Groningen
The municipality of Groningen has released a click-through game that serves as a virtual tour to explore the student city of Groningen. Along the way, you’ll explore and learn about the landmark locations, and get useful knowhow about coming to the Netherlands, and Groningen specifically, as an international student.
Currently, only the first 3 levels are available. In this, you’ll explore the iconic city locations such as the Grote Markt, the Noorderplantsoen, and the train station, learn your way around student houses and the city streets, shop for a Dutch soup recipe, scout the universities, and learn interesting trivia about Groningen. In the last level, you’ll learn about the most important thing, namely the Groninger nightlife!
Ps. Click here for some more must-see places in and around Groningen that make for a perfect day or weekend getaways.
Leiden
Also, Leiden has made an interactive introduction video as part of it’s EL CID (Enige Leidse Commissie Introductie Dagen) introduction event. In this, you can explore the city, student life, and studying at Leiden University with Olivier, Adriaan, and Puk.
In the city, Puk will guide your exploration of Leiden’s iconic channels, museums, and the typical 3 October food dishes. Regarding Student life, Olivier shows you what living in a student house and doing a side job looks like, and how it is to be in a fraternity or sorority. Finally, at the university, Adriaan takes you through student life in class, during an exam, and in a student organization.
On the Leiden University website, there are various other virtual tours of Leiden, The Hague, and the faculty buildings available.
The Hague
Not specifically for students, but The Hague also offers various virtual tours of their city highlights. Zoom in on the 17th-century art collection in the Mauritshuis museum, have a digital dive into the virtual pool residing in Museum Voorlinden, sneak-peak into the unique car collection of the Louwman Museum, discover the 160.000 pieces art collection in the Kunstmuseum The Hague and roam the beautiful Japanese Garden in Landgoed Clingendael. Finally, if you’re interested in more interaction, you can immerse yourself in the courageous heartbreaking real-life stories of refugees in the virtual Humanity House.
Amsterdam
Similar to The Hague, also much of Amsterdam is accessible from the comforts of your home. Check out the 700.000 artworks of the Rijksmuseum or a virtual tour of the Van Gogh Museum. Also, the Secret Annex where Anne Frank hid during World War II is accessible, even via a fully-immersive Oculus Touch VR experience. Moreover, you can explore all of these and much more of Amsterdam via Google Street View style tours and 360-degree video and photography of Amsterdam and its surroundings.
Castles, Theme Parks, and other Dutch landmarks
If you don’t want any interaction, but love some beautiful scenery playing on your screen, have a look at the following video tours (also perfect if you want to find out whether these places are worth a real visit one day). Experience a teaser of the magic of theme park De Efteling, be a royal guest in Paleis Noordeinde, roam the beautiful gardens of Castle de Haar, marvel at the beautiful tulip acres, or witness the canals and windmills that characterize the Netherlands.
