The Netherlands, gateway to Europe

The Netherlands is situated in the north-western part of Europe. We are one of the founding members of the European Union, with extensive international trade links and high standards of education, health care and social equality. Our merchant past is still evident today in both historic architecture and the international outlook of the population.

Although Dutch is the main language, English is widely spoken. Our society is culturally and ethnically varied within a safe environment: tradition is valued but change welcomed and freedom of religious beliefs is a fundamental right. This is particularly true for Groningen.

Coming to Groningen, you will find that it's not just the city itself that offers a wealth of cultural possibilities. Groningen's central location in Europe makes it very easy to visit world cities such as Paris, Brussels, London and Berlin. In weekends you could just hop on the train at Groningen Central Station and be in Brussels or Paris in just a few hours. By plane, London and Berlin are only about an hour away. In other words: Groningen offers plenty of possibilities to explore Europe!