36 Hours
36 Hours in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
the Netherlands
Amsterdam or Rotterdam? For sheer picturesqueness, Amsterdam is the easy winner. But what Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second-largest city, lacks in historical edifices — much of it was bombed in World War II — it makes up for with contemporary urban cool. Long the busiest port in Europe, the multicultural city is a hub of global commerce and avant-garde architecture. (The architect and Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas, a Rotterdam native, has added his touch to the soaring skyline.) Art institutions like the Nederlands Fotomuseum and the new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen have elevated Rotterdam into an essential European cultural stop, while food markets like the massive, futuristic Markthal and the sleek Foodhallen, which both opened over the past decade, add to a dining scene awash in experimental restaurants.
Recommendations
- Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is one of the newest and most futuristic additions to Rotterdam’s excellent array of museums.
- Euromast is a tower that offers panoramic city views from its stylish cafe.
- Markthal, a huge food market with a futuristic arch, tempts visitors with an international smorgasbord.
- #Wunderbar is a lounge that draws bohemian and creative types with its throwback furniture, unusual beers and eclectic cultural activities at its adjoining performance venue, the Worm.
- Fermin is a restaurant that gets clever with fermented, pickled and wood-fired dishes.
- In de Keuken van Floris injects science and whimsy into its contemporary northern European cuisine.
- Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim is a microbrewery to relax in after exploring the old-world Delfshaven district.
- Bird is a bar with live music, local beer and shots of genever, a milder juniper-flavored cousin of gin.
- Mooie Boules, a bar and recreation hall, echoes with the clinking of beer bottles toasting and metal balls colliding during pétanque (a French game a bit like Italian bocce).
- Wilhelminapier is a port district that wows with boxy architecture and cool exhibition spaces, notably the Nederlands Fotomuseum, a repository of top-notch Dutch photography.
- Spido sightseeing cruises ply the waters of Rotterdam’s many channels, providing glimpses of the city’s maritime history and giant shipping industry.
- Lily Scarlet is a boutique that outfits shoppers in glamorous vintage garb.
- Oudstijl showroom brims with midcentury modern Scandinavian design and other vintage furniture.
- JensDoRecords sells vinyl albums, along with vintage stereo equipment and record players.
- Room Mate Bruno occupies a former Dutch East India Company warehouse that now contains the Foodhallen food hall and 217 rooms that stylishly riff on nautical themes. Doubles from 104 euros, or about $114.
- Hotel Not Hotel exudes zaniness, thanks to areas decorated like a giant cuckoo clock, an Italian villa and a candy-themed mansion. Some of the 33 rooms are even hidden behind bookshelves. An art gallery and a Mexican restaurant complete the offerings. Doubles from €84.
- Boat-Hotel operates several boats moored in Rotterdam’s harbor that you can stay in. The floating apartments can accommodate two to 14 guests and start at about €362.
- For short-term rentals, the area surrounding Witte de Withstraat — a strip of eateries and art galleries — offers easy proximity to the Museumpark, home to some of the city’s top cultural institutions. For tranquillity and history, the Delfshaven neighborhood delights visitors with many old townhouses around its photogenic harbor.
- Central Rotterdam is easily walkable. To reach neighborhoods that are farther afield, the city has an efficient underground metro, tram network, bus system and water-taxi service. The city is also well equipped for cycling. Transportation information can be found at en.rotterdam.info.
Itinerary
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