Hilversum

There is not much to worry about in Hilversum, but the town often makes the news with cases of vandalism. Youth groups usually hang around the town centre or near the main and Sportpark railway stations, especially from 4PM onwards. As they are often bored and drunk, and sometimes stoned, they destroy trash cans, benches, bicycles, bus stops and other public property. It's advisable not to interfere with them.

Another safety issue occurs after the bars and clubs close on Fridays and Saturdays, between 2AM and 5AM. Large amounts of drunk people gather on the streets, which often leads to fights and confrontations with the police. Do not get involved, as the police sometimes uses dogs to temper the masses. Also avoid snackbars and other eating facilities at this time, as they are usually packed and refuse to sell food after 3AM. This causes anger with the hungry crowd waiting outside, thus a fight is easily initiated.

Staying healthy is probably the least you have to worry about. Tap water in the Netherlands is among the cleanest and safest in the world, and tap water in Hilversum tastes even better than elsewhere in the country. Research from consumer authorities show that you might get tricked when ordering mineral water in bars or restaurants. One in three of them actually serve tap water instead of mineral water!

If you are hiking or biking in the forests surrounding the city, be careful of ticks and tick-carrying diseases. It is advisable to wear long sleeves and long trousers. If you want to be completely safe, tuck your trousers inside your socks. If you discover a red ring on your body in the weeks after, be sure to visit a doctor to check for Lyme disease, which can be lethal without proper medical care.

Large internet facilities do not exist, your best bet is the local public library. There are also some smaller phone shops offering internet services, but usually they just have one or two terminals available mostly targeting Turkish and North African immigrants making overseas calls. Finding a WiFi spot is not an easy task, and most of them are not free the listing below being a notable exception.

Horizon

Small phone shop with international dialing, faxing, mobile phones accessories and two internet terminals.

MondialIntel

Two internet terminals and international calling services, conveniently located at the general market.

The most convenient and cheapest place to go online. You need to put coins in the machine before using the computer. They also have regional and national newspapers for read, as well as papers from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Turkey and the Arab world. There is also a wide arrange of magazines The Economist, TIME Magazine, der Spiegel and ParisMatch to name a few, travel guides and English books. This building was the headquarters of the German Wehrmacht in the Netherlands during the German occupation in World War II.

The local newspaper with news and sport.

Weekly paper distributed on Wednesdays with local events and activities.