.
Opening: Tuesday through Sunday 13.00-17.00
Price: €3,50
Martini Tower
the most famous building in Groningen is the Martini tower. It’s the fourth largest tower in
The Netherlands and it’s more than five hundred years old. Of course you can see just from
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the outside. But you can even be climbed until the third gallery from which you have a wonderful view over the city.
Opening: daily 11.00-17.00 (Sundays 11.00-16.00)
Price: €3,00
Martini Church
Marinikerkhof 3: the Martini church is the largest church of Groningen. The Church originates
from approximately 1230 and contains frescos from the 13th century. It also includes one of the
largest Baroque organs of northwest Europe. The church is named after St. Martin. According to
the legend he shared his coat with a beggar. On the paintings this St. Martin can be seen several
times sitting on a horse.
Price: free
Entertainment
Holland Casino Groningen: Gedempte Kattendiep 150
Music
there are a few music revenues scattered around the city. Check the websites for upcoming events.
Vera: Oosterstraat 44. www.vera-groningen.nl
Simplon: Boterdiep 69. www.simplon.nl
Oosterpoort: Trompsingel 27. www.de-oosterpoort.nl
Cinemas
Mustsee Euroborg: Boumaboulevard 53
Phone: +31507504200
Pathé Groningen: Gedempte Zuiderdiep 78
Phone: 0900-1458
Images film theatre & café: Poelestraat 30
Phone: +31503120433
Rkzbios: Emmastraat 15 S101
Phone: +31505259388
Opening: 13.15-3.00
Nature
There are some lovely parks in Groningen and people love to sit outside and have a pick
nick, read a book, play some ball or sunbathe. Basically every piece of green you see on
your map is a park, but we’ve selected some of the more interesting for you.
Prinsentuin
Close to the university you can find the Prinsentuin, on the corner of the Turfsingel and the Kattehage.
This intimate little garden is a nice getaway and in summer tea is served in the teahouse.
Noorderplantsoen
The Noorderplantsoen is one of the big parks in the city. When the summer is nice people take
their books, balls and bbqs to relax for a bit in the Noorderplantsoen. This is also a great park to
just watch people going about their things. The Noorderplantsoen is popular with students, so
it’s quite a lively park.
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Stadspark
The Stadspark, literally ‘citypark’, is the park of Groningen. It’s a nice place for a relaxing
walk or sunbathing. The Stadspark hosts a children’s petting farm as well, where you can see
and pet animals. There is also a horsetrack.
Hoornse Plas
This lake can be found on the outskirts of Groningen. As soon as the weather starts to get
better it seems as if the whole city goes out to enjoy the sun. You can get there by bike or
by bus nr. 6 or nr. 2 from the Central Station.
Going out
Groningen has a lot of bars where you can enjoy a drink or dance the night away with your
friends. These bars are mostly open until the last person leaves. They are all very close to
each other. The main streets for going out would be Poelestraat and Peperstraat which
connect to each other. But there are some clubs located in different places (about a 3
minute walk!). Most of them don’t have an entrance fee so the best advice to give is just
to visit these streets and go from one bar to another and see which one you enjoy best. For
some bars/clubs you need to be 21 and show an ID, but this is an exception.
Some popular places are:
- Peperstraat:
- Poelestraat:
- Grote markt:
- Gelkingestraat:
- Schuitendiep:
o ‘t Feest
o Shooters
o de Negende Cirkel
o Twister
o ‘t Golden Fust
o Rumba
o Enzo
o Oceans
o Kokomo beach club
o Pand 48
Places to sleep
Eden City Hotel Groningen ***, Gedempte Kattendiep 25
Phone: +31505886565
www.edenhotelgroup.com
Email: [email protected]
Hotel de Doelen ***, Grote markt 36
Phone: +31503127041
www.hotel-dedoelen.nl
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Martini Hotel ***, Gedempte Zuiderdiep 8
Phone: +31503129919
www.martinihotel.nl
Simplon Youth Hostel, Boterdiep 73-2
Phone: +31503135221
www.simplonjongerenhotel.nl
NH Hotel Groningen ****, Hanzeplein 132
Phone: +31505848181
www.nh-hotels.com
Pension Café Tivoli, Gedempte Zuiderdiep 67
http://pensiontivoli.nl
University Guesthouse, Kleine Kromme Elleboog 7-b
Phone: +31503113424
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Information about Utrecht
We are happy to welcome you in Utrecht for your IFMSA clerkship. In this booklet you will find the most important information about Utrecht like places to go for food, drinks and party’s
but also places for sight-seeing. Together with this, you will
also find some practical information about your clerkship.
If you have questions about you clerkship or if you want to do
something fun, you can always contact your contact person or
one of the other Local Exchange Officers. You can find their
contact details at the last page of this booklet so please do not
hesitate to contact them!
We wish you an incredible time in Utrecht and a great learning
experience during your clerkship.
Best wishes,
The Exchange Team of Utrecht
Places to eat
Stairway to Heaven
The only rock cafe in Utrecht. The walls are covered with all kinds of rock memorabilia like
golden records and Kurt Cobain’s Fender guitar. Every day from 17:00 you can enjoy the American and Australian dishes which the restaurant is known for. Every weekend there is great rock
music by the Stairway’s DJ’s or many live bands. A great location for dinner and going out.
Mariaplaats 11/12
3711 LJ Utrecht.
Oude Muntkelder
Well-known pancake restaurant located along the Oude Gracht that has an outdoor terrace with
120 seats along the busiest and most famous canal of Utrecht. There are more than 80 different pancakes and omelettes on the menu. All of which are made from fresh ingredients and are
prepared right on the spot.
Oude Gracht a/d Werf 112 3511 AW Utrecht.
Sumo
The perfect place for sushi-lovers! In this all-you-can-eat restaurant the choices are endless and
the ambience is perfect. A mixture of Asian and modern makes it a very enjoyable dinner. Reservations are recommended.
Potterstraat 16-20
Tel. 030-7630460
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‘t Gras van de Buren
A great little restaurant for those on a budget. They serve lunches for €5 and for €15 you can
have a 3-course dinner. And the food is great!
Lange Jansstraat 16
Tel. 030-2343325
La Cubanita
An all-you-can-eat tapas restaurant for around €20. This place is very popular amongst students
so reservations are a must!
Oudkerkhof 44 Tel. 030-2328648
Popocatepetl
This Mexican restaurant serves the best Mexican food in Utrecht. The restaurant is completely
in Mexican style with every detail carefully chosen. If not for the food, the restaurant is worth a
visit just to see the inside.
Nobelstraat 163.
Yoghurt Barn
A little froyo bar just off het Neude. It was chosen as most fun restaurant in Utrecht and it lives
up to that title. They serve different types of yoghurt and other types of sweets. Drop by for
a quick froyo on a hot summers day, or take your time and take their full high tea. Open from
08:00 till 18:00.
Vinkenburgstraat 15
Neude
Het Neude is a big square in the centre of Utrecht where you can find many cafés and bars. During the day it is the perfect place to relax, enjoy the sun and do some people watching. At night
it is a place to have a drink and go out afterwards. There are many cafés and bars to choose
from, so there is always something that fits your personal wishes!
The bigger clubs/bars
Pakhuis
Janskerkhof 21 3512 BM Utrecht
One of those places that are so tacky that it becomes fun again. Expect a lot of top-40 music.
Entrance is free
Filemon
Janskerkhof 22 3512 BN Utrecht
Located next to Pakhuis. This club features house music. Entrance is free
De Beurs
Neude 37-39 3512 AG Utrecht
Similar in style to Pakhuis. Entrance is free
Club Poema
Drieharingstraat 22 3511 BJ Utrecht
This club is located in a sidestreet of the Oude Gracht. It is known for their international nights
on Tuesdays. Entrance is free
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TivoliVredenburg
Vredenburgkade 11, 3511 WC Utrecht
Tivoli has many different parties, and sometimes pre-bought tickets are necessary. But it is
definitely a recommender. Entrance fees depend on whichever party is on.
Basis
Oudegracht aan de Werf 97, 3511AL Utrecht
This club recently opened and is known for its house/techno music. Entrance fees are applied, usually around €5.
Woolloomooloo
Janskerkhof 14 3512 BL Utrecht
Known locally as the Woo. The largest fraternity in Utrecht runs this club. This is known to
be the place to end up after all the other clubs close. What happens in the Woo never stays
in the Woo. Entrance is free, bring your Student ID
If you’re feeling like doing a bar crawl go to the Nobelstraat and stroll/stumble from one
bar to the other:
Koevoet at Lucas Bolwerk 1 (known as Heerenplein)
Otje at Nobelstraat 283
De Kneus at Nobelstraat 303
And many more!
Highlights
Utrecht‘s Canals
The Singel, the old defensive moat, along which extend attractive promenades, surrounds old
Utrecht. The Oude Gracht and the Nieuwe Gracht traverse the central area. The water level
in which is so low that the vaults in the embankment walls are used as storage rooms; some
of them have been converted for use in summer as cafe-restaurants. A little outside the city
center, you find a boat and canoe rental service, located at the old, slow river “de Kromme
Rijn” which runs through the city center. Or if you’re feeling a little lazier you can rent your
canoe in the middle of town. You’ll be able to paddle through the “Maliesingel”, a beautiful,
wide and green canal that circles around the city walls, or the “Oude Gracht” where you’ll
pass several terraces to see and be seen. And if you look a little further you may find the entry
to the “Nieuwe Gracht”, a much smaller canal, and see the funny sculptures in the stones supporting the old lantern posts (among others the seven sins).
The Dom
The Dom tower is a looker, and can be seen almost wherever you go in the center. It was
built in the fourteenth century and survived the storm that destroyed much of the rest of
the cathedral because it was built of better materials and because the open stonework at
the top allowed the storm to pass through the tower instead of pushing on the stone. Climb
the Dom tower and see a stunning view of Utrecht and on a clear day even all the way to
Amsterdam and Rotterdam!
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Hoog Catharijne
Northwest of Mariaplaats and bordering the central station , is Hoog Catharijne, one of the
largest indoor shopping centres in Europe. In this luxurious complex 180 shops with a total
floor area of 250,000 sq.m/300,000 sq.yd offer shoppers an immense and varied range of
wares. The complex also includes facilities for refreshment (restaurants, cafes, bars) and
entertainment (four cinemas).
Public Transport
We recommend you to use a bike while travelling within Utrecht. Most of the time it’s faster,
you are not bound to timetables of buses, plus you get to see the best of Utrecht. The Canals, small old streets and much more is best seen on your bike.
However, if you do decide to use the bus we recommend you use the following website:
http://9292.nl/en
This website offers you an easy way to find the right bus or train to your destination and
tells you the exact times as well. It is especially useful when you travel to other cities than
Utrecht. Within the center of Utrecht you can take almost any bus as most of them stop everywhere in the center as well as the train station.
The easiest bus for you to take to Utrecht Central Station is line 2
The easiest bus for you to take to the center of Utrecht is line 2
The easiest bus for you to take to the hospital is line 128/228 or line 12
The Train
To give you an idea of the distance of different cities in relation to Utrecht here is an overview of the travel time from Utrecht Central Station to the train station of the city.
Amsterdam CS: 27 minutes
Rotterdam CS: 38 minutes
The Hague: 38 minutes
Leiden CS: 42 minutes
Maastricht: 1:56 minutes
The train is an easy way of transportation. For traveling outside of Utrecht this is your number one choice of transportation.
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Contact persons
Here you can find a list of all Local Exchange Officers of Utrecht. If something happens, if
you have any questions or if you want to do something fun, give us a call and we will help
you out!
Veerle van de Klei
+31 6 29247720
Nicole de Ruijter
+31 6 22844392
Kiki van der Burg
+31 6 55895686
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Information about Amsterdam
Although the Dutch government is seated in The
Hague, Amsterdam is the nominal capital. It is also the
country’s largest city, with a population of more than
750,000 people, and with over 3,5 million foreign visitors a year. The city is a true melting pot of cultures
and nationalities and is known for its tolerant character. But Amsterdam has always been a well-known
name in world history and played a central role in the
history of the Netherlands. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the center of the world economy.
Transportation
Most people in Amsterdam use bicycles to get from A to B; Amsterdam counts 4 times as many
bikes as citizens! Amsterdam is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world.
There are bicycle paths and bike racks throughout the entire city and there is plenty of opportunity to rent a bike. However, many bicycles get stolen, so make sure you lock your bike properly
if you rent one! Another warning: do not buy bicycles from junkies. They are cheap, but stolen
and some are tagged by the police. Receiving stolen goods is illegal and you will risk getting a
criminal record. Of course public transportation is also a good alternative for traveling in Amsterdam. There are numerous bus-, tram- and subway lines. A valid ticket for public transport is the
OV-chip card.
Rent a bike at
MacBike: Stationsplein 5, 1012 AB Amsterdam
Yellow Bike: Nieuwezijds Kolk 29, 1012 PV Amsterdam
Places to eat
- Bazar, Albert Cuypstraat 182 - Arabic kitchen, beautifully decorated restaurant
- Kantjil & De Tijger, Spuistraat 291-293 – Indonesian kitchen
- Comedy café, Max Euweplein 43-45: every Monday and Tuesday, daily menu for €5,- Bar Spek, Zeedijk 4-8: Dutch student bar/restaurant, diner from €13,50
- Cafe de Groene vlinder, Albert Cuypstraat 130: typical Dutch cafe, daily meal for €8,00
- Vapiano, Amstelstraat 2-4: very affordable and delicious Italian kitchen, pizza or pasta for €6,00
- Festina Lente, Looiersgracht 40b: mix and match small bites, starting at €6,50
Places to drink
- ‘t Pakhuis, Voetboogstraat 10
- Café Blaffende Vis, Westerstraat 118
- Bierproeflokaal De Zotte, Raamstraat 29: nice cafe near Leidseplein with lots of
different Belgium beers available
- Coco’s outback, Thorbeckeplein 8-12: Australian pub with happy hour twice a day,
between 17:00 - 18:00 and 22:00 - 23:00. And they have great cocktails!
- Crea Café, Nieuwe Achtergracht 170: Crea is a cultural student centre of the University
of Amsterdam (UvA), where you can participate in workshops or have a drink. Every first Thursday of the month it is ‘plug and play’, where three different amateur bands get the opportunity
to play for an audience - free entrance, starts at 20:30
- Café Alto: Korte Leidsedwarsstraat. For live jazz music seven days a week!
- Chupito’s: Zieseniskade 25 - if you like original liquor and shots
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Shopping
- The biggest and most famous shopping area is the Kalverstraat, where you can find all the
big brands such as H&M, ZARA, River Island and so on.
- Smaller and more original shops can be found at: Utrechtsestraat & 9 straatjes.
- If you would like to visit a market in Amsterdam: Albert Cuyp Market,
Waterlooplein flea market, Dappermarkt and Lindengrachtmarkt, but there are many more!
Museums
Amsterdam has over 50 museums. Three of the most popular ones are situated at Museumplein:
- Rijksmuseum
- Van Gogh museum
- Stedelijk museum
Other famous museums are
-
Anne Frank House
Rembrandthuis
Heineken Experience
Photography museum: FOAM
Amsterdam Historical Museum
Tropenmuseum Theatre and music
In Amsterdam there are many theaters and some of them show plays performed in English.
‘Boom Chicago’ at Leidseplein offers comedy performances in English or you could go to
‘Comedy theater’ at de Nes. If you like to watch a movie, you can go the Pathé Tuschinki
at Reguliersbreestraat or to one of the smaller cinema’s situated in the city center, such as
‘The Movies’ at Haarlemmerdijk 616 or ‘Kriterion’ at Roeterstraat 170.
For (classical) music you could go to Concertgebouw at Museumplein or the Muziektheater
at Waterlooplein. Stadsschouwburg is situated at Leidseplein and has a diversity of performances.
Artis is the oldest Zoo in the Netherlands, situated in the heart of the city (Plantagekerklaan 40).
Coffee Shop
In the Netherlands it is not illegal to smoke hash or marihuana, so you can buy this in a coffee shop. Coffee shops are everywhere in Amsterdam, so it will not be a problem finding
one. Please do not buy too strong marihuana, if you have never smoked it before.
Red Light District
Prostitution is also legal in the Netherlands. The Red Light District or ‘De Wallen’ is one of
the areas where you can find girls posing behind windows trying to seduce male tourists
passing by. It is worth seeing and a big attraction for tourists. However, please do respect
those women and do not take pictures of them (strictly banned!).
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Partying in Amsterdam
The social life in Amsterdam is lively and vibrant! There are numerous restaurants, pubs and
clubs. The main entertainment areas are Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein, offering a fantastic nightlife. But there are plenty of great daytime activities as well! There are many clubs
in Amsterdam, so it is up to you to figure out which club suits you best!
Clubs around Leidseplein
-
Melkweg: offers music and club nights
Sugar Factory: every Sunday plays the band Wicked Jazz sounds
Paradiso: bands performing and club nights, located in an old church
Jimmy Woo
Club Up
Chicago Social Club
Clubs around Rembrandtplein
- Club Air
- Disco Dolly
- Studio 80: mainly techno, minimal, deep-house
- Escape: popular with tourists
- Hotel Arena, ‘s-Gravesandestraat 51
- Canvas, Wibautstraat 150: this club is in the building of de Volkskrant (a Dutch
newspaper) at the 7th floor, which offers a terrific view!
- Club 8, Admiraal de Ruijterweg 56 B: if you like to play pool, this is the place to be
- Bitterzoet, Spuistraat 2a: diversity of music and events (not every evening)
Amsterdam also offers a great nightlife for people from the LGBT community; most of the
gay bars are located in the Reguliersdwarsstraat. Church (Kerkstraat 62), Soho and Club NYX
are well known for their vibrant nights.
Some clubs (Jimmy Woo, Chicago Social Club and Studio 80) pursue a dresscode and knowing
which party you are attending might be important if you want to get in. You should not dress
too classy (especially guys) and you should know what the name of the party is or the names
of de DJ’s that are playing. If you have trouble finding this information visit: www.djguide.nl
and look at the agenda of that particular event.
Special events during the summer
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Gay Pride: 31 July – 2 August
Sail: 19-23 August
Canal Music Festival: 10-19 August
Pluk de Nacht – Open Air Film Festival
Uitmarkt: last weekend of August
www.ifmsa.nl
Information about Leiden:
Leiden can be described as a smaller version of Amsterdam. It is home to the oldest university of the Netherlands. The university was given as a reward for withstanding two Spanisch
segies in 1574. Wealth from the linen industry buttressed Leiden’s growing prosperity, and
during the 17th century the town produced several brilliant artists, most famously Rembrandt van Rijn. Now there are about 20.000 students in Leiden and it’s one of the remaining true student cities. It’s very compact city which makes you feel at home instantly. The
location of Leiden is perfect to explore the Netherlands. It’s about 30 minutes by train to
Amsterdam and Rotterdam and only 10 minutes to The Hague. Next to this it’s possible to
reach the sea in half an hour.
Most people in Leiden use a bike for transportation. Leiden is a very bicycle friendly city.
There are bike paths and parking possibilities throughout the entire city and it is easy to
rent a bike. The city centre of Leiden is small, so it’s possible to reach everything within 20
minutes by foot.
Of course the public transportation is also a good way of traveling in Leiden. There are numerous bus lines. A valid ticket for public transport is the chargeable OV-chip card.
MUST SEES
Naturalis
The world-class natural history collection of the Naturalis museum is packed with exhibits of
animals, plants, minerals and fossils.
Hortus Botanicus
After four centuries of collecting, cultivating and studying this has become a wonderful teaching garden with plants from all corners of the world.
De Burcht
In the centre of the city surrounded by the old houses suddenly rises a hill with on top one
of the oldest surviving ‘motte’’ castles of the Netherlands. The citadel is open for public and
if you climb the stairs you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of Leiden.
Pieterskerk
This church was founded in 1121 and was builded in phases. The biggest part of the building
dates from the 16th century. Surrounding the church there are multiple tiny alleys with various shops, bars and hidden courtyards.
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Information about Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is one of the greatest
international ports in the world and
has the biggest medical centre of the
Netherlands. With more than 600.000
inhabitants, it is also the second biggest city (behind Amsterdam).
After the bombardments of the city
centre in World War II, Rotterdam
was rebuilt to a city of modern architecture. For example, the Erasmus
bridge, named after the famous Rotterdam philosopher Erasmus, connects the Southern part of Rotterdam with the city centre, the
cube houses are known worldwide and the Euromast is one of the highest buildings in the country. During the summer, Rotterdam hosts a lot of activities and festivals, ranging from small jazz
festivals to the international film festival. With the beautiful Oude Haven (the docks) you can
enjoy a great summer, sitting at the water while enjoying a cool drink.
At your arrival in Rotterdam you can buy this card so you can explore Rotterdam. We have two
metro lines with which you can reach almost every spot in Rotterdam. The metro will leave
every few minutes and it is the easiest and quickest way of public transportation in Rotterdam.
But don‘t forget that the last metro will leave around 00:30 am! Of course you can also take
the tram or bus to move around our city. Especially if you are staying in the centre the tram is a
very easy way to travel as well. And the nice thing about the tram or bus is that you will have a
little bit of sightseeing as well! The trams and buses have timetables and are very punctual. You
can find more information about the public transportation on the following websites:
www.9292ov.nl / www.journeyplanner.9292.nl/ www.ret.nl
Highlights
Euromast, Parkhaven 20: another image of Rotterdam. Highest attraction tower with dazzling views
over the city. Also: sleep at 112 metres and wine and dine at 96 metres.
Spido, Willemsplein 85: a cruise on the water with sight on the biggest harbour of Europe.
Walk of Fame Star Boulevard, Leuvehave: 200 national and international celebrities have left their
mark with handprints and footprints in concrete on the boulevard along the Leuven haven.
Kop van Zuid, a lot of highlights in this area: the KPN building, the Maastoren (tallest building in
the Netherlands) and the famous Hotel New York. Considered as one of the most beautiful locations in the city. Diergaarde Blijdorp, Blijdorplaan 8: the famous zoo of Rotterdam.
Museums
Het Nieuwe Instituut
Het Nieuwe Instituut (former Netherlands Architecture institute NAi, Premsela and Virtueel Platform) brings architecture, design and e-culture together.
Kunsthal Rotterdam
Kunsthal Rotterdam is an exceptional exhibition building, where around 25 exhibitions are held
annually. The Kunsthal displays culture in the widest sense of the word.
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
The Stedelijk Museum Schiedam (Schiedam Municipal Museum) positions itself as the museum
exclusively for modern and contemporary Dutch Post-war Art.
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Maritiem Museum Rotterdam
The Maritime Museum has much to offer, including permanent and varied exhibitions and displays about water, and the port with its many...
Kunsthal Rotterdam - Museum
Kunsthal Rotterdam is an exceptional exhibition building, where around 25 exhibitions are
held annually. The Kunsthal displays culture in the widest sense of the word.
Chabot Museum
The large number of paintings, drawings, sculptures and graphs of the famous Rotterdam
artist Henk Chabot are exhibited in a varying exposition.
Nederlands Fotomuseum
The Nederlands Fotomuseum is a multi-functional museum that provides insight into all different aspects of photography. With various exhibition programmes, digital collection, film
lounge and a photography library.
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Visit Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and embark on a journey back through the history of
art, from the Early Middle Ages to the present day. From Bosch, Rembrandt and Van Gogh to
Dalí and Dutch Design, there is plenty to captivate every visitor.
Het Nieuwe Instituut - Huis Sonneveld
The Sonneveld House, designed in the 1930s by architects Brinkman and Van der Vlugt, was
built in full agreement with the principles of the New Movement architectural style. The
lovely villa has been fully restored to its 1933 state. Audio tour and special children’s audio
tour available.
Places to eat
Witte de Withstraat: for eating and drinking. The artistic street of the city with art galleries, fashion designers, bars and restaurants. We especially recommend the saoto-soup from Warung Mini.
Bazaar: also situated at the Witte de Withstraat. The dishes on the menu are mainly from
North Africa and the Middle East and are all very reasonably priced.
Shabu Shabu/Sumo/Sushi Qube: a whole new concept in Rotterdam all-you-can-eat sushi
unlimited for around €20,Stalles: Nieuwe Binnnenweg 11: pizza for €5,- on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Boudewijn: Nieuwe Binnenweg 53. Burgundian Belgian beers and food.
Cambrinus: Blaak 4 (Oude Haven): the eating- and beer restaurant/cafe Cambrinus has a
Flemish kitchen, with here and there an influence from other places around the world.
The Bear restaurants: The Bear restaurants have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere as well
as quality food for a good price.
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Seif: Oude Binnenweg 115: for drinking and eating.
Villa Kakelbont: Spaansepoort 73 (Oude Haven): this little restaurant is the ideal place to
enjoy a good glass of beer in the sun, or to enjoy a good meal for a reasonable price.
Popocatepetl: Spaansepoort 71 (Oude Haven): a visit to Popo is an evening of Mexico with
an additional extravagant character.
Restaurant de Pijp: Gaffelstraat 90: over 110 years old, this is a popular place for students and
old members of students’ associations. Every hour, the (students)staff performs crazy rituals.
Pannekoekstraat: nice street for shopping but also perfect for coffee, lunches and dining.
Almost fifty bars and restaurants such as the Urban Espresso bar, Level, SoHo and many others.
Westelijk Handelsterrein: Van Vollenhovenstraat 15: stylish restored warehouse complex
with restaurants, bars, nightclubs and galleries.
Dizzy jazzcafé: ’s Gravendijkwal 127: fr drinking and dining. Feel the jazz.
Places to drink
O’Sheas: Lijnbaan 37-39
Paddy Murphy’s: Rodezand 15 (World Trade Centre)
Oude haven: for eating and drinking. Make a pub crawl at the Oude Haven. In this cosy old
harbour area are many places where you can drink and dine outside. A lot of students live
in this part of town. Thursday is the traditional student night in Rotterdam, so that means
extra discount on beers and food in some places.
Stadhuisplein: square with lots of bars, pubs and clubs.
Tiki bar: Hartmanstraat 16: a Hawaiian surf bar at the heart of the city.
Wijnbar Janssen & van Dijk: Westewagenstraat 58: wine-bar.
The Witte Aap: Witte de Withstraat 78: it is a place where students of the University of Rotterdam come together for a nice evening with a lot of fun. And this bar is voted ‘greatest
bar of the world’ by Lonely Planet.
De Zondebok & Het Zwarte Schaap: Witte de Withstraat 96: new hotspot. Lots of whiskey
and wine.
Hotel New York: Koninginnehoofd 1: Hotel New York is a modern hotel and café-restaurant,
situated in one of the most attractive spots in Rotterdam.
Euromast: Parkhaven 20: at the height of 100 meters you can dine or drink at the Brasserie
of the Euromast.
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Nightlife & Clubs:
Café de Vrienden Live: Haringvliet 100, Bar
Café De Vrienden Live looks out over the Oude Haven in the Waterfront area. This party bar
is open from Thursday to Saturday for drinks or dinner.
Pathé de Kuip: Cor Kieboomplein 501, Theater
Relax and watch a film on one of the fourteen screens at Pathé de Kuip cinema. Every week
Pathé offers an up-to-date and wide assortment of films...
Saint Tropez: Kruiskade 24, Club
Saint Tropez is a club and restaurant that is located on the Kruiskade.
Pathé Schouwburgplein: Schouwburgplein 101, Theater
Relax and watch a film on one of the seven screens at Pathé Schouwburgplein cinema. Every
week Pathé offers an up-to-date and wide assortment of films...
Holland Casino Rotterdam: Weena 624, Casino
Holland Casino Rotterdam re-opened after a complete makeover that created a brand-new
nightlife concept.
BED: Coolsingel 18, Club
BED has three floors. In the basement, with LED ceiling, people can met each other and enjoy special comedy nights and live performances. On the ground floor you can lunch or have
dinner and from 10 pm you can dance the night away. On the first floor is the rooftop terrace with a view of the Coolsingel.
De Après Skihut: Stadhuisplein 29, Bar
In the Après Skihut on Stadhuisplein you can party every day of the week! Go to the Après
Skihut and it is like you are back on ski vacantion in Austria.
Rotown: Nieuwe Binnenweg 19, Café, restaurant
Rotown is a café, restaurant and pop music venue under one roof. With the atmosphere of a
café-restaurant but with...
WORM: Boomgaardsstraat 71
Worm organize concerts, movies, workshops, masterclasses, festivals and different events.
Club Vibes: Westersingel 50-A, Club
Club Vibes is a small and accessible club in the city centre of Rotterdam. When the cafés
close, Vibes will continue until 5 am. The club attracts a mixed crowd and there is always a
friendly atmosphere.
Biergarten Rotterdam: Schiestraat 18
You don’t have to go to Germany anymore for a Biergarten.
BAR (MAVV): Schiekade 201, Bar
BAR is Rotterdam’s first travelling bar. Created in 2011 BAR aims to bring livelihood to forgotten areas and to re-energize the city of Rotterdam’ s night- (and day) life.
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BIRD: Raampoortstraat 26-28, Club
BIRD Jazz Club is located under the Hofbogen in Rotterdam and offers a program of jazz,
soul, hip hop, funk and new electronics.
Annabel: Delftsestraat 15, Club
The Hollywood Music Hall is one of the most popular dance halls in the Netherlands. Every
week thousands of young visitors find their way to this massive dance complex.
Shopping:
Lijnbaan & Beursplein:
All the best-known shops and department stores are along Lijnbaan and around Beursplein
and the Beurstraverse, known locally as the ‘shopping gutter’.
Meent:
The Meent and surroundings are rapidly developing into one of Rotterdam’s most prominent
and dynamic shopping areas. Trendy concept stores attract an alternative audience, making
this a great spot for people-watching.
Nieuwemarkt & Pannekoekstraat:
The Soho of Rotterdam. The area around Nieuwemarkt and Pannekoekstraat gets its appropriate nickname from the bohemian feel that developed in conjunction with the arrival
of vintage fashion and design boutiques. Check out the artsy people that the area attracts
while enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
Witte de Withstraat:
Witte de Withstraat is known for its artistic, multicultural atmosphere and dynamic nightlife. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Axis of Art’, it runs from Museumpark to the Maritime
Museum and is lined in galleries, avant-garde fashion boutiques and art cafés.
Oude Binnenweg & Nieuwe Binnenweg:
Together, Oude Binnenweg and Nieuwe Binnenweg form one long trail filled with surprising shops.
Not just clothes, either; this area also sells jewellery, books, records and sweet delicacies.
Van Oldenbarneveltstraat & Karel Doormanstraat:
The area around Van Oldenbarneveltstraat, Karel Doormanstraat and Kruiskade is also known in
Rotterdam as our ‘fashion district’. Shop in style here. You’re sure to find something you love.
Parks:
Kralingse Plas: recreational area with forest and lake at the outskirts of the city. Lots of different cultures go here to relax, swim or barbeque.
Park by the Euromast: almost every Sunday there will be SummerSunday, with music and
theatre in this park. So bring your picnic, wine and a plaid, and relax.
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Summer programs:
5 July 2015 - 5 July 2015, Tour de France passes through Rotterdam / Centrum Rotterdam
The first leg of the Tour de France 2015, from Utrecht to Zeeland, will also pass through Rotterdam.
5 July 2015 - 5 July 2015, Metropolis Festival / Zuiderpark
Adventurous, original and trendsetting: this open-air music festival gives you the opportunity to get to
know new, mind-blowing talent from the Netherlands and abroad. Metropolis consists of a mix of pop,
rock, hiphop, world music and dance.
10 July 2015 - 12 July 2015, Port of Rotterdam North Sea Jazz Festival / Ahoy Rotterdam
The world-famous jazz festival, where you can hear styles such as New Orleans jazz, swing, bop, free
jazz and avant-garde jazz, and where you can also listen to blues, funk, soul, R&B, hiphop and Latin.
19 July 2015 - 19 July 2015, Feyenoord Open Day / De Kuip
A huge spectacle in and around De Kuip football stadium featuring numerous activities for young and
old! The squad will be presented to the supporters and, true to tradition, the new players will arrive by
helicopter.
21 July 2015 - 25 July 2015, Robin Rotterdam Unlimited / Centrum Rotterdam
July 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 the city of Rotterdam will be transformed in one big party. With all the best
of culture, music, dance, art, spoken word and of course Summercarnival. There will be many performances around the city. And the best thing: it’s for FREE!
7 August 2015 - 9 August 2015, Duizel in het Park (TBC) / Vroesenpark
The Vroesenpark becomes an oasis of literature, visual art, theatre and music.
12 August 2015 - 30 August 2015, Open-air cinema / Museumpark
The biggest open-air cinema under the starry skies screens Hollywood smash hits, famous arthouse
films and the highlights of world cinema.
15 August 2015 - 15 August 2015, Blijdorp Festival 2015 / Roel Langerakpark
A new festival with electronic dance music.
20 August 2015 - 22 August 2015, CuliNESSE / Beach Nesselande
Enjoy the delicious cuisine of renowned restaurants in the region and dazzling performances by famous
artists.
23 August 2015 - 23 August 2015, Day of Romantic Music (TBC) / Park near the Euromast
Concerts will be performed across numerous stages featuring atmospheric classical music and popular
romantic tunes, gypsy music and areas.
23 August 2015 - 23 August 2015, Oude Haven Summer festival (TBC) / Oude Haven
A summer festival full of music, good food and drinks.
29 August 2015 - 29 August 2015, OVG Veerhaven Concert (TBC) / Veerhaven
A classical open-air concert in Rotterdam’s most charming harbour. Enjoy waterfront performances
from the quay or in the comfort of your own small boat.
30 August 2015 - 30 August 2015, VKV City Racing Rotterdam / Centrum Rotterdam
Experience the Formula 1 live on the streets of Rotterdam! This unique racing event in the city centre
offers spectacular demonstrations featuring first-class national and international race cars and drivers.
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Information about Nijmegen
Because of its favourable location, Nijmegen was founded by the Romans as a trade settlement and a base for their army around 5 AD. This makes it the oldest city in the Netherlands! During the rest of history it has had to endure multiple sieges, being a border town
close to Germany.
Still growing steadily, Nijmegen now is a true student city: approximately 1 out of 6 inhabitants is a student. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that Nijmegen has a lot to offer when it
comes to social life. All over the city, but mostly in the centre, are different cafes where
you can grab a bite, drink something with your friends or just go dancing. Most people go
out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from eleven on and most of the clubs close around four
or five o’clock in the morning. Below you can find a short description of some places we recommend, but of course there is a whole lot more to Nijmegen than only those places.
In the month of July Nijmegen is home to its annual ―Four Days Marches. In this week Nijmegen transforms into one big festival! There are festivities all through town, such as free
concerts, dance parties, silent disco’s, lounge/jazz music and more. This year the marches will
take place from the 21th till 24th of July, but the parties go on all week. If you are here during
this time, go out and enjoy the city at its best with the other 1.5 million people who do!
Places to eat
Cheap
Mr. Jacks: A nice italian restaurant. You can buy pizza’s and pasta’s for only 5 euros.
Café de Muis: A nice restaurant with a homely sphere where not only students can get a full
plate for a low price. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday students can get a meal for 6,50
Euro and on Thursday it is cheese fondue night. So go and try it out.
Dromaai: A nice cheap restaurant where you can eat all kind of dishes for a very nice price.
It is located on plein 1944 in the center of Nijmegen. Don’t be fooled by the menucard…
Normal
Pinoccio: An Italian restaurant in the heart of Nijmegen. Students can get special offers on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Because the offers differ from time to time the best way
to find out is just go along and grab a bite.
Sumo: A japanese sushi restaurant located in the Molenstraat. It works by the concept: all
you can eat for €26,95.
La cubanita: A Tapas restaurant. You can create your own dinner by ordering several small
dishes. This is unlimited food for a good price.
De gelagkamer: A very nice restaurant. With your studentcard you can get three courses for
just €15,00.
’t Hoogstraatje: A pancake restaurant in Nijmegen. Designed in the famous old dutch style,
their specialty is pancakes. Pancakes with anything and everything on it. A must visit when
you are staying in Nijmegen.
Bagel & Beans: great for breakfast, a brunch or just for coffee. They serve bagels and have
free wifi in their restaurant. On shopping Sundays (every 1st Sunday of the month) they have
a live jazz-band between 13-16u.
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Places to drink
De Blaauwe Hand is the oldest café of Nijmegen. It originates in the 15th century and offers
till today a variety of beers and especially Genevers (juniper-flavoured and strongly alcoholic liquor traditional for the Netherlands). Food that is offered here is mostly in Tapas-form
so that you can create your own dinner by ordering several small dishes.
Samson is one of the older and best cafes of Nijmegen. It is ranked 15th on the list of 100
best cafes of the Netherlands. This is not only due to their great variety ofbeers from several different countries but also to the old style café with waiters like in the old days.
Sterre is a modern café which shows different art expositions and changes its interior from
time to time. So that it is always in movement. It offers a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and on Wednesdays it is known for its cocktail night when you can get different
cocktails for a special price.
De blonde pater is a traditional café with lots of different coffees and coffee specialties to
offer. That is also why it is one of the most popular cafes in Nijmegen. Besides its great variety of coffee specialties it also offers a wide range of food especially for lunch. If you ever
come to Nijmegen it is definitely worth a visit. Not only because they have the best apple
pie.
Demain Is a modern lounge/café, with an excellent selection of drinks and cocktails. Sit and
relax on their comfortable couches and enjoy their great cakes or other finger foods.
Café Jos Voted one of the best café is Holland. This café serves over 100 different kinds of
beer. It’s not situated in the city centre. But it’s a must go for any beer lover, or even just
for the vibe.
Places to go out
Underground is a dance café which is located in the basement. They describe the music
they play as “popular alternative”. It is a great location to go out to dance. It is only open
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This is where everybody ends their night, so don’t be too
early (1 a.m.).
Molenstraat is a street in the centre of Nijmegen. On that street most of the dance cafes
are located. El Sombrero, De Drie Gezusters, Van Buren, Boogie Wonderland, De Compagnie,
Stretto and Malle Babbe are located next to each other and form by that a great complex
where you can have a great night out during the week and in the weekend.
Billabong, Fuik, Twee keer Bellen and Dollars are popular dance cafés near the Molenstraat.
There is always something to dance to. Definitely great places to go out and dance.
Doornroosje/Merley: Doornroosje (located near the central station) and Merleyn (located in
centre) are two popular locations to go out in Nijmegen. They offer many different events
from concerts, over dj nights to parties of students associations. So there is always something
which will match your taste. Check it out on www.doornroosje.nl for more information.
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Information about Maastricht:
Maastricht is a Dutch city that is located in the
very south of the Netherlands, also the capital
of the province Limburg. It is known as a city of
history, culture, local folklore and education, and
has the second highest amount (numbering 1677)
of national heritage sites.
Interestingly, it has become known, by way of the
Maastricht Treaty, as the birthplace of the European Union, European citizenship, and the single
European currency, the euro.
Nowadays Maastricht is known as a place where life is really enjoyed and is great for recreation and shopping. The ultimate holiday feeling comes naturally in Limburg, a unique part of the
Netherlands with an exotic atmosphere. Try a cool glass of beer from a local family brewery. Or
a cup of coffee and a slice of genuine Limburg pastry, fresh from the oven! The city is therefore
popular with tourists.
The history of Maastricht can be seen in the historic centre of the city with several churches in
Roman and other styles, and in the many squares. The best known is the Vrijthof, which is close
to the Servaaskerk, named after the holy Servatius. Servatius is the patron of the traditionally
Katholic Maastricht.
The tourist information office (VVV) is located in the Dinghuis, a 15th-century former town hall
and law courts building on the corner of Grote Staat and Kleine Staat. The main sights include:
City Fortifications:
- Helpoort: a 13th-century town gate, the oldest in the Netherlands
- Fragments of the first and second medieval city walls
- Hoge Fronten (or Linie van Du Moulin):
remnants of 17th- and 18th-century fortifications with a number of well-preserved bastions and an early 19th-century fortress, Fort Willem
-Binnenstad: inner-city shopping district
-Vrijthof: the best-known square in the city.
Sights:
-Sint-Servaas Basiliek the Romanesque church of Saint Servatius. The tomb
of Saint Servatius in the crypt is a favoured place of pilgrimage: Pope John
Paul II visited here in 1985.
-Sint-Janskerk: a sandstone Gothic church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist with a distinctive
red tower.
-Onze Lieve Vrouweplein: a picturesque tree-lined square with an abundance of
pavement cafes.
-Markt: the Market Square was completely refurbished in 2006-2007 and is now virtually traffic
free.
-The Town Hall: built in the 17th century by Pieter Post.
-Mosae Forum: a brand new shopping center and civic building designed by Jo Coenen and Bruno Albert.
-Bassin: a restored early 19th-century inner harbor with restaurants and cafés. The surroundings are currently being developed into a cultural hotspot.
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-Jekerkwartier: a picturesque neighbourhood with the small river Jeker popping up between old houses and remnants of city walls.
-Wyck: the old quarter on the right bank of the Meuse river. Rechtstraat is the main shopping street in Wyck with a mix of specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants.
-Céramique: a modern neighbourhood on the site of the former Céramique potteries. Now a
showcase of architectural highlights.
-Parks: there are various parks in Maastricht including:
-Stadspark, the main public park on the west bank of the river.
-Monseigneur Nolenspark, an extension of Stadspark with remnants of the
medieval city walls.
-Aldenhofpark, another extension of Stadspark, with a statue of d’Artagnan.
-Charles Eykpark, a modern park between the public library and Bonnefanten Museum on the
east bank of the Meuse river
-Griendpark, a modern park on the east bank of the river with an inline-skating and
skateboarding course.
-Sint-Pietersberg: modest hill just south of the city, peaking at 171 metres (561 ft)
above sea level.
Sights:
-Bonnefanten Museum is the foremost museum for old masters and contemporary fine art in the province of Limburg. The collection features medieval sculpture, early Ital
ian painting, Southern Netherlandish painting, and contemporary art.
-Museum aan het Vrijthof: is a local history museum in the 16th-century Spanish Gov
ernment building, featuring period rooms with 17th- and 18th-century furnishings, Maastricht silver, porcelain, glassware, Maastricht pistols, and a collection of 17th- and 18th-century Dutch paintings and 20th-century paintings from local artists.
-The Treasury of the Basilica of Our Lady includes religious artifacts. - Derlon Muse
umkelder is a preserved archeological site in the basement of a hotel
with Roman and pre-Roman remains.
-Natural History Museum exhibits collections relating to the geology, paleontology and flora and
fauna of Limburg. A highlight in the collection is the skeleton of a Mosasaur.
Furthermore: the Maastricht Exposition and Congress Centre (MECC) hosts many events throughout the year.
Cannabis
On 16 December 2010, the Court of Justice of the European Union upheld a local Maastricht
ban on the sale of cannabis to foreign tourists, restricting coffee shops to residents of Maastricht. The ban did not affect scientific or medical usage.
Places to eat
Very cheap
-Kiwi, Ezelmarkt 15 – World kitchen
-Donatello’s Maastricht, Tongersestraat 30 - Italian
-Wok to go, Markt 59 – Asian
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Cheap
-Café Zondag, Wycker Brugstraat 42 – Eatery
-Tapa y Mas, Rechtstraat 83 - Spanish
-Vrijthof 9, Vrijthof - Eatery
Middleclass
-Au mouton blanc, Kersenmarkt 10 – Eatery
-De Preuverij, Kakeberg 6 – Eatery
-De Comedie, Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 30a/b – Eatery
-Pizzeria Napoli, Markt 73 – Italian
-De Twee Heeren, Platielstraat 17/19 – Eatery
-Livrei, Brusselsestraat 15 – French
-Ginger, Tongersestraat 7 – Fusion
Places to drink
All the bars around the Platielstraat, for example:
Take One, Rechtstraat 28
Take Five, Bredestraat 14
Grand Café EDD’s, Heggenstraat 3
BaRRock, Tongersestraat 27
Falstaff, Amorsplein 6
Café Cliniq, Platielstraat 9a
De Twee Heeren, Platielstraat 17/19
De Perroen, Vrijthof 34/35
Shamrock Irish Pub, Brusselsestraat 49
Matuchi, Kleine Gracht 34
D’n Hiemel (Make), St Bernardusstraat 24a
Ma van Sloun, Tongersestraat 3
De Boschpoort, Boschstraat 64
Studentencafe de Beurs, Spoorweglaan 6
De Alla for Students, Leliestraat 5-7
De Feesfebrik, Markt 25
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Optional Day Trips:
In this section we give you a few options of day trips that you can do together with your
fellow exchange students. The day trips are the top tourist destinations in The Netherlands, so don‘t go away before you‘ve visited them!
The Hague
The Hague is Holland’s royal capital. Its government and parliament are situated here. Also
King Willem-Alexander works and lives here. The miniature city of Madorudam offers the
highlights of the Netherlands on a scale 1:25.
Scheveningen
Scheveningen is a district of The Hague. This seaside resort has a long, sandy beach, a
boulevard and a pier. The beach is popular for sun-bathing and water sports as wind and kite
surfing. Take the train or RandstadRail to The Hague, then take a tram to Scheveningen.
And to escape the crowds, you can always head to the quieter resort of Kijkduin.
Delft
Stroll along the canals of this picturesque small city with historical city centre. Delft is
known for the Delft pottery ceramic products. The painter Johannes Vermeer was born here:
he used the streets and home-interiors in his paintings.
Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, near Zaandijk in the municipality of Zaanstad
in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.
The Zaanse Schans is a delightful village on the banks of the river Zaan with characteristic
green wooden houses, charming stylized gardens, small hump-backed bridges, tradesmen’s
workshops, historic windmills and engaging little shops.
This enchanting village has been lovingly established by relocating local houses, windmills,
storehouses and barns to form a remarkable replica of a typical Zaanse village of the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
De hoge veluwe
De Hoge Veluwe National Park is the largest actively managed conservation area in private
hands in the Netherlands. The Park covers 5,400 hectares of woodland, heathland, peat bogs
and drift sand. It enjoys a wide variety of plants and animals and provides habitats to extremely rare Red List species. Together with the Country-residence/Museum Jachthuis Sint
Hubertus, Visitor Centre/Museonder, Kröller-Müller Museum and the Sculpture Garden the Park
forms a unique and (inter)nationally renowned combination of nature, art and architecture.
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List of windmills
- “The Houseman” - Mustardmill - De Huisman
- “The Crowned Poelenburg” - Sawmill - De Gekroonde Poelenburg
- “TheCat”-Dyemill-DeKat
- “The Young Sheep” - Sawmill - Het Jonge Schaap
- “TheOx”-Oilmill-DeOs
- “The Seeker” - Oilmill - De Zoeker
- “The Cloverleaf” - Sawmill - Het Klaverblad
- “The Motley Crew” - Oilmill - De Bonte Hen
Every year this small town attracts approximately 900,000 visitors.
Holland cheese Markets
Holland is truly a ‘land of cheese’. The names Gouda and Edam are more synonymous in the
rest of the world with cheese than with picturesque, typically Dutch cities. This ‘cheese
culture’ has clearly left its mark on a number of cities. The cheese market of Alkmaar, for
example, is world famous, and Gouda has a weighing house for cheese where visitors can
measure their weight in cheese. Many impressive cheese warehouses are still found in Edam.
Alkmaar cheese market
Alkmaar is famous worldwide for its cheesemarket. Cheese has been weighed here since
1635. Cheese carriers can be seen in action on the Waagplein square every Friday between
10 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. on the Waagplein during the summer. Combine a visit to the cheese
market with a walking tour of Alkmaar.
Also, there is the Alkmaar Cheese museum. You can take a walking tour along the almshouses, monuments and museums of Alkmaar. Naturally the walk also takes you to the 14th
century weighing house. The Holland Cheese Museum is located on the second and third
floors of the building
Programme of the Alkmaar Cheese market:
- 09.50: Welcoming the visitors
- 09.55: Introduction of the bell-ringer
- 10.00: The bell is rung and the market is opened
- 10.05 - 10.50: Verbal presentation to visitors, in Dutch, German, English and French
- 10.50 - 11.15: Performance by the carillon
- 11.20 - 12.05: Verbal presentation to visitors, in Dutch, German, English and French
- 12.15 - 12.45 : Performance by the carillon
- 12.30: Cheese Market closes
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Edam cheese market
The popular round Edam cheeses have been exported to all corners of the world for centuries. The handful of remaining cheese warehouses keep the memory of this aromatic and
colourful past alive.
Try to plan your visit to Edam on a Wednesday in July or August. This is when the traditional
cheese market is held. The cheese market takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There is
also an evening cheese market on the first Saturday in August.
Gouda cheese market
Gouda can be considered as the cheese capital of the world. In this old Dutch town local
farmers in traditional costume have been gathering over the last 300 years at the Market,
where they have their cheese weighed in the age old way and the price is bartered over.
There is a walking tour available through the VVV (Tourist Information Office) in Gouda that
takes you along the most picturesque spots in town, including the Markt, City Hall, the St.
Janskerk church and naturally the Cheese Weighing House, where they used to weigh the
cheese. Nowadays, visitors can have their weight measured in cheese, test their knowledge
of cheese and naturally sample some cheese. The Cheese Museum is also located here. The
tour takes around 2 hours. During the summer, it is definitely worth your while to combine a
walking tour with a visit to the farm cheese and trade market. This market takes place from
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Thursday from mid-June to August. The cheese is sold at the
market in the traditional manner.
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Fun Parks in The Netherlands
Efteling
The Efteling has been welcoming visitors to its World of Wonders for almost 60 years. Walk
through the Fairytale Forrest, listen to the Fairytale Tree, dream away in the Dreamflight, or
feel the adrenalin in the Bobsleigh, the flying Thai temple or Villa Volta.
The Efteling is a magical experience. In this park you will find a fairytale world full of wondrous tales, delightful dreams and adventures at high speed. Forget everything else for a
while and take the leading role in the adventure. A day at the Efteling flies by.
More information at www.efteling.com
Duinrell
Amusement park Duinrell provides a splashing day out. From the Waterspin and the Splash to
indoor playground Rick’s Fun Factory and rollercoaster Falcon. Amusement park Duinrell is
an adventure for everyone. In the heart of the amusement park you’ll find the tropical Tiki
Pool. With its eleven slides, the Tiki Pool is the largest covered waterslide paradise in Benelux. You can buy a combination ticket during the amusement park’s opening hours. At night
the Tiki Pool can be visited separately.
More information at www.duinrell.com
Walibi World
Several attractions:
- Crazy River: this water roller-coaster of no less than 524 metres in length takes you on a
wild trip in a tree-trunk.
- Splash battle: This unique attraction takes you on a boat trip past geysers, waterfalls and
tunnels.
- Goliath: The fastest, highest, longest and steepest roller coaster in Benelux! Goliath is 46
metres high, and you will race along the sensational horizontal looping and over the 1.2 km
long ride at speeds up to 106 km/h.
- Space shot: You’ll feel like a real astronaut In the Space Shot. 3,2,1... take off - into
space! You are launched to a height of 60 metres, where you can enjoy a breath taking
view... And then ... the free-fall back to Earth.
- Summer nights marvellous summer evenings at Walibi on 27 July, 3, 10 and 17 August 2011
with extra entertainment and summertime activities. During these evening sessions, the
park stays open until 11 p.m.
More information at www.walibi.com
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Travelling by Public Transport in the Netherlands
Trainticket
To travel by train you can buy a yellow ticket in a vending machine at the train station. You
can also travel with an OV-chipcard, but you need to have at least 10 euro credit on the card.
OV-chipcard
The OV-chipcard is the new means of payment for the public transport system in the Netherlands. The OV-chipcard can be loaded with credit in euros with which you can travel anywhere within the Netherlands. Without travel credit or a travel product you cannot travel
using the OV-chipcard. You can load travel credit or a travel product onto your card at a
vending machine at a station, or at your public transport company’s ticket office.
Some Local Committees will provide you an OV-chipcard, otherwise you can consider buying
one yourself at a train station for €7,50.
Types of cards: There are several types of cards: an anonymous and a disposable card.
- Anonymous card: when you use the public transport system every once in a while,
or when you want to use the public transport system more regularly but you are in The
Netherlands for a short while. You can get an anonymous OV-chipcard at the ticket office
and vending machines at the station.
- Disposable cards: if you travel by public transport only once in a while, or only for a few
days, there are several disposable cards you can buy. Disposable cards are one euro more
expensive than it would be traveling on credit. After usage, the card cannot be reloaded and
can be thrown away. The disposable card can be purchased in much the same way as you
used to buy a train ticket before: per journey or combination journey, for example, 5 sameday return journeys or an OV day card.
Checking in and out
At the start of your journey, you check in at the gate by holding your OV-chipcard up to the
screen. The sound and light signal indicates your card has been read. If you do not have a
specific product on your card and, therefore, pay for your journey using the OV- chipcard epurse, a boarding rate will be deducted when you check in. At the end of your journey, you
check out by holding your card up to the gate screen. The sound and light signal once again
indicates that your card has been read. If you are traveling using the OV- chipcard e-purse,
the actual travel costs, based on the distance travelled, minus the boarding rate is deducted
from or added to the e-purse.
Transfer
Checking in and out is required when you transfer from any one form of transport to another, except when you transfer from one train to another from the same company.
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More information
You can find more information about the public transportation on the following websites:
- www.ns.nl (choose option: English) for any information about trains
- www.9292ov.nl for any information about the public transport
- www.ov-chipkaart.nl for any information about the ov-chipcard
But most people in The Netherlands use a bike for transportation, at least for shorter distances. Amsterdam is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. There
are bike paths and parking possibilities throughout the entire city. However, many bicycles
get stolen so lock your bike properly! Another warning: do not buy bicycles from junkies.
They are cheap, but stolen. Receiving stolen goods is punishable and you will risk a police
record for it.
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Contact information
If you would like some additional information on the NSP or if you have any questions, you
can send an email to [email protected] or use any of the following contact information.
NSP coordinators
Alex Chi
Phone: 0031648578189
Nina Gelineau
Phone: 0031646118051
NEO-In (National Exchange Officer on Incomings)
Djoeke
Phone: 0031641331692
Neo-general (National Exchange Officer - General)
Maud Harding
Phone: 0031620833063
NSP hosting cities:
Amsterdam
Aydan kumcu
Phone: 0031681655490
Email: [email protected]/[email protected]
Leiden:
Jeanine Meenderink
Phone: 0031622815781
Maastricht:
Ibrahim Al-Ghannam
Phone: 0031646091707
Utrecht:
Veerle van der Klei
Phone: 0031629247720
Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
We hope you enjoyed reading this booklet and that we’ve shown you what special things the
Netherlands has to offer. We’re looking forward to meeting you all at any of the NSP’s!
Your NSP coordinators,
Alex Chi and Nina Gelineau
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National Social Programme - IFMSA-NL

Transcription

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