Modis

Eindhoven

Written by Amanda Cliff, Business Support Manager

The Netherlands' largest city "south of the big rivers", Eindhoven's a growing city that gets bigger, brighter and better every year. Home to nearly 210,000 inhabitants, one Europe’s top 3 technical universities, Philips, DAF, PSV football team, and the famous Van Abbe Modern Art museum, Eindhoven draws people from all over The Netherlands and all corners of the globe. It’s got a young, multi-cultural feel with restaurants to suit every palate and pocket.

Eindhoven is close to the Belgian border, and only an hour from Germany, but still close to UK. With a crossroads location and expanding regional airport it makes a great hub for business. Eindhoven, also known as Lighttown, was built on the ingenuity of inventive boffins – the Compact Disc, 'Philishave' electric razor, and light bulb mass-production were born here - it’s a leading player in Europe’s drive to lead the world in innovation.
A modern, leafy city and an easy place to live, with good cycling in the surrounding countryside and a buzzing café-culture.

Favourite Bars

  • Any of the cafés on the Markt (people-watching on the terrasjes)
  • Café 2B’s (De Bier Professor)
  • Stratumseind (good range of Belgian beers)
  • Grand Café Berlage, Kleine Berg (nice beer garden) http://www.berlage.nl
  • Eetcafé De Baron, Kleine Berg (friendly local, good beer)
  • Café De Groot, Wilhelminaplein (quiet terrasje on leafy square)

Favourite or Recommended Restaurants

  • Stadcafé Restaurant De Vooruitgang, Markt 11, (Inventive bistro food) http://www.de-vooruitgang.nl
  • Restaurant Indonesia, Jan van Lieshoutstraat 22, just off the Markt (Spicy. Rijstafel is a banquet of small dishes of different flavours)
  • Het Groot Genoegen, Ten Hagestraat 2, opposite Dorint Hotel (Steaks and seafood with a Flemish twist)
  • Tortillas Mexicaans Eetcafé, Dommelstraat 34, (Mexican) http://www.tortillas.nl/
  • Sala Thai, Staringstraat 31, (Royal Thai cuisine, for special treats) http://www.restaurantsalathai.nl/  
  • Da Nello Italiaans Restaurant, Stratumsedijk 21/C, near Van Abbe museum (Top class Italian, the only place real Italians will eat)
  • Iris Vegetarisch Restaurant, Voorterweg 168 (Cosy home cooking)

What Not to Miss Out On!
Eindhoven is a place to live, not to visit, and takes time to appreciate. Head to the Tourist Information Office (VVV) outside the train station and investigate – they have a wealth of knowledge. Highlights include:


Shopping
One of the biggest and best town centres for shopping in the South of NL.


Chilling
A lazy afternoon on a terrasje in summer with friends has to be one of the best aspects about laidback life on the Continent. Enjoy the famous “Burgundian” lifestyle – always with restraint of course!


Cycling
Hire bikes from under the train station, pick up a map from the VVV and head off to explore the extensive network of bike paths. You can be out in the woods and fields in less than 20 minutes and of course – there are no hills!


Cinema/Music/Fun

  • Best multiplex is the Pathe on Dommelstraat http://www.pathe.nl.  Mainstream with occasional themed presentations.
  • For arthouse and foreign-language (Dutch sub-titles) as well as nice food, head for Plaza Futura Film en Theatercentrum, Leenderweg 65, http://www.plazafutura.nl/
  • What’s on? http://www.biosehv.nl/
  • The newly revamped Effenaar is fast becoming a hot venue for rising stars yet still welcomes the golden oldies that just can’t stop touring. www.effenaar.nl/
  • Only 35 kms away is the world-famous amusement park Efteling. It’s a magical day out and not just for kids! http://www.efteling.com

Basic Area Information
Eindhoven city council has declared its intention of attracting another 1,000 international knowledge workers to settle in the area over the next 10 years and has even built a website to help them relocate - www.eindhoven.eu.  This web page covers most bases for practical information – check out the video too - http://www.eindhoven.eu/en/Video_City_of_Eindhoven

Cost of living here is typical for north-west Europe – a bit cheaper than UK, and definitely cheaper than the Amsterdam-Den Haag-Rotterdam arc. If you’re moving here long term, go for unfurnished accommodation and get around by bike, bus and train instead of by car, you can have a comfortable standard of living for not too much money.
The big advantage is that once you’re settled, life is very efficiently set up so you don’t waste much time on day-to-day chores – electronic payment of bills is the norm, workmen turn up when they say they will, everything is well organised.


Useful Links
www.eindhoven.eu - English language site Eindhoven city council
www.eindhoven.nl - Dutch language site Eindhoven city council
www.vvveindhoven.nl - Eindhoven tourist info
www.routenet.nl - maps
http://wikitravel.org/en/Eindhoven - background on Eindhoven
www.expatica.com - useful info about life here, news in English

Links for Tourist Information
http://www.eindhovenairport.com/  - a mix of scheduled, low-cost and charter flights currently or soon to serve Hamburg, Paris, London Heathrow, London Stansted, Barcelona Girona, Rome Ciampino, Milaan Bergamo, Dublin, Istanbul, Antalya, Pisa, Southampton, Faro, Alicante, Malaga, Glasgow, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Budapest
http://www.ns.nl - trains, domestic & international
http://www.9292ov.nl/  - public transport

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