Rotterdam

On May 14, 1940, German bombs destroyed the old town almost completely – instead of rebuilding it, Rotterdam chose to embrace modernity. A city trip to Rotterdam is therefore a journey into an open-air museum of architecture, with tilting cube houses, a vaulted market hall and the largest seaport in Europe.

Rebuilding as a Mission

Rotterdam grew up beginning in the 13th century around a dam on the small Rotte River and became the most important port in the Netherlands as the waterway to the sea was expanded. After the 1940 bombing, hardly any historic buildings were left standing – the late Gothic Laurenskerk is one of the few exceptions. The city rebuilt in stages, with Europe's first car-free shopping street, the Lijnbaan, and later with bold high-rises along the Maas. Today the port stretches about 40 kilometers to the North Sea.

Sights in Rotterdam

Piet Blom's Cube Houses at the Oude Haven stand balanced on their points; one of them can be visited. Across from them arches the Markthal, a horseshoe-shaped market hall with apartments and a huge ceiling mural of fruit and vegetables. The Erasmus Bridge, nicknamed "the Swan" for its pylon, connects the Centrum with the Kop van Zuid, where the Hotel New York, in the former headquarters of the Holland America Line, tells a story of its own. The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a mirrored art storage facility, is open to the public while the main museum is being renovated. The Euromast offers the best view over the city and port, and a harbor tour shows you container terminals and shipyards. The Van Nelle Factory, built in the New Objectivity style, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Eating and Going Out in Rotterdam

In the Markthal and at the market on the Binnenrotte you'll find kibbeling, stroopwafels and specialties from around the world – the city has residents from more than 170 nations. Surinamese, Cape Verdean and Turkish cuisine are especially widespread. Witte de Withstraat is the nightlife strip with bars, galleries and restaurants, and in Delfshaven, the old harbor from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail in 1620, pubs line the canal. In Oude Noorden you'll find cafés and shops, and in the Scheepvaartkwartier elegant restaurants. Clubs and festivals make Rotterdam a stronghold of electronic music.

Neighborhoods of Rotterdam

The Centrum, with the Markthal and high-rises, is the modern heart of the city, while the Kop van Zuid with the Wilhelminapier on the south side of the Maas is a district of skyscrapers and theaters. Feijenoord is home to the soccer club of the same name, whose stadium, De Kuip, enjoys cult status. Hillegersberg-Schiebroek in the north shows a green, quiet Rotterdam with lakes and villas, while Charlois and Prins Alexander are residential areas with diverse populations. In the Scheepvaartkwartier you'll see elegant prewar buildings.

Getting Around Rotterdam and Best Time to Visit

Rotterdam The Hague Airport lies north of the city; the express train from Schiphol takes about 25 minutes. Rotterdam Centraal, a spectacular station building, is a stop for trains to Brussels and Paris. The metro, trams and water taxis take you everywhere, and the water buses run all the way to Dordrecht and Kinderdijk with its windmills. The best time to visit is from May to September, when terraces and festivals beckon, including the Zomercarnaval in July. Day trips also lead to Delft and The Hague.