best city for expats: Amsterdam – The Netherlands

Amsterdam is energised by an internationally-minded workforce and slick design scene. But simultaneously, charming vignettes associated with the Dutch capital are very real: you’ll cycle alongside canals, gather bunches of tulips in Bloemenmarkt, and walk the same streets as Rembrandt.

Amsterdammers value work-life balance so expats fall into the same rhythm, spending weekends ambling through Vondelpark, sipping jenever (a juniper-based spirit) in wood-lined bars, and definitely not checking work emails. Four different countries lie within a four-hour road trip of Amsterdam; try Düsseldorf, Brussels, Lille and Luxembourg for short breaks awash in art, architecture and excellent beer.