Currency: Euro €
Language: Dutch
Visas: You can travel in the Netherlands for up to 90 days as part of the Schengen area rules.
Money: Credit cards are widely accepted with ATMs also available.
Time Zone: Central European Time (CET) +1
Rotterdam is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland, at the North Sea mouth of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta, connected to the Meuse via the "New Meuse" inland shipping channel, which is now connected to the Rhine instead.
During World War II, more than one-third of the port's facilities and Rotterdam's city centre were destroyed. However, a few public buildings, such as the city hall (1918), the main post office (1923), and the stock exchange, managed to escape destruction. Although the 15th-century Grote Kerk, also known as the Great Church or St. Laurenskerk, was burned down in 1940, it was later restored.
Rotterdam has rebuilt itself from its ashes after the bombing. A completely new inner city was designed with spacious and functional architecture oriented towards the river, and a series of city planning experiments were carried out that have earned both professional and tourist admiration. The Lijnbaan Shopping Centre became a prototype for similar centers in Europe and America that only allowed pedestrian traffic.
Rotterdam's economy is a global leader in shipping. The port is strategically located at the nexus of the densely populated and industrialized triangle of London, Paris, and the German Ruhr district. It is also situated at the mouths of two important rivers, the Rhine and Meuse, and open to the North Sea, the world's most heavily navigated sea. Rotterdam's harbor, along with its outport, Europoort, handle the largest amount of sea-transported goods in the world in terms of capacity, with most of its cargo consisting of crude oil or petroleum products. Additionally, Rotterdam is one of the largest grain and general cargo harbors on the continent and serves as a major transshipment port for inland Europe, with tens of thousands of Rhine River barges using its facilities.
Cruise port
Google Maps port location: https://goo.gl/maps/NPA5G6WnCzJv6d797
Port website: https://www.cruiseportrotterdam.nl/
Things to do
The Kubuswoningen (Cube Houses), are a collection of innovative houses located on Overblaak Street, directly above the Blaak metro station. The original 1977 plan included 55 houses, but not all of them were constructed. There are 38 small cubes and two "super-cubes," all attached to one another.
The walls and windows are angled at 54.7 degrees, and the total area of each apartment is around 100 square meters (1,100 sq ft). However, approximately a quarter of the space is unusable due to the walls being under the angled ceilings.
Its free to visit the cube houses however if you want to look inside one there is a small charge.
Markthal, a covered market with restaurants, food stalls, a supermarket, pharmacy, and more, opened in 2014. It was built due to European regulations that set stricter requirements on selling produce such as fish, meat, and cheese in the open air. The building's unusual shape allowed for the installation of the Horn of Plenty by Arno Coenen. It is the biggest work of art in the world, covering an area of 11,000 m2.
We recommend the pho and spring rolls from Pho Asian Noodle Bar followed by a salted caramel stroopwafel from Goudstroop.
If you have visited Rotterdam before, you may have seen the yellow Water Taxis speeding through the river. These taxis can be booked and offer transportation to over 50 different moorings around Rotterdam and Schiedam.
If you need to get to the city centre to visit the Cube houses or Markthall, you can stop at the Hotel New York (44) near the cruise port. We like to take the taxi to Centrum (47) so we can walk through the shopping areas and head to Markthall for some waffles. The cost is around €4.50 each way. Book here: https://www.watertaxirotterdam.nl/
Alternatively, you can book a tour for a fast-paced trip around some of Rotterdam's river highlights. Tours start at €90 for 30 minutes and can be great if there is a group of you, as the water taxi is all yours for the trip!
Recommended excursions
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