New in Rotterdam? This guide offers you plenty of tips!
I love to write blogs about the newest and coolest hotspots in Rotterdam. But where do you really have to go for a first-time visit? What are the must-sees and which activities does Rotterdam have to offer? As a local girl I wrote this Rotterdam Guide especially for you newbies. In this blogpost I share all my ins and outs about Rotterdam and I will keep updating this list whenever I discover something new in town.
Good to know
- In terms of population Rotterdam is the second city of The Netherlands, however in terms of size it is actually the largest city in the country. I won't deny it, I am proud of this fact!
- The city might be big but inside the city center everything is within walking distance. In case you do feel like something is too far to walk then the large public transportation system will be your best friend. Buses, trolleys or the subway will bring you to your destination within minutes.
- It is possible to see all the major highlights of Rotterdam in just one day however, I would recommend taking your time to actually enjoy them. Spend a night in the city so you can have two full days to explore Rotterdam.
- Rotterdam is one of the few European cities that has a skyline. Personally, I love the skyline and the modern look that it gives to Rotterdam, but there is no comparison to other Dutch cities. A lot of people don't like Rotterdam because of this but the city is continuously changing. More and more hotspots are emerging and with them more and more people are falling in love with Rotterdam as well.
City icons
As a global city Rotterdam has many recognizable icons. The skyline with the Erasmus bridge, the Euromast Tower, the Cube Houses, the Market Hall and Central Station are the most famous symbols of Rotterdam. They are true must-sees when in Rotterdam, especially during a first-time visit.
Erasmus Bridge
The Erasmus Bridge connects the city center with Rotterdam-South. I truly enjoy walking over this bridge on sunny days. The first thing you'll encounter on the south side is a peninsula called Kop van Zuid. This place is full of awesome hotspots such as hotel New York, the Cruise Terminal, Aqua Asia en Nhow and another smaller bridge connects it with Katendrecht. Here you'll find the local food hall Fenix Food Factory and the very famous SS Rotterdam ship. Crossing over to the south side is definitely a must!
Euromast
This tower is the place to be for the most incredible view over Rotterdam and surroundings. The Euromast is situated in a beautiful green location of Het Park (literally called The Park). The Euromast does not only offer one awesome view but it also has a restaurant and some nice hotel rooms.
Cube Houses
The bright yellow color of these squared houses will immediately grab your attention. I must admit that I never stepped inside any of these cube houses however, there are daily tours to kill your curiosity. The Cube Houses are right next to the Oude Haven (Old Port), this is a popular spot for Rotterdammers to hang out in the summer. There are plenty of terraces and you can order some great cocktails at Stockholm bar and Noah. Recently a delicious and very classy Indian restaurant opened here, it is called 91 Spices.
Market Hall
Right in front of the Cube Houses you will encounter the Market Hall. This is the newest icon of Rotterdam and its huge, colorful roof painting will amaze you for sure. When you enter the Market Hall you will feel the smell of tasty fresh food. Meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, spices, candy and ice cream from all corners of the world are sold at the Market Hall. Plenty of restaurants are also located here, such as Jamie's Italian. My favorite part about the Market Hall are the plateaus in the middle where you can order food and drinks. It offers you the same feeling as being on a terrace but you're indoors and it's nice and warm. Perfect for cold and rainy days!
Central Station
It took years to build the new Central Station of Rotterdam and it looked like a huge mess before, but the final result is stunning. The curved, silver-colored roof of the entrance hall fits perfectly in the modern street view of Rotterdam. In case you travel to Rotterdam by train you will see the Central Station for sure but if not, I would recommend to pass by it anyway. It is not only impressive to see the station itself but the surrounding area is also one of the liveliest in Rotterdam. There is a building right next to the station called Groothandelsgebouw, it is also very iconic and offers space to many offices. But there are also some very cool hotspots inside the Groothandelsgebouw, such as rooftop bar The Suicide Club. If you keep walking straight ahead from the station hall you will end up in a street called Mauritsweg. This street has a little bit of everything. Mauritsweg is divided by a canal (yes, we have those in Rotterdam as well!), there are ultramodern high buildings, old fancy houses, there is a Chinatown and it intersects with Witte de With and Nieuwe Binnenweg, which are two other major streets in Rotterdam. Mauritsweg is all hot and happening and more and more hotspots are opening here. The newest additions are a Caribbean restaurants called Just and tiki bar Amehoela.
What to do in Rotterdam?
Now that you've seen all the icons of the city, where else to head? What does Rotterdam have to offer? Well, a lot! Rotterdam has something different for every taste.
River cruise with the Spido
Discover Rotterdam from the water and take a river cruise with the Spido. The boat will take you along the skyline and give you lots of information about Rotterdam and its buildings.
Admire the Sint Laurens church
The Sint Laurens church is one of the few buildings in the city center that was not destroyed by bombs during World War 2. The massive old church forms a huge but nice contrast with the modern buildings surrounding it. It is very impressive to admire the church from inside and out. Did you know that concerts are being held here often?
Lively area of De Kuip
A lot of people go to Rotterdam to watch a football (soccer) match from Feyenoord in their stadium called De Kuip. Even if you are not into the sport it is a nice area to hang out as it has many restaurants and a movie theater.
Relax in one of the many city parks
Rotterdam has many large green parks that make you forget that you are in a busy city sometimes. The Euromast Park, Kralingse Bos and Zuiderpark are a few examples of them. You can perform (water)sports in the parks, there are many nice places to eat and a lot of events are held during the festival season.
Swimming and sunbating
Speaking about parks, did you know that Rotterdam has many outdoor spots where you can swim and enjoy the sun in the summer?
Dance the night away
Like any major city Rotterdam has several nightclubs for the party animals amongst us. You can dance at Maassilo, Vila Thalia, Club Vie, Annabel, Hugh, Nora, NRC or one of the many bars at Stadhuisplein (City Hall Square).
Shop till you drop
Of course shopping is also one of your options. Coolsingel, Lijnbaan and Beurstraverse are the main streets for shopping in the city center but you can also go to an indoor mall such as Zuidplein or Alexandrium.
Visit a museum
If you are into museums then Rotterdam has plenty of options for you as well. Go for example to Boijmans van Beuningen, de Kunsthal, Natural History Museum or the Photomuseum.
Get entertained
Rotterdam has many venues for entertainment. Attend a musical at the Luxor Theater or go to an event in Ahoy.
A day at the zoo
Especially fun when you visit Rotterdam with kids; go to the Blijdorp Zoo! There is one famous gorilla here called Bokito, he managed to escape from his residence once! Since then everyone in Holland knows who Bokito is and his name created some new expressions such as Bokito-proof and Bokito-behavior.
Does Rotterdam sound attractive to you?
Ayo! AR x
*Source of images: Pixabay
Leuk om te lezen! Ik woon al jaren in Utrecht, maar Rotterdam voelt nog steeds als mijn thuis. Hoop hier volgend jaar weer terug te komen 🙂
Hi Ana
Every season we design the magazine for the Rotterdam Pass with all the promotions and beautiful editorial pieces. (https://issuu.com/rotterdampas) We are now busy with the Spring edition and we came across a beautiful image of you, which we may want to use on the cover. It involves this image: https://www.instagram.com/p/By501nYo95q/
Can we use these? If so, do you have the High Res file for us?
There is a little hurry behind it; if I succeed I would like to receive a response today 🙂
Hi Emma, I will send you an e-mail 🙂