Experience in Vlissingen, Netherlands by Jochem

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

Living in Vlissingen is very different from other cities with Universities. The city is very historical with great opportunities to release stress. It has places to play sports, to walk, to cycle, but also a cinema, bars and restaurants. I personally like the city because it is very touristic and has a great beach and boulevar. It is not as crowded as other cities. If you seek rest you can find it, even in the city center.

What is the student lifestyle like in Vlissingen?

Everyone lives his student life in a different way. I made long hours every day. For my uni, but also for work. I don't often go to clubs or bars, but of course there are possibilities for students to go out. Thursday night is the night all the students go out in 'Bellemy park'. This is the main place to go out in the city center. There are student organizations that are offering parties and activities. Also the introduction week is organized by these organisations. Of course, if you do not want to these kind of things there are also other fun things to do as students.

How much does it cost to live in Vlissingen?

Compared to other, much bigger cities in the Netherlands, Vlissingen is quite cheap. If you want you can find cheap places to stay for about 250 euros per month. This would give you a room of about 12m2. I payed 313 euros a month for a room of about 20m2. Bills included. There are also studios you can rent, or if you want to share an appartment there are also possibilities for it.

Next to paying rent you also have to buy your groseries. If I were you I would go to somewhere more expensive supermarkets and don't really care about the price, your groseries can cost you up to 160 euros a month. But on average, you would spent about 120 euros per month. This is only true if you cook for yourself most of the days.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Vlissingen? Is there any advice you can give?

I might have been lucky to find a good place real quick, but for others I hear it is sometimes a bit harder to find a good place. I do not think it is as hard as it is in other big cities in the Netherlands like Amsterdam or Rotterdam.

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

As to food, the Netherlands is completely different than for example countries in Asia. In the Netherlands we are used to cook for ourselves sice getting some food elsewhere can cost you very much. We are used to eating bread for either breakfast or lunch and eat warm dishes only for dinner. Dinner time is often between 5 and 7, we are used to eat early. The quality of food is very good, so is the drinking water. My favorite dishes are pasta, pizza and kebab. Mostly Italian dishes.

What places would you recommend visiting in Vlissingen?

When you are in Vlissingen you should definatly see our forest. This place is really close to the beach which you should also visit. People are often walking, relaxing and playing sports there. You should also see the museum if you are interested in these sort of things.

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

So there are a lot of very good restaurants in Vlissingen from different origens. You have traditional snackbars for a quick and cheap meal. But also you have very good italian, greek, portugese, etc. Restaurants. You name it, we probably have it. This is because the city is very touristic. Many great restaurants are found on the boulevard.

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

I personally find the nightlife not that great in Vlissingen. Many bars close early and are either too crowded or completely empty. If you want to have a good time, I recommend you to go to Middelburg. This is the Capital of the province and is close enough to cycle to. You can also take a bus, train or taxi. But a taxi is very expensive, especially at night.

What advice would you give future students heading to Vlissingen?

Try to blend in with other students who are also staying in Vlissingen. Having friends around is a real gamechanger for people who go abroad on their own.

Make sure to buy a cheap bike somewhere. The netherlands is really flat and cycling is the best and cheapest way of traveling. Everyone does it!