7x parks outside of the city centre
Getting out of the house and breathing some fresh air can be good for you, especially if the days are shorter and the weather is colder and less beautiful. There’s no better place to take a walk than one of the beautiful parks in Nijmegen; there are a couple well-known parks in the city centre, but nature isn’t limited to the boundaries of the city centre.
1. Park Brakkenstein
One of the most beautiful parks outside of the city centre is located in the Heijendaal district: the monument Brakkenstein park, a beautiful English landscape park. It has housed a botanical garden, the Hortus Nijmegen, since the 1960s. Here you can take a nice stroll, quietly enjoy nature, and photograph the beautiful formations.
2. Goffertpark
From concerts and festivals to long summer evenings on a picnic rug in the grass: almost everyone in Nijmegen has done it at least once. But even when the weather is colder, being in the Goffertpark is a lovely experience. Take a walk or visit the petting zoo!
3. Julianapark
A park named after Juliana of the Netherlands in the Altrade district in the East of Nijmegen. Here you can find a Juliana tree, Beatrix tree, and a monumental beech and boxwood. With a small playground, adjacent sports fields and a dog-walking area, there’s something for everyone in this park.
4. Park West
Park West is an extraordinary park: it’s a chain of small and large parks in the Western part of Nijmegen. Connected by green streets and bicycle and walking paths, you can easily reach the different parks. Part of Park West is, for example, Planetenpark, Westerpark, Villapark, Kometenpark and many other parks and greeneries.
5. Stadspark Staddijk
A city park on the west side of Nijmegen in the Dukenburg district. Various forest paths wind along a river, providing for a varied landscape: a great park for relaxing and unwinding.
6. Park Jonkerbosch
Next to the Gofferpark, you’ll find the Jonkerbosch. This beautiful, peaceful park is home to a military cemetery: all allied soldiers who fell on Dutch soil during Second World War are buried here. Jonkerbosch is definitely worth a visit.
7. Park Kopsehof
Kopsehof, also known as Kops Plateau, is a high plain located in the east of Nijmegen. You can take a stroll through the green surroundings and enjoy the beautiful view. Not only is it a recreational area: this part of Nijmegen has a rich history, with many archaeological finds having been made here.
Discover more - Hotspots & things to explore
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sorina, Romania
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
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
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."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Elle, United States
Expat life in Nijmegen: Elle, United States
"I’m a hairstylist and a fully licensed cosmetologist in America, but it took quite some time to be able to work here. Because I’m from the US, I needed a residence permit to register my business with the KVK."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Stuart, Australia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Stuart, Australia
"Nijmegen is really a great city. Especially on a sports level, there’s an athletics club with world-class athletes, football, rugby, tennis, golf… virtually every sport! And the history of Nijmegen is also incredibly fascinating to me."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sanchitta, Bangladesh
Expat life in Nijmegen: Sanchitta, Bangladesh
"One of my favorite places in the city is the Face of Nijmegen statue. In the beginning, when I wasn’t feeling good, my husband and I went there, sat by the river, and drank tea. I still go there to meditate."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sudipta, Bangladesh
Expat life in Nijmegen: Sudipta, Bangladesh
"I’m originally from Bangladesh, but I did my graduate degree in Gothenburg in Sweden, so I had already lived in Europe when I started looking for jobs after my graduation and found a company here in Nijmegen."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Masha, Ukraine
Expat life in Nijmegen: Masha, Ukraine
"I moved to the Netherlands on the 12th of May 2017. I remember the day, because it divided my life into a ‘before’ and an ‘after.’ I was born and raised in a small town in Ukraine, with around 30,000 people."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Ken, Belgium
Expat life in Nijmegen: Ken, Belgium
"I moved to Nijmegen in January 2018 and I’m working here as a journalist. Originally, I’m from the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. But before moving to the Netherlands, I lived in Brussels for seven years."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Kyran, Aruba
Expat life in Nijmegen: Kyran, Aruba
"On the other hand, one thing that definitely positively surprised me about Nijmegen was how queer-friendly the city is. You go out and see a lot of gay pride flags. I do like De Regenboog as well."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Romane, France/Indonesia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Romane, France/Indonesia
"One of the main reasons why I love Nijmegen so much is probably the university. Radboud is amazing. It’s not one of those universities where you are dreading to go back on campus to study – there is so much going on all the time."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Rahmi, Indonesia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Rahmi, Indonesia
"I discovered some Dutch food as well. Poffertjes, for example. They are just great. They also remind me of a similar type of food we have in Indonesia – just that we have them with different flavors, like matcha or strawberry."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Emilios, Cyprus
Expat life in Nijmegen: Emilios, Cyprus
"What I like most about the Netherlands is the Dutch. Sometimes, Dutch people can get a bad rep for being a bit stingy or cold, but I find people to be quite welcoming."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Marta, Croatia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Marta, Croatia
"I’m in my third year now and both the study and the city topped all my expectations. When I decided where to study, I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the city I was choosing, so Nijmegen was a pleasant surprise."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Janek Peters, Germany
Expat life in Nijmegen: Janek Peters, Germany
"Comparing Nijmegen to Düsseldorf, I don’t miss living in a big city. It’s more anonymous and people don’t put in as much effort into being nice to each other. Here, you are more likely to run into people you know and it's way less grey and loud."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Hanna-Rea, Estonia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Hanna-Rea, Estonia
"Culturally, I think Estonians and the Dutch are quite similar. I didn’t have a huge culture shock moving to the Netherlands. I had to get used to biking under any weather conditions, though, and the sirens at the beginning of the month."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Pablo, Mexico
Expat life in Nijmegen: Pablo, Mexico
"For me, the greatest treasure of Nijmegen is its people. I've had the privilege of meeting some of the most welcoming and fun individuals here. Friends that I call family now."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Dagmara, Poland
Expat life in Nijmegen: Dagmara, Poland
"I came here initially for one semester but liked it so much that I requested the exchange to be prolonged for another one. During that time, I met my partner, who is German but has done his whole studies here."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Hannah, United Kingdom
Expat life in Nijmegen: Hannah, United Kingdom
"Despite Nijmegen being quite a small city, there is loads of stuff going on. I couldn’t believe that I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Goffertpark. You almost feel like you’re living in a capital city but you don’t have the craziness of a capital city."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Dim, Romania
Expat life in Nijmegen: Dim, Romania
"I’m originally from Bucharest, so Nijmegen is a small town by comparison. But it’s very concentrated with things to do. I like that about the city. You will have an Irish Pub, a vintage store, and a community-run venue on the same street."