Where to live in Rotterdam

IN THIS SECTION
Introduction
Hillegersberg
Schiebroek
Kralingen
Berkel en Rodenrijs
Bergschenhoek

Introduction

There are several suburbs in and around Rotterdam where expats and new arrivals to Rotterdam seem to cluster, namely Hillegersberg, Kralingen, Bergschenhoek, Berkel en Rodenrijs. Each have their own attributes but is dependent on what your requirements are.

Hillegersberg

Hillegersberg is friendly neighbourhood with lots of trees and pretty streets which are usually quiet enough for strolling with buggies and energetic toddlers. It has an old fashioned feel and is a nice retreat from the city.

It is situated on the edge of the Bergse Bos, an area of woodlands and waterways, which comes alive at weekends with walkers, cyclists, horse-riders and joggers. There's also lots of different types of sailing on the lakes in Hillegersberg and on the River Rotte, which meanders through the Bergse Bos. There's a golf course, artificial ski-slope and a climbing wall. These provide the only recognisable 'hills' in Hillegersberg!

The houses in the area mainly date from the 1930's onwards and are typically terraced and arranged on three floors with small gardens. There are other housing options depending on budget and location requirements.

The local shopping precinct, which centers around the Bergse Dorpstraat (the village High Street) are nice to browse in and many sell designer goods. However, you can also find some good butchers, bakers, grocers, newsagents, pharmacists, gift shops and ironmongers. Dutch supermarkets are much smaller than seen in other countries, but Hillegersberg does have a couple of reasonable size options for family shopping.

There are a few restaurants and cafes - for enjoying Dutch coffee and appletart - and some have a view over the lake towards the windmill!

The No. 4 tram begins and ends in Hillegersberg and runs to the city centre from 6am until midnight, taking around 20 minutes to get the Central Station. Rotterdam airport is a 10 minute drive away. Hillegersberg is not far from Bergschenhoek, Berkel and Schiebroek which also provide good shopping facilities.

The InTouch Mums and Tots group meets at clubhouse 5 minutes drive from Hillegersberg. The American and Japanese International Schools (one complex) are situated in Hillegersberg and there many excellent Dutch schools locally also.

There are few ' swing parks' but Plaswijkpark - a small adventure park with swings, slides, pedalos, carousel and animals - is nearby, as is a swimming pool with small pools for toddlers. There are outdoor pools in nearby towns for the summer months. There are also numerous children's farms within driving and cycling distance.

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Schiebroek

Schiebroek is a quiet family area adjacent to Hillegersberg. It has good public transport links into the city centre (via Trams 20 and 25) and a bus route connecting the area to Hillegersberg and beyond to Alexandrium Shopping Centre. It is also very close to Rotterdam Airport, which also means you need to choose your location carefully to avoid too much noise.

The area has three supermarkets; Albert Hein, Plus and Lidl as well as numerous shops lining the local main street, Peppelweg. There are clothing shops, butchers, greengrocers, opticians, pet stores, hairdressers and just about anything else you might need. The market square is home to the Friday Market where you will find visiting greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, florists, as well as stalls selling clothing, sweets, baked goods, toiletries...you get the idea!

It is a great family area, with the local market square hosting events for the children every holiday. The local animal farm and Plaswijk Park are just a short walk, along with large parklands to walk and cycle through. There a number of peuterspeelzaal (playschools), primary schools and a couple of high schools.

It has the bonus of being in the area where the InTouch Moms and Tots meeting place is located also.

Kralingen

Kralingen is located about 10 minutes from the city centre of Rotterdam and is a popular location for expats. It is a mixture of modern and historic buildings (Oud Kralingen) as part of the suburb was built post war. The suburb is home to a large park area, Kralingse Bos, with a very picturesque lake and recreation area close by. The tram and metro network is well located and organised (Tram 7) and takes you to the city centre. The shopping centre is fairly unremarkable although now has a new Albert Hein. You could also try the Lufthofstraat behind Ouderdijk for cheese, fish, fruit and veggies, meat, household and pharmacy requirements.

The local fitness complex, Healthfit, provides aerobics, weight training and "spinning" classes, Dylan's Brasserie, swimming pool, turkish bath facilities and Cosmo Beauty and Hair. There is a small onsite creche for newborn age upwards, where you can book your children in casually or, a membership paid monthly will secure you regular bookings. A tennis club is adjacent to the fitness centre.

Erasmus University is located on the outskirts of Kralingen offering a full spectrum of undergraduate and post graduate study.

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Berkel en Rodenrijs

Berkel en Rodenrijs is an ever growing village just north of Rotterdam (and Hillegersberg). When building is complete the estimated number of residents will be 35,000. Berkel en Rodenrijs is situated in the triangle of Rotterdam, The Hague and Zoetermeer, so close to the big cities yet still retaining it's village feel.

Berkel en Rodenrijs train station is in the Rodenrijs, southern part of the village. The train currently runs from Rotterdam Hofplein through Berkel en Rodenrijs to Den Haag central. However, once the the new Ranstad rail network is completed the trains will stop at several stations in the village and will go directly to Rotterdam central station and connect up with the metro system. There are also frequent bus services which run from Rotterdam and Zoetermeer. Parking in the centre of Berkel en Rodenrijs uses the blue time card system.

Berkel en Rodenrijs has a newly improved shopping centre where you can comfortably do all of your shopping. Some of the larger shops include, Albert Hein, C1000, Hema, Kruidvat, Intertoys and Marskramer. There is also a large weekly market on a Wednesday.

Future plans for the village include a large sports park development, new schools and a new health centre.

Bergschenhoek

Bergschenhoek is a village 20 minutes from the centre of Rotterdam and 10 minutes from Rotterdam Airport. There is a large variety of modern family homes all with gardens. There are many small play parks built into the housing developments and also a small children's farm.

The centre of the village is walking distance from all the houses and very accessible with prams and buggies. The variety of shops in the village cater for everyday needs, including a large modern child friendly supermarket with a spacious underground carpark. A local family cafe come restaurant makes great milkshakes, but unfortunately Bergschenhoek hasn't a venue for a romantic meal.

Bergschenhoek has the only International English speaking nursery school in the Rotterdam area; Funtazia. Rotterdam international primary and secondary schools are 20 minutes away by car and the American School is 10 minutes. There are a number of full time nurseries in Bergschenhoek that provide day care for zero to four year olds

During the hot summer months there is an open air swimming pool and recreation complex (Windas Speeltuin, Berkelseweg 21, 2661AK); with a toddlers pool, two large pools and a large grass area to picnic. Bergschenhoek is a great place to live with a young family.

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