The Netherlands’ second-largest city Rotterdam is often overshadowed by its big sister Amsterdam, and therefore a lot less touristic. It is, however, one of the best cities to visit in the Netherlands! Due to its strategic location, Rotterdam was bombed by the Nazis in 1940. Almost the entire historic centre was destroyed. When the time came to rebuild the city, the people of Rotterdam wanted to make it better than it was before the war. This is the reason why Rotterdam is now a very modern city that’s packed with unique architecture. From its iconic cube houses to the historic Delfshaven, here’s the perfect itinerary to explore Rotterdam if you only have one day.
One Day in Rotterdam: An Itinerary for First Timers
What to do in Rotterdam in one day
There’s a pretty good chance that you’ll start your visit at the Rotterdam Central Station. This is a modern building that’s definitely worth checking out.
If you start your visit here, it’s also worth climbing the stairs of the yellow Luchtsingel Bridge. This is a wooden pedestrian bridge that connects the two sides of the city. As you cross it, you’ll notice hundreds of names on wooden boards. The bridge was the first crowdfunded public infrastructure project in the world, and the names are from the sponsors.
Tip: If you’d like to try some delicious vegan food, some of the best vegan restaurants in Rotterdam are close to the central station.
Admire the Cube Houses (kubuswoningen)
Rotterdam’s cube houses are definitely one of the quirkiest houses I’ve ever seen! Architect Pieter Blom designed the houses to resemble a forest, each house representing a tree. He took a conventional house, turned it by 45 degrees and put it on a hexagon-shaped column. The houses were built in the eighties, and all except two are inhabited.
One of the uninhabited cubes is open for tourists. You have to pay a small fee to enter, but it’s well worth it. It’s pretty interesting to see what these oddly shaped houses look like from the inside. If you’d like to stay in one of the cubes then the second uninhabited house is the one for you since it was turned into a hotel.
Read more: The Yellow Cube Houses of Rotterdam
Soak up the atmosphere at the Old harbour (Oude Haven)
The old harbour is located right behind the cube houses, and it’s a nice place to breathe in the atmosphere of the city. This harbour was built in the 14th century, and it’s the oldest harbour in Rotterdam. It’s a place where you can truly see the mix of historic and modern buildings, which is a characteristic of this city.
Make sure not to miss the beautiful White House while you’re there. This is one of the few buildings in this area to survive the WWII bombings, and it’s also the city’s first skyscraper!
Eat lunch at the Market Hall (Markthal)
The Market Hall is another striking piece of architecture that’s located right across the Cube Houses. It was built in 2014 to replace the original open-air market.
You’ll find a gigantic food market inside selling wheels of delicious Dutch cheese, spices, pastries, and delicious Dutch street food. There are also bars and restaurants here, so it’s the ideal place to have lunch while enjoying the Market Hall’s mind-blowing interior: massive pieces of market produce decorate the huge walls.
Another cool thing about the Market Hall is that it combines the use of a market with apartments. The outer horseshoe shape that covers the market contains 228 luxury apartments.
Explore the Delfshaven district
Unlike the rest of Rotterdam, the picturesque Delfshaven district was not destroyed by the 1940 bombings. It’s the perfect place to get an idea of what Rotterdam looked like before the war. With its canals and historic buildings, Delfshaven is definitely a place worth exploring if you want to get a better understanding of the city.
See the panoramic view from the Euromast
The view of the city from the top of the Euromast is spectacular. Climbing its stairs is a great way to see how Rotterdam’s waterways connect, and on a clear day, you’ll be able to enjoy views stretching up to 50 km (31 miles) far. When you take the elevator to go to the top, the glass lift will rotate 360° to make sure you see the view from every angle.
There’s a restaurant at the top and if you’d like to spend the night at 100 m (328 ft) high, you can book one of the Euromast suites.
Tip: During weekends it’s possible to go abseiling or zip-lining, but you have to book a week in advance.
Cross the Erasmus Bridge
You can’t go to Rotterdam and not see the ultra-modern Erasmus Bridge, which is nicknamed ‘The Swan’. The bridge was completed in 1996, ten years after its construction began. Stretching 800 metres long, this is the second-largest bridge in The Netherlands, and it connects the northern and the southern part of Rotterdam. A fun thing to do is to cross the bridge on foot, you’ll be able to get some nice shots!
If you’d like to go on a 75-minute boat tour of the harbour of Rotterdam, which is one of the biggest harbours in the world, these tours start from the foot of the Erasmus Bridge.
End your day at Witte De With Street
The Witte De With Street is the perfect street to end your day. It’s a lively area with lots of boutiques, galleries, bars and restaurants. This street is famous for its nightlife, but it’s also worth visiting during the day. There’s some cool street art here that decorates the street’s facades.
How to get to Rotterdam
The easiest way to get to Rotterdam is by train. Train travel across The Netherlands is very reliable, and tickets can easily be purchased from the Eurorail website.
Rotterdam is a 1-hour train ride from Amsterdam, a 35-minute ride from Schiphol Airport, and a 1,5-hour ride from Brussels.
How to get around in Rotterdam
The best way to get around the city is either by walking or by taking public transportation. Many beautiful sights in Rotterdam are close to each other. For the ones that are a little further, the metro, tram, and bus systems of the city are great. You may want to opt for a day pass if you’re planning on doing a lot of travelling using public transport.
Another popular and fun option to get around is the water taxi, but it needs to be booked in advance through the water taxi website.
Renting a bike is another possibility. Rotterdam is a very bike-friendly city, and there are various bike rental services.
Read more about The Netherlands:
– 20 Amazing Places to Visit in The Netherlands
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