8x facts about Nijmegen as a student city
There is no denying it: Nijmegen is a beautiful city. Students have the time of their lives here. Here are some facts about Nijmegen, the student city:
1. The oldest city in the Netherlands
Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands! Because of its favourable location, Nijmegen was an important base of operations for the Roman army in the first century. Nijmegen's long history means there is a lot to discover and experience in the city.
2. Largest population in Gelderland
With 177,321 inhabitants, Nijmegen has the largest population in Gelderland.
3. Mariken van Nimwegen
The most famous person in the history of Nijmegen is Mariken van Nimwegen: she even has a statue on the Grote Markt. Read more about Mariken van Nimwegen here.
4. A real university city!
In 1923, a Roman Catholic University opened in Nijmegen. There are currently over 43,000 students in Nijmegen, over 20,000 of whom live in the city. Nijmegen is a real university city!
5. The best student city in the Netherlands
Nijmegen is the second best enjoyable student city according to students in the National Student Survey in 2016. A great result! But be honest: Nijmegen really belongs in first place, doesn't it?
6. The best student associations
Nijmegen is bursting at the seams with student associations! Enjoy being a student and make friends for life at these associations by signing up for, for example, a student union or a sports club.
7. The highest density of pavement cafés
Nijmegen has the highest density of pavement cafés in the Netherlands. Plenty of options if you’re looking to have lunch, dinner or drinks! These are the best pavement cafés in Nijmegen.
8. The Four Day Marches festivities
Did you know that the total number of visitors to the Nijmegen Four Days Festivities was 1.615 million in 2018? That was a record amount! Will you come next time to help set a new one?
Discover more - Hotspots & things to explore
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9 places to eat ice cream in Nijmegen
From vanilla to lemon and from chocolate to mint: there’s a lot of ice cream out there, and a lot of parlours. You’re sure to score some delicious ice cream at these locations:
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13 places to drink coffee in the centre of Nijmegen
There’s a coffee shop on every corner of the city. Are you grumpy in the mornings if you don’t breathe in the warm aroma of coffee? Or are you just looking to discover a new coffee shop? Read this list and plop down at one of these locations.
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5 places to eat burgers in Nijmegen
A hamburger is great, no matter time or place! Add fries or a drink to make it even better… Fancy a burger? These places in Nijmegen make a mean one:
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9x nature in Nijmegen, discover the prettiest green spots
Feel like taking a walk and taking in Nijmegen’s natural landscape? Or are you done with your walks around the block and looking for inspiration? We’ve listed some of our favourite green spots in Nijmegen. Enjoy!
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10 Instagram hotspots in Nijmegen
The old city of Nijmegen is full of magnificent places to take beautiful pictures – a lot of which you can find on Instagram. Do you feel like going out yourself and taking great pictures for Instagram? Read our tips:
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10 fun things to do in Nijmegen when it’s raining
When the sun decides to hide behind the clouds and it starts raining cats and dogs, you’ll soon get tired of sitting inside. Time to go out and do something! Even when the weather is awful, there are fun things to do in Nijmegen.
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10 places to drink wine in Nijmegen
Do you having something to celebrate, is it five o’clock or do you simply feel like drinking some wine? Is your date night incomplete without a glass of white wine, red wine or rosé? We’ve listed the best places to drink wine in Nijmegen for you.
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Ali, Iran
"My choice for Nijmegen was no coincidence. The program here is known for its quality, and the research facilities, such as the Donders Institute, appealed to me enormously. I also felt a welcoming atmosphere in Nijmegen."
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15 places to eat for cheap
Eating out is always nice, but you might not have the money to eat at luxury restaurants. Sometimes you just want to eat for a cheaper price! Try out the following restaurants:
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Carl, Wales
"I remember walking around the Grote Markt in the city center and thinking that it was very European. You have a lot of cafés where people are sitting on the terraces, even in the evenings. Seeing that makes you understand the word gezellig."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Daniel, Germany
"I like to cycle, so it’s nice that there is such a biking culture in the Netherlands. In Germany, we’re slowly also getting more biking infrastructure, but it’s simply not comparable."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Lara, South Africa
"I was always passionate about human genetics, so I wanted to do a master’s in that field, and that’s how I found Radboud. I started here with a master’s in medical biology and right now, I’m doing my PhD at the Radboudumc."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Eduardo, Spain
"Before moving to the city, I didn’t know Nijmegen. But I found it to be a nice place. In a way, it reminds me a bit of a city where I used to live in Spain. Nijmegen also has a cozy city center with a lot of traditional buildings."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Ivana, Italy/Serbia
"In some ways, Nijmegen reminds me of Lucca, the Italian town where I grew up. It has a human dimension – you can reach most places by walking, and within ten minutes, you’re in nature, but you’re also close to the German border."
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Mark Luke's (CITC) mission: a more sustainable chip industry with revolutionary technology
Since March 2023, Mark Luke Farrugia has been General Manager of Nijmegen's Chip Integration Technology Center (CITC). And he has a clear mission; to make the chip industry more sustainable and thereby also bring it to Europe and, especially, Nijmegen.
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Khaoula, Morocco
"I love it here. The city’s slogan says it best: Nijmegen is an old city with a young vibe. The buildings can tell stories from hundreds of years ago, but the people are young, fresh, and outgoing."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Isabella, Brazil
"I was born and raised in Brazil, but I’m half-Italian from my mom’s side. I was living in Italy right before moving to the Netherlands, so it wasn’t as long of a trip. But the Netherlands is very different from my reality growing up in Brazil."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sorina, Romania
"The weather, especially in the winter, is sometimes difficult to cope with, but I discovered some places in the city that I really like. One of them is Bhalu. I like that the people there are friendly and I love their homemade pastries."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Giulia, Italy
"After my master’s in Italy, I wanted to leave the country and secure a future somewhere else. Because of that, I was looking into ways to specialize more and found the master’s in Human Geography at Radboud University."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Alex, Romania
"It's quite cliché, but the first thing that really surprised me was how good the bike infrastructure was. I saw people cycle in suits or in dresses – this was really surreal to see, someone so well dressed, but then on a bike."