Hopefully, you had fun in the sun over the weekend because it’s time to trade those summer dresses for raincoats as the Dutch rain makes a comeback.
Monday morning may be greeting you with sunshine and clear skies, but don’t be fooled — typical Dutch weather over the next few days will bring alternating sun, clouds, and rain (natuurlijk 🙄).
A sunny and dry start to the week
For most parts of the Netherlands, you’ll have your daily dose of sunshine and dry weather this morning. According to NU.nl, clouds will make an appearance, especially in the east and northeast, where there is the possibility for some light rain.
There is some relief from the boiling temperatures of the weekend, with Monday reaching 20 degrees Celsius on the Wadden, and inland temperatures reaching between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius.
However, don’t celebrate too soon, as Tuesday will have you ready to jump back into the pool with tropical temperatures of up to 32 degrees Celsius in Achterhoek, Limburg, and the east of Brabant.
The west and northwest, on the other hand, will have a cooler time at 23 to 26 degrees Celsius. Helaas, the fun may not last, as moderate to strong winds could bring the chance of thunderstorms in the evening.
Downhill from Wednesday
Sunglasses, a light sweater, and a raincoat — yep, you’ll need all of them with the confusing and unpredictable weather for the rest of the week.
Wednesday will bring a high chance of you being caught in a drizzle, with rain and thunderstorms moving across the country. Despite the rain, the sun won’t abandon us completely and will make occasional appearances.
Meanwhile, the mercury will rise to 24 degrees Celsius in the southeast, and reach between 20 and 23 degrees in the rest of the country.
The usual unpredictability of Dutch weather continues into Thursday, which will see both rain showers and sunny periods. The northwest will reach a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius, while the southeast will reach 24 degrees.
Sick of never knowing what weather to dress for? Unfortunately, the pattern of sun, clouds, and rain will continue for the rest of the week, so it looks like Buienradar is going to be our best friend for the foreseeable future!
How do you prepare for unpredictable Dutch weather? Tell us in the comments!
The Rutte IV cabinet collapsed late Friday evening after ministers failed to reach an agreement on migrant policies, despite several months of intense debate.
The coalition, consisting of the VVD (Rutte’s party), Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Union (CU), and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), were working to limit the influx of migrants and asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
However, the VVD and CDA had much stricter measures in mind than D66 and CDA, reports RTL Nieuws.
Final compromises and policies
According to the NOS, a majority of ministers held a final meeting on Friday evening to come up with a compromise on migrant policies.
It’s not quite official until the coalition announces it — but who are they fooling? 😅
Storm Poly who? The sunshine is coming in hot this weekend, making you forget all about the abusive Dutch weather we had on Wednesday.
Yep, forget those images of trees being ripped from their roots as rain pours down. It’s time to flip the switch, strap on those big floppy summer hats, and get ready to smear a bucket full of sunscreen on. Things are set to get hot this weekend.
How hot, you may ask? Potentially the hottest this year! Starting today, temperatures will rise and keep rising until Saturday, which threatens to reach temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius.
Feel the temperature risin’
Yep, July is starting off warmer than usual, with Friday afternoon temperatures expected to reach a tropical 28 degrees Celsius in the centre of the country and up to 30 degrees Celsius in Limburg.
If you thought the summer weather we had earlier this year made you a sweaty mess, be prepared to become a ball of sweaty goo. Why? Forget Friday, Saturday has the possibility of being the hottest day this year so far, reports NU.nl.
You’ll be hunting for shade with inland temperatures reaching a spicy 34 degrees Celsius. 🌶 If you can’t stand the heat, make a quick escape to the Wadden Islands, which will experience maximum temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius.
Helaas, nighttime won’t bring relief either. There’ll be tossing, turning, and cursing with high humidity expected to disturb your sleep.
More heat on Sunday but perhaps don’t barbecue
While Sunday will stay warm for the time of year at 27 degrees Celsius in the centre of the country and up to 31 degrees Celsius in the southeast, clouds will appear throughout the day.
Not to rain on your parade, but there is a chance of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, so make sure you finish up the barbecue before then.
How do you deal with the heat on summer days? Tell us in the comments!
It’s a frightening day for backsides in the Netherlands: straw toilet paper is now in stock at your local supermarket.
Sustainable straw toilet paper options are apparently spreading like wildfire across retailers’ inventories.
Rear-ends can only tremble in terror as we await our fate. People are dreading the prospect of chafing, and fearing for potential gluten intolerance flare-ups.
“Nature calls”
Still, sacrificing a bit of comfort while in the water closet could potentially save our lives and the planet, RTL Nieuws reports. 🌱
Research from hygiene specialist CWS revealed a devastating truth: we all mindlessly dispose of 57 toilet paper sheets every day. In a year, that figure amounts to roughly 21,000. *Sigh* If we had a dime for every sheet of toilet roll…
Edet toilet paper, created by the company Essity, has been deemed more “sustainable” than regular toilet tissue as it is composed of 10% straw pulp — which they intend to crank up to 30% “in the future”. 👀
Sorry “treehuggers”, it turns out that to have a green thumb you should use straw paper on your…bum. 🥴 The reason why straw is a better option is simple: trees’ fibres grow at a more glacial pace than straw’s fibres, making them a much less renewable resource.
Too many people these days use toilet paper to wipe. I'm challenging you to join me, Zain "The Stain" Naghmi, to a towel-only September. Together we will put the "Stain" in Sustainable. #NoWipe
Plus, far fewer food chains are dependent on straw to survive, which means that frankly, no one would really miss it once it’s flushed down in the powder room.
Basically, it’s renewable, it’s natural, it’s organic ✨…and Gwyneth Paltrow has probably already been using it for years.
Our behinds are…behind the times
As it turns out, so has Groningen! While we gawk in shock and horror, the northern Dutch province is currently scoffing at us weaklings. Their backsides have been hardened and jaded by years of getting accustomed to straw paper already.
That’s right — in the past, there were multiple paper factories located in Groningen all using straw, to the point where the concept (and sensation) became normalised.
So, will we now have trouble sitting our hindquarters down? Voorma van Essity of Essity assures RTL Nieuws that the experience is no less soft than our usual tree-paper bathroom trips.
Others are paranoid about allergic reactions: “What if my gluten intolerance acts up from it?”, people are wondering — a conspiracy Van Essity (laughingly) shuts down.
Grab them rolls and prep your cheeks, guys, it’s time to do your part for the environment.
The well-being of the planet or the comfort of our behinds — which should we prioritise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
After a long day of discussions in The Hague yesterday, Dutch political parties find themselves at possibly irreparable odds that could lead to the fall of the cabinet. Why? It concerns a new asylum policy.
Yesterday, negotiations were held within the cabinet to discuss introducing a policy that would limit the flow of asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
However, discussions went on until way past dusk — 1.45 AM, in fact — and created more tension than results, reports the NOS.
Mark Rutte, Prime Minister and leader of the VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy), wants to impose the policy, and it’s stirring up an atmosphere of crisis within the cabinet.
What is this asylum policy?
The first measure of this proposed policy would give different rights to at-risk people (those threatened because of their political ideas or sexual orientation) and refugees fleeing war.
On this aspect of the policy, the political parties VVD, D66 (Democrats 66), CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal), and ChristenUnie (Christian Union) came to an agreement — phew.
However, it got messy after that. The VVD also wants to put a maximum on the number of family members allowed to join refugees fleeing from war in the Netherlands.
This would mean only 200 family members may enter the country each month — and that’s only after a two-year waiting period.
This would make it much harder for refugees in the Netherlands fleeing from war to be with their partners, parents, or siblings.
It’s a hard no from ChristenUnie and D66
This element of the policy does not sit well with two major political parties in the Netherlands. The ChristenUnie and D66 parties refused to support it, with ChristenUnie saying that “as a family party, it’s non-negotiable,” writes the NOS.
The result? Tension in the cabinet exploded. In response to ChristenUnie and D66’s opposition, Rutte straight up threatened to drop the cabinet. Yep, that’s right.
D66 and ChristenUnie have accused Rutte of being reckless, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to support this measure. It wouldn’t be the first time, remember when the Netherlands didn’t have a cabinet for almost a year?
Mark Rutte heeft aan de onderhandelingstafel excuus aangeboden voor zijn gedrag van de avond ervoor, zeggen mensen die erbij waren. ‘Hij had wel door dat het niet helemaal goed was gegaan’ #asiel#kabinetscrisispic.twitter.com/hxutiq4e9G
Translation: “Mark Rutte apologised at the negotiating table for his behaviour the night before, people who were there say. ‘He realised that things hadn’t gone quite right'”
While Rutte has apologised for his behaviour, and all parties have agreed to continue the discussions today, all parties seem to be staying put in their positions, far away from an agreement.
Take a step away from the monotonous rhythm of life and step into another world full of bopping artistic and thrilling light, sound, and visual displays.
Watch the lasers bounce off the walls to the bumping beat of a groove. Feel the music in your bones while being mesmerised by a hypnotic light show.
Lose all notions of time as you’re absorbed by the mesmerising art bouncing off every wall of the room.
All this is possible without even smoking it up in Amsterdam. 😉
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With seven fascinating spaces filled with state-of-the-art technology to discover, the AMAZE Immersive Audiovisual Experience will give you shivers and thrills throughout the whole experience.
This multi-sensory experience in Amsterdam is truly unique, carrying you through 30 years of elaborate show effects — and you won’t be able to take your eyes off them.
From smoke, lasers, light shows, new media art, and sounds, we can’t even list all the special effects you’ll come across throughout your evening at AMAZE.
Brought to you by Dutch Dance and ID&T — the iconic masters of festival and nightlife that created the world-renowned Tomorrowland and Sensation music events, this is the complete opposite of an amateur act.
Grab a drink along your way, let the beats flow through your body, take it all, and reconnect with your inner self for a few hours. We promise, there’s nothing like it.
There are many things in our adult lives that we would like to think we can do without professional help: taking out insurance, setting up utilities, and even raising another human — but when it comes to buying or selling your home in the Netherlands, there are many reasons why you should consider getting a realtor involved.
In the Netherlands, you may need an aankoopmakelaar (buying realtor) or simply makelaar (realtor, when selling) when you choose to buy or sell a house. While some things can be learned on your own through a process of trial and error, it’s best not to adopt this tactic when it comes to snapping up or selling a house in the Netherlands.
What do realtors do in the Netherlands?
You can think of a realtor as an agent who will hold your hand through almost the entire process of buying or selling your house. You hand over your information or keys, and they will use their expertise to find you the best deal.
Realtors are not compulsory when you decide to buy/sell a property in Holland but many people do use one. Is buying or selling your house that hard you may be asking yourself? The answer is, frankly, yes — especially when you’re an international.
The exact steps that a realtor takes in buying or selling your property are many of the reasons why you should consider using one! Let’s start with buying a house.
Do I need a realtor when buying a house in the Netherlands?
As we have touched on above, it is not compulsory for you to have a purchasing realtor (aankoopmakelaar) when you buy a house in the Netherlands — but many do choose to have one. This is for a number of reasons:
Your realtor will do the research for you
Firstly, a realtor will do most of the heavy lifting for you. Their first step in the process of finding you a home involves creating a personal searching profile for you. The profile is compiled based on your personal preferences and expectations.
A makelaar or realtor will begin by setting up a buyers profile for you. Image: stokkete/Depositphotos
Using their expert experience, they will also make sure you’re not taken advantage of while on the hunt. For example, your realtor will look into how much certain properties usually sell for in an area — meaning they can prevent you from falling victim to unnecessarily hiked up prices.
They also have the time to research when you don’t — it’s their job to find you a house, meaning that you can guarantee enough time is being spent on the important task of finding your home.
Your realtor will find houses for you to view
A realtor will source house viewings for you — which is often a very time-consuming process. They will also attend the viewings with you to offer their expert opinion on the property.
As an international in the Netherlands, it can be overwhelming to go through the process of buying a house. Juiste Makelaar have over 500 realtors that they can put you in touch with, many of which are certified expat brokers! Once you make a request on Juiste Makelaar, they will reach out to you to match you with your perfect realtor for your situation.
Your realtor will give you access to more houses
It’s important to remember that realtors have access to houses before they are listed on Funda — the website where most Dutch houses are listed for sale.
When a property matches your searching profile, your realtor is notified and you are given the chance to view the house before it has even made its appearance on Funda.
A makelaar will get you into a viewing before the property is even on Funda. Image: monkeybusiness/Depositphotos
This gives you a huge advantage over those without expert help as your realtor can book you into a viewing before other buyers even know the property is on the market.
Your realtor knows the area
Realtors often work in a specific region. Meaning that your realtor lives and breathes the market and knows what you should realistically pay for that apartment in Amsterdam. They know who wants to sell what and when, and they can determine the best options based on your budget and preferences.
Your realtor will represent you
Once you have found your perfect property, a realtor will step in and handle a good deal of the negotiations such as the price and whether furniture should be included. Again, this saves you a lot of time and grey hairs.
Being represented by a realtor at this stage is important as often there’s another realtor also representing the sellers — and a battle between an amateur vs an expert is never going to end well.
Your realtor is the expert when it comes to negotiations
You may fancy yourself to be quite the haggler but realtors have experience of the market — meaning they know when you’re being swindled and what the fairest price should be. This prevents you from both over and underbidding when you enter the battlefield (the bidding stage). This is especially handy in this hot and cooking scene which is the Dutch housing market.
They will handle the paperwork
Once you have found your dream property, your real estate agent will also handle the important paperwork.
A realtor will ensure that you don’t sign anything that you shouldn’t in your Dutch housing contract. Image: AndreyPopov/Depositphotos
Your realtor plays a key role when it comes to your contract. In most regions, they are responsible for writing up the preliminary contract when you opt to buy a house. This is legally binding after three days of signing, meaning that for this stage, it is important that you get a realtor involved.
Your realtor will examine your contract and make sure that the selling realtor hasn’t hidden anything unfair in the fine print (news flash: the housing market is fairly cut-throat.)
Note: In Amsterdam, your realtor is not responsible for your preliminary contract. Instead, a notary does this as there are more aspects to consider when buying a house in Amsterdam.
Do I need a realtor when selling a house in the Netherlands?
Now, what if the tables were turned and you decided to sell your home? Again, a realtor is not compulsory if you want to sell a property in the Netherlands but one is strongly recommended.
Many of the reasons above can also be applied to a situation where you are selling a property. For example, a makelaar knows everything about the housing market, will handle the negotiations, and navigate the tricky paperwork for you.
However, there are some reasons why a realtor would benefit you specifically as a seller:
You can’t put your property on Funda without a realtor
Again, Funda is one of the first places potential buyers will begin to look for their future home in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, you will not be able to upload your property to the site without a professional getting involved.
Even in this market, this puts you at an immediate disadvantage when selling your home. By maximising the number of potential buyers involved, you’re guaranteeing that you receive the highest value for your house.
Your realtor will handle the viewings
Most viewings in the Netherlands are held during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM.) This means that if you want to organise a viewing yourself, you’re also going to have to organise some time off work.
The Dutch housing market is flooded with hundreds of potential viewers, your makelaar will take care of them. Image: pressmaster/Depositphotos
This may sound doable at first but due to the current housing crisis, a new property on the market will easily attract 100 people — yikes!
If you have a realtor, they will both organise and host the viewings for you — so you don’t have to worry about disrupting your workday.
Your realtor will manage the marketing
It may seem easy to sell a house when there’s a housing crisis — but that doesn’t mean you’ll easily sell the property for what it’s worth. Realtors are trained to make your home as appealing as possible for viewers, and they know how much you should be asking for.
If you’re looking for the perfect agent, Juiste Makelaar can find you the ideal fit — no strings attached and all gratis! They consider your needs then compare hundreds of agents across the Netherlands to find you your dream makelaar.
Have you worked with a realtor in the Netherlands before? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Here comes another hit to your bank account — the price per average square meter for rentals has increased… again! 😬
We can smell the desperation when it comes to housing and, apparently, everyone else can too. Based on findings by housing agency Pararius, the largest five cities in the Netherlands have seen rent increase by 5% to over 7% compared to a year ago. Echt?!
Bye bye money… 💸
After the denial, anger, and tears you’re probably wondering why. Well, it’s the increasing pressure on the rental market, of course.
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Eindhoven won’t be calling your name anymore, with high rental prices and low availability.
Average salaries 3 to 5k (?)
Average rent for a "middle class apartment" in Rotterdam 2300 (according to a video I just saw). Social Rent, 15 year wait.
Average workers should afford average housing on a single income. Something is very wrong.#Netherlands#HousingCrisis
Over the past three months, the number of rentals available in these cities dropped a whopping 27% compared to the previous year, reports the NOS.
It’s a nee from landlords
People move out and you get the chance to move in, right? That’s what you thought, helaas private landlords are shaking their heads and calling it quits.
Yep, landlords aren’t getting enough out of renting anymore, apparently. Must be all those government measures that are going to put a stop to those greedy landlords from charging an arm and a leg for what should be called a closet in Amsterdam. 👀
Not only that, but private landlords are also paying higher wealth tax this year. So, what are landlords doing? Selling their no-longer-fruitful investments.
What does that mean for us? Fewer housing options, and crazy people overbidding! Agh, nee! Overbidding has become more popular in the largest cities and could very well be the reason rental prices have increased so harshly.
Pitch that tent and make sure you have a sturdy suitcase because that might be your new closet for a while!
Have you experienced overbidding in the rental market? Tell us about it in the comments!
A study by the Mobile Bank N26 has revealed that for all our complaining, the Netherlands is actually a very safe, privileged place to study and live.
Mobile Bank’s research intended to unveil the cost of studying at 50 different universities, the cost of living in 100 different cities worldwide, and the future salaries of the university’s graduates.
That way, students can figure out where they get a greater value for their money across different countries before committing to a university. Phew!
Where does the Netherlands stand?
Despite its recent crowning as Europe’s most expensive city, the city of Amsterdam managed to rank third, following Prague and Tokyo when it comes to the cost of living and livability:
City
Score
1. Prague
100.00
2. Tokyo
96.20
3. Amsterdam
96.19
4. Madrid
95.08
5. Reykjavik
94.88
6. Berlin
94.72
7. Edinburgh
93.61
8. Tallinn
93.60
9. Vienna
93.43
10. Copenhagen
92.84
What do cost of living and livability mean exactly? Well, N26 took into account the prices of student accommodation, student catering, along with the nightlife and smart mobility (or public transport) of each city to determine these results.
Not only that but the Netherlands as a whole ranked 8th for its “Top Universities Score” — in other words, the overall quality of the country’s higher education.
The countries with the highest costs for one year of university started off with the USA at the top (no surprises there), and saw the Netherlands occupy the 28th position.
How were these rankings measured, you might ask? The 50 countries selected were all famous for having “good universities”, and the degree subjects chosen for examination in the data were medicine, nursing, law, civil engineering, software development, and teaching.
Do these findings reflect your experiences studying in the Netherlands? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Visiting Leiden? Wonderful idea! Is your bank account eating away at your overdraft?
No problemo, we’ve got you covered with 7 of the best free things to do on your trip to Leiden.
1. Visit De Burcht
The first unmissable free attraction is De Burcht, the public park with the circular fort. A shell keeps back in the day, the De Burcht is now a romantic patriotic symbol of Leiden.
It’s basically a miniature castle right in the heart of the city, with a panoramic view from the top. To get the most out of this experience, climb up at sunrise or sunset.
Isn’t that a gorgeous spot to take a pic? (Or take a date.) Image: W.Bulach/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0
2. Go on a poetic scavenger hunt
From poetry decorating the facades of townhouses to giant scientific formulas marking the walls — Leiden is full of street art to discover entirely for free.
The city is overflowing with poetry written in different languages, inspired by a single-wall poem in 1992. If you’re feeling wild, you could try finding as many as possible, though it should be mentioned that there are over 120 wall poems in total.
There’s even a cute and funky website featuring tailored routes walking you past the wall poetry, and also offering translations where necessary.
You can choose different themes too! If you have an emotional affinity toward the natural world, for instance, they’ll give you a digital map featuring 10 wall poems on nature. Pretty handy, eh?
How about this Shakespeare sonnet? Image: Depositphotos
3. Parks, parks, parks
Leiden offers several beautiful parks, but the two you should definitely check out are Het Plantsoen and Van der Werfpark.
Take a picnic blanket to Het Plantsoen and relax by the waterfront. If you have some cash to spare, drop by your favourite supermarket and get some snacks to enjoy.
The park is designed according to English gardening practices — so you might wanna bring some tea, darling!
For all those history nerds amongst you, Van der Werfpark is built on the site of a gunpowder explosion in 1807. This was called the ‘Great Ruin’ but is now where the statue of Van der Werff stands proudly on his pedestal.
Former major Van der Werff overlooking Leiden park was named in his honuor. Image: Depositphotos
4. Climb the De Put windmill
De Put windmill has been destroyed twice, but it is such a lovely historical landmark that they keep rebuilding it! The view, framed by a small circular window, is well worth the climb.
Plus, its neighbouring bridge leads to Rembrandtplaats on the opposite side, and the mill and the bridge together make for a charming Dutch scene.
Another charming detail: you can buy different kinds of flours at the windmill. From wholewheat to spelt or bread flour, De Put sells it all.
De Put and Rembrandtbridge make for a stunning pair. Image: Depositphotos
5. Explore the courtyards
Looking for a tranquil place for a time-out? Stroll around some of Leiden’s 35 courtyards (hofjes). Every single courtyard has its own story to tell and some even date as far back as the 13th century.
Regardless, all courtyards are extremely well-maintained and are hidden right in the city centre. In such an urban landscape built above the water, you wouldn’t imagine all those secret gardens lie between the buildings.
This is the cute Michelshof in Leiden. Image: Depositphotos
6. Attend an event at Vrijplaats
Vrijplaats is a cultural centre run by volunteers that hosts a range of live music events and DJ nights. Whether you’re a punk, disco, sci-trance or folk fan, there is something for everyone. Organisations use this space for parties, theatre performances, film screenings and debates.
They also have the wonderful Weggeefwinkel, a give-away shop where customers can find crockery, clothing, toys, books and electrical appliances that need a new home.
This deservedly won the Marga Klompé prize in 1999 for ‘the most social and peace-loving project’.
Caring is sharing — don’t forget to bring something to the Weggeefwinkel if you want to shop there for free. Image: Biccie/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0
7. Experience the Saturday market
Leiden is usually a quaint and quiet place, but if you like a little bustle, why not check out the Saturday market? Try some free samples of (delicious) cheese, olives and dips.
Ever thought about strolling over the market during the early morning hours? Image: Unsplash/Maurice Smeets
