Experience in Gouda, Netherlands by Mark

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What is it like to live in Gouda? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Gouda is a quite and nice town. During the summer, lots of tourist visit Gouda for the cheese market and the authentic city hall. Living in Gouda is nice, though not all the neighbourhoods are really suitable for that, but it's still safe enough.

What is the student lifestyle like in Gouda?

Student life in Gouda is not really great, you have 2 ''clubs'' (if you can call them clubs, more like dancing pubs). Most of the student parties are in Amsterdam, Utrecht or Rotterdam, all which are just an hour of distance by train.

How much does it cost to live in Gouda?

I live with my parents in Gouda so I don't know. I heard from friends that Gouda isn't the cheapest.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

You can find everything concerning food: Greek, Dutch, French, Italian etc. My favourite place to eat and drink is Bar & Brasserie De Zalm, located at de Markt. It's a really fancy restaurant and is one of the oldest places in the Netherlands.

What places would you recommend visiting in Gouda?

Definitely the city hall, the old one that is. Also, visiting the cheese market during summer season is a must. It shows how cheese was being traded in the old days. A third tip is visiting the Saint Jan, the biggest church in Gouda.

Is it good to eat out in Gouda? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

As I said, my favourite spot is 'de Zalm', easily located at de Markt. Another favourite place of mine is Het Vaantje, located in Reeuwijk. It's a bit hard to find but the food is delicious!

Is the nightlife good in Gouda? Where is good to go?

No, not really. You can go to Woodies, the best club in Gouda. It's pretty crowded and the music is good and they stimulate DJ talent from around the area. The drinks are a bit expensive tough. Then there's the Tof, a very small cafe where you can have both lunch and dinner and dance during the nights.

What advice would you give future students heading to Gouda?

If you're looking for student life, don't go to Gouda. It isn't a student city as we have no universities. It is good for commuting to the bigger cities, as Gouda is right in between the major cities of Holland, but I would not recommend it.

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