Moving to the Netherlands? Here’s How to Build a Social Life That Feels Like You
Whether you’ve moved for love, work, or simply a change of pace, arriving in a new country can feel equal parts exciting and isolating. The Netherlands makes a wonderful home — it’s easy to get around, the quality of life is high, and most people speak English — but building a life that feels yours takes a little time.
We’ve been there. As foreigners ourselves, we remember how long it took to go from “this is beautiful” to “this feels like mine.” It often starts with small moments — finding your coffee shop, saying hi to your grocer, getting invited to something. If you're feeling unsure of how to meet people or build community here, you're not alone — and there are plenty of thoughtful ways to get started.
Go Where People Want to Talk
The Dutch can be famously direct but also famously private — which means a lot of friendships happen through shared activities, not spontaneous pub chats. Look for experiences where people are open by design.
🍷 Attend a local wine or food event
Events like Raravina’s tastings, floristry workshops, or supper clubs attract curious, creative people from all walks of life. Many of our guests come solo or bring a friend from their language course or yoga class — it’s casual, fun, and never cliquey.
🛎️ Explore upcoming events on our Events page
🌿 Join an interest-based Meetup group
Join an interest-based Meetup group
From English-speaking book clubs and hiking groups to photography walks or international women’s circles, Meetup.com is full of ways to meet people without small talk fatigue.
Try searching for:
• “Expats in Amsterdam/Utrecht/etc.”
• “Creative workshops Netherlands”
• “Slow travel” or “language exchange” groups
One community we love — and know personally — is The Library Club, run by friends of ours here in Amsterdam. It’s a wine and networking society for young professionals, with over 300 members and weekly tastings centred around wine, beer, spirits, and great conversation. Membership is €20 a month and it’s a brilliant way to build community with like-minded people in a relaxed, welcoming setting.
🌷 Take a short course
The Netherlands is full of brilliant workshops — pottery, illustration, creative writing, floristry, and (of course) wine. Signing up for something a bit outside your comfort zone is often how the most natural friendships form.
Don’t Wait to Feel “Settled” to Explore
It’s easy to think you need to wait until you’re fluent, fully employed, or unpacked to start building a social life. You don’t. You just need to follow your interests — and be brave enough to go to something on your own.
Bring a bottle to a dinner party, say yes to the random cheese tasting, linger after class — the most lasting connections are often the ones you stumble into.
What We’ve Learned
Before Raravina ever existed as a business, it began as a feeling — one we created by opening our home. Spencer and I used to host wine nights in our Amsterdam apartment, welcoming friends, colleagues, and anyone we’d connected with around the city. Sometimes 10 people, sometimes 35. Expats, Dutch natives, strangers who left as friends. Those evenings reminded us how powerful wine can be in breaking the ice and building community — and they became the foundation for everything Raravina stands for.
So if you’re looking to feel more at home here, know this:
- You don’t need to meet everyone — just a few who get you
- It’s okay to show up alone — someone else is probably doing the same
- If you don’t see the thing you want, start it
- Sharing wine makes everything easier
Wherever You Are, You’re Not Alone
Whether you’ve just arrived or have been here for years, finding your people takes time — but it does happen. And when it does, it’s all the sweeter for the slow start.
We created Raravina because we believe wine brings people together. If you ever need an excuse to get out of the house, we’d love to welcome you to one of our events.
Lauren ♡
