Best Things to Do in Rotterdam

Few European cities are as exhilarating as Rotterdam. Almost completely destroyed during WWII, its urban reconstruction has been a triumphant exercise in embracing innovation. The resulting architecture and urban planning have endowed its streets and neighborhoods with a personality and energy that make it a great place to visit.

It is also a must-see destination for those interested in cutting-edge design. Although compact, the city offers an extraordinarily varied array of sights and experiences to keep visitors busy, not to mention a wealth of trendy spots to grab a drink or something to eat.

Grab a Global Snack at the Markthal

The visual heart of this city is as surprising as it is beloved. Opened in 2014, the Markthal in Centrum is a unique contemporary take on the traditional Dutch market hall. Designed by local architectural firm MVRDV, the building is in the form of a slightly bulbous arch framed on each end by floor-to-ceiling walls of glass.

Inside, a massive ceiling mural by artists Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam arcs over the hall’s produce stalls, fast-food stands, and eateries. Its subject matter – a colorful cornucopia of food, flowers, and insects – references 17th-century Dutch still-life paintings. Head here at lunchtime, when the fast-food stands that cram the ground floor serve a vast array of global cuisine.

Admire the Overblaak Development

East of the Markthal, across the paved plaza, is the Overblaak Development, a vibrantly hued, crazily tilting residential creation featuring a pencil-shaped tower and a forest of 38-cube-shaped apartments on hexagonal pylons. Designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom and built between 1978 and 1984, it is perhaps the most distinctive building in a city where architectural distinction is the rule rather than the exception.

Go Behind the Scenes at Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

When Rotterdam’s pre-eminent art gallery, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, closed for major renovations in 2019, questions arose regarding what to do with its 151,000 artworks during the closure. Should they be put into a storage depot or loaned out to other institutions for traveling exhibitions?

Both are tried and true solutions, but here in Rotterdam, another possibility was raised – a new state-of-the-art storage depot next to the museum, publicly accessible so that its treasures could continue to delight visitors while the museum itself was closed.

In November 2021, the new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen opened to the public. Housed in an extraordinary building designed by the acclaimed local firm MVRDV, the depot takes the form of a bowl-shaped structure clad in mirrored glass. It features seven levels, a central 115ft-high (35m) atrium, a roof garden planted with trees, and an upper-floor restaurant.

Feast on Tante Nel’s Famous Friet

Ask any Rotterdammer what their favorite fast food is, and the answer will almost inevitably be Tante Nel’s friet. Serving the local version of French fries from its hybrid snack shack and bar in Centrum, Aunt Nel serves friet that are hand-cut and expertly fried, best eaten with met (mayonnaise) or doused in stoofvlees (a rich meat stew). The bitterballen (Dutch meatballs) are also quite popular.

Order your snack and a drink inside and then enjoy it at one of the tables on the front terrace. It’s particularly bustling late at night, as enjoying friet here is a popular pastime after drinking sessions at nearby Bokaal, one of the city’s most popular bars.

Marvel at the Modernist Van Nelle Fabriek

One of only 11 World Heritage-listed cultural sights in the Netherlands, this concrete, steel, and glass factory on the banks of a canal northwest of Centrum is a modernist masterpiece. Conceived by architects Johannes Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt as an ‘ideal factory,’ it became a powerful symbol of European modernity when it opened in 1931.

Today, it houses event spaces and creative industries. Local company Urban Guides conducts one-hour group or customized tours of the factory and other architectural wonders throughout the city on weekends.

Enjoy a Tipple at a Local Microbrewery

When it comes to beer, Rotterdammers clearly believe that small producers are best. Microbreweries are scattered throughout the city. Popular venues such as Brouwerij Noordt and Eurotrash United offer patrons both standard and seasonal brews.

Heading west, drinkers sit amidst burnished copper vats and are seduced by the heady aroma of hops at Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim, an atmospheric brewhouse in historic Delfshaven. The popular Fenix Food Factory overlooking the Maas River is home to artisanal food and drink stalls including the taproom of Kaapse Brouwers, a hipster outfit producing more than 20 craft beers.

Learn About the Wartime Experience at Museum Rotterdam 1940-1945 NU

Few cities were as disastrously impacted by WWII as Rotterdam. In a bunker-like building tucked under a bridge on Coolhaven, this small but excellent museum documents life in the city during the war years. The centerpiece is an immersive multimedia experience outlining the terror and destruction caused when 54 German aircraft dropped 1300 bombs on the city in 1940, killing more than 900 people.

Other exhibits highlight the Nazis’ treatment of Rotterdam’s Jewish community during the occupation, the valiant contribution of local resistance fighters, and the liberation of the city by Canadian troops in 1945.

Stroll the Historic Streets of Delfshaven

Be sure to wander along the picturesque streets and canals in historic Delfshaven, one of the few neighborhoods in Rotterdam spared during the bombings. While here, stop for a drink at one of the famous bruin cafés (traditional Dutch pubs).

Embrace Third-Wave Coffee Culture

This city takes its coffee seriously. A craze kick-started with the opening of local coffee roaster Man Met Bril in 2012 has led to cafes throughout town serving coffee made with fair-trade, single-origin beans roasted by local suppliers. You’ll have no trouble finding a cup to your liking, whether it’s espresso, AeroPress, drip, French press, or cold brew.

Notable cafes include Man Met Bril, located in a repurposed railway viaduct in the Noord neighborhood; Hopper on Schiedamse Vest, and Urban Espresso Bar on the bustling Nieuwe Binnenweg strip.

Enjoy a Gin in Historic Schiedam

Back in Holland’s Golden Age, Schiedam was known for its jenever, a spirit considered the forerunner of gin. The history of picturesque Schiedam and its jenever industry is explained at the Nationaal Jenevermuseum in the town’s distillery district. After visiting, you can sample the spirit at one of the bars in Schiedam’s historic centre. It’s easy to access by taking the metro (Line A or B) from Rotterdam Centraal.

Admire the Majestic De Rotterdam Building

In a city filled with architectural masterworks, the interconnected stack of glass and steel boxes forming the De Rotterdam complex stands out for its size and audacity. Designed by local firm OMA, headed by star architect Rem Koolhaas, this vertical city serves as the visual lynchpin of Kop van Zuid, the revitalized former port area south of the Nieuwe Maas shipping channel.

The best way to reach Kop van Zuid is by walking or cycling across the Erasmusbrug, a stunning pylon bridge. At sunset, when De Rotterdam’s lights are first turned on, the building’s exterior seems almost transparent, providing a wonderful sight.

Join the Party on Witt de Withstraat

If there’s one art the locals have perfected, it’s outdoor eating and drinking. In fine weather, the cafes, bars, and eateries along Witt de Withstraat welcome boisterous groups of Rotterdammers young and old.

Joining them, you may find yourself surrounded by backpackers from nearby hostels, cultural institution staff from Museumpark, and office workers from Centrum, all enjoying one of the best party spots in town.

Take a Day Trip to Kinderdijk

Though there is much to see and do in Rotterdam, a day trip to Kinderdijk is worth making an exception for. This picturesque, UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscape features marshes, canals, and traditional windmills located approximately 9.5 miles (15km) southeast of the city center.

This quintessentially Dutch landscape is best explored by bicycle. You can hire one in Rotterdam and take the number 202 waterbus ferry from the Erasmusbrug ferry terminal.

After a 30-minute journey, follow the dual pedestrian and cycle path between the canals while stopping to visit two 17th-century windmills operating as museums and the visitor center in the 19th-century pumping station.

In summer, tall reeds line the canals, lily pads float on the water, and birdcalls break the silence, creating a magical experience.