Living in Hilversum and Het Gooi: an expat guide
What to expect in Hilversum and Het Gooi
Life in the Het Gooi region is essentially life in the countryside with the convenience of being close to the capital city. It is a beautiful area in which to walk and cycle with lots of nature reserves, lakes, woods and moorland. It is also an area full of large country villas with huge gardens which you won’t find in Amsterdam itself.
If you value your privacy you will enjoy the fact that you are likely to be a distance from your nearest neighbours and may seldom see them unless you make an effort to do so. On the downside, the transport connections, both within and to and from Het Gooi, are fairly poor and so you are reliant on your car to get about - or go local and ride your bike. In addition, the roads between Het Gooi and Amsterdam are some of the busiest in the Netherlands, so a theoretical 20-minute journey can take a lot longer during rush hour.
Schools in Hilversum
There are some very good Dutch schools in Het Gooi; be aware that the best primary schools will have waiting lists. If you are looking for an international primary education, IPS Hilversum attracts some expats for its full IB programme, while International School Hilversum is an all-through school which also attracts the foreign community. Others head to the International School Laren, about 20 minutes away from Hilversum. Another option to bear in mind is a daily commute to school in Amsterdam. For the international schools, there are school buses from Het Gooi which can use special lanes so they don’t get held up in rush hour traffic.
Sports and activities in the Het Gooi
If you are a keen sportsperson, there are sports clubs with excellent facilities in Het Gooi. These have differing levels of stringency with regards to membership and waiting lists are common. To join other clubs, you may need to be recommended by existing members so it is worth seeking out members via work or other contacts. For the best golf clubs, you may have a chance after 10 years on the waiting list!
