Sofia
What’s your name and age, and where are you originally from?
My name is Sofia, I’m 31, and I’m originally from Valencia, Spain.
What do you do for work?
I’m an UX Designer at a technology company.
What do you like most about your neighbourhood?
I love how creative and lively Strijp-S feels. There is always something happening, but it still feels like a neighbourhood where people actually live. I especially like the mix of old industrial buildings, modern apartments, cafés and green spaces. It has a very different atmosphere from other parts of the city.
How do you usually spend your weekends in the city?
I usually start with coffee and breakfast somewhere around Strijp-S and then meet friends in the city centre. If the weather is nice, I like cycling around Eindhoven or going to one of the parks. I also enjoy checking out markets, design events and small exhibitions. Eindhoven has a surprisingly good creative scene.
Where do you like to shop in Eindhoven?
For clothes and independent shops, I like the city centre, especially the smaller streets around the main shopping area. I also enjoy shopping at Strijp-S because you can find more unusual and creative stores there.
Where do you usually buy your groceries?
Usually at a supermarket close to home, but I also like going to the Saturday market for fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese and other local products. It is one of the things I really enjoy about living here.
What’s your favourite museum in Eindhoven, and why?
My favourite is the Philips Museum. I work in technology, so I find Eindhoven’s history as a centre of innovation fascinating. I like seeing how a company that started with light bulbs became part of the identity of the entire city.
Do you have a favourite restaurant or café in the city?
I really like Down Town Gourmet Market because you can try lots of different kinds of food in one place. It is especially nice when you are with a group of friends and everyone wants something different.
What’s Eindhoven’s best-kept secret, in your opinion?
The amount of creativity in the city. Eindhoven may not have the canals and historic architecture of Amsterdam, but it has so many designers, makers, artists and technology companies. You discover new things all the time if you look beyond the city centre.
Amina
What’s your name and age, and where are you originally from?
My name is Amina Okafor, I’m 38, and I’m originally from Lagos, Nigeria.
What do you do for work?
Biomedical researcher
What do you like most about your neighbourhood?
I like how peaceful Tongelre is. After living in a busy city like Lagos, I really appreciate having quiet streets and plenty of green areas nearby. At the same time, the city centre is only a short bike ride away, so I get the best of both worlds.
How do you usually spend your weekends in the city?
My weekends are usually a combination of relaxing and exploring. I like going for long walks, meeting friends for lunch and visiting different parts of Eindhoven by bike. Sometimes I take the train to another Dutch city for the day, but there is usually enough to do in Eindhoven itself.
Where do you like to shop in Eindhoven?
I mostly shop in the city centre, but I also enjoy discovering smaller independent shops. For clothes and household items, I find the main shopping streets convenient, while for something more special I prefer smaller local stores.
Where do you usually buy your groceries?
I normally do my weekly shopping at a supermarket near my home. For African ingredients and spices, however, I go to specialist shops in Eindhoven. Being able to find ingredients from home makes a big difference when you are living abroad.
What’s your favourite museum in Eindhoven, and why?
I would say the Van Abbemuseum. I enjoy contemporary art, but what I really like is that the museum often makes you think about society and different perspectives. As someone who moved here from another continent, I find that particularly interesting.
Do you have a favourite restaurant or café in the city?
I like places where you can sit for a long time and have a good conversation. One of my favourites is The Happiness Café. I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the fact that it is easy to meet friends there for coffee or lunch.
What’s Eindhoven’s best-kept secret, in your opinion?
The city is much more international than people might expect. There are people from all over the world living and working here, especially because of the technology and research sector. You can meet someone from almost anywhere just by going to a café or joining a local event.
And finally: what do you think could be improved in Eindhoven?
I think the city could do more to help international residents build connections with Dutch people. It is relatively easy to meet other expats, but making Dutch friends can take more effort. More mixed social activities and community events could help. I also think some public information could be easier to find in English.
Lukas
What’s your name and age, and where are you originally from?
I’m Lukas Schneider, 35 years and I’m from Hamburg and I’m a Project manager in the automotive industry
What do you like most about your neighbourhood?
I like that Woensel-Zuid feels very lived-in and diverse. It is not as polished as some of the newer parts of Eindhoven, and that is exactly what I like about it. There are local shops, small restaurants and people from many different backgrounds. It feels like a real community.
How do you usually spend your weekends in the city?
I am a big fan of cycling, so I often leave the city by bike and explore the countryside around Eindhoven. When I stay in town, I like going to the market, having lunch with friends or watching a football match. I also enjoy going to concerts, particularly at Effenaar.
Where do you like to shop in Eindhoven?
For everyday shopping, I usually go to the city centre. For more specialist or independent shops, I like the area around Strijp-S. I am also a fan of the weekly market because you can find things there that you do not always see in regular shops.
Where do you usually buy your groceries?
Mostly at my local supermarket, but I try to buy fresh products from the market when I can. I also enjoy visiting different international food shops in Woensel, because Eindhoven has a great selection of cuisines from all over the world.
What’s your favourite museum in Eindhoven, and why?
The Philips Museum is probably my favourite. Coming from Germany and working in the automotive industry, I am interested in the history of technology and manufacturing. I find it fascinating to see how Eindhoven developed around innovation and how much Philips influenced the city.
Do you have a favourite restaurant or café in the city?
For a casual evening, I like De Burger. I am also a fan of the cafés around Strijp-S. Eindhoven has become much better for food and drinks over the years, and there are now plenty of places where you can spend an entire evening without having to move somewhere else.
What’s Eindhoven’s best-kept secret, in your opinion?
The surrounding countryside. Eindhoven itself is interesting, but within a few minutes by bicycle you are surrounded by forests and open fields. I think people who only visit the city centre miss a big part of what makes living here attractive.
And finally: what do you think could be improved in Eindhoven?
I would like to see better connections between different parts of the city, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. Eindhoven is already a great cycling city, but there is still room for improvement. I would also like to see more trees and greenery in some of the busier streets.