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Living and working in Amsterdam

There's far more to Amsterdam than the popular image of wooden shoes, tulips and cheese - with the odd windmill thrown in for good measure.

The reality is, Amsterdam has all the advantages of a big city in terms of cultural and historic attractions, good food, a thriving entertainment scene and excellent transport links, yet relatively few of the disadvantages. For a high-profile European city, Amsterdam is physically small (with a population of around 750,000), green and surprisingly quiet, thanks largely to the criss-cross of canals.

In fact there seems to be a canal around every corner – there are 165 of them altogether, separating the city into a number of small, local communities that gives you the feeling of being in a small town or village. But one with a wide variety of diverse cultures.

The canals mean that getting around Amsterdam's relatively easy. As well as canal barges, there are good train and tram services - and, of course, it's the ideal city for getting on your bike and cycling around. And in winter, there's occasionally the chance to skate along the frozen canals.

It's also full of culture, with plenty of music and theatre available throughout the year. And Amsterdam has more museums per square metre than any other city in the world.

As for nightlife - it's regarded as one of Europe's top party cities. It can be the venue for a stroll along the canals, or a night of hopping from buzzing bar to buzzing bar, before partying through the night in a top club.

But what really strike you about Amsterdam are the liberal, laissez-faire, tolerant attitudes of the population. Combined with the rich mix of cultures and nationalities, this means that it's a vibrant, enjoyable and relaxing place, where you can build a rewarding career.