Rotterdam City Guide
Rotterdam is home to the world's biggest international port, and the city has grown around the port and business it brings. Rotterdam was badly bombed in World War II, and has been rebuilt as a modern city, although traces of the old city remain in Delft Harbour and the Old Harbour. Enjoy the post modern architecture of the city, excellent museums, and the home of the philosopher Erasmus.
London to Rotterdam by train takes just over 5 hours.
What to do and see in and around Rotterdam
Arboretum Trompenburg
Arboretum Trompenburg park is east of Rotterdam's city centre and was created in the 1820s in an English Garden style. The park covers about 12 acres, and contains over 4000 trees, bushes, perennials and bulbs. Relax in the rose garden, visit the goldfish pond or the aviary, or just wander around the park to relax after a hard day sightseeing!
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen contains Old Masters, Prints, Decorative Art and Modern Art from the Middle Ages to the present day. Highlights of the collection include works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Van Eyck, Hieronymous Bosch and Bruegel.
Euromast and Space Cabin
Visit the 600 foot tall Euromast for excellent views over Rotterdam and the surrounding area. At the top of the mast is a restaurant, and a small museum, but visit the space cabin to experience being launched 30 foot higher! Super fast lifts take you to the top of the mast.
Kijk Kubus
During the 1980s Piet Bloom designed the Kijk Kubus, show cube houses on concrete poles. Most of the cube houses are now occupied, but you can visit the show house between 11 am and 5 pm, and the exhibition about the cube houses. The cube houses are in the Old Port area of Rotterdam.
Maritime Museum
The Rotterdam Maritime Museum contains a history of the port of Rotterdam. The museum is in the centre of Rotterdam, and includes a history of ship building, nautical instruments, and model ships. The highlight of the collection is the restored warship moored next to the museum - the De Buffel.
Rotterdam Shopping
Rotterdam is an excellent place for shopoholics to shop until they drop! Rotterdam's oldest shopping centre is the Lijnbaan which contains all of the major high street chains, and smaller fashion boutiques, or visit the fashionable Beurstraverse Shopping centre for more clothes shops. There is a vast market in the Binnenrotte area of Rotterdam every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, or for antiques visit the Sunday market at Schiedamsedijk.
Museum Het Schielandshuis
The Museum Het Schielandshuis is the Historical Museum of Rotterdam. The Museum contains a collection of furniture, costumes, and other objects from Rotterdam's past. One floor of the museum contains the Atlas Van Stolk, a separate museum contains collection of prints, and drawings, the collection was founded by the Rotterdam timber merchant Abraham van Stolk in 1835.
Windmills of Kinderdijk
20 minutes from Rotterdam by train and bus
Probably the most famous windmills in the Netherlands, Kinderdijk is a small village just outside Rotterdam. There are 19 windmills which pump water on the site. The windmills only run on Saturday afternoons in July and August, but the visitor centre is open April to October.
Delft
15 minutes from Rotterdam by train
Delft is one of the most charming and pretty towns in the Netherlands. Wander alongside quiet tree lined canals, and admire the Gothic houses. Delft is famous for its hand painted blue and white pottery, visit the Delftware factory, which dates back to the 17th century, to see how the pottery is created and painted.
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