Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands and the largest port in Europe. It is a haven for artists and musicians, sculptors and architects, free love and practical life.
Rotterdam is awesome and here is why:
Even if you have never been to the Netherlands, you have probably heard a lot about notorious Amsterdam with its Red Light District and coffee shops. If you are worried that a trip to the country’s capital will cost too much, Rotterdam is a great alternative. In Rotterdam, the ticket prices of museums and all kinds of other attractions are much lower.
A pleasant bonus are the prices in cafés, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. You can have nice dinner there for about 15 euros.
If Amsterdam is where you will go to find out about the country’s history, Rotterdam is where you should go to find out about the Netherlands of today. There is practically nothing left from the old town, except the cathedral of St. Lawrence Church. Rotterdam was completely restored after the Second World War.
The city is especially interesting for people who love modern architecture. Most buildings have a bizarre shape: sloping roofs, cubic houses, a library in the form of a pipe. Rotterdam is proud of the fact that it not only has the tallest buildings in the country, but also the most original ones.
In 2001, Rotterdam was named the European Capital of Culture. It is no surprise then that the city is great for sightseeing. If you are visiting Rotterdam, make sure you check out the following sights:
Near Blaak metro station, you can find the cube houses (kubuswoningen). These houses were designed by Piet Blom and built between 1982 and 1984. What’s interesting is that the cubic houses are not a museum, but ordinary administrative and residential buildings, albeit expensive ones!
Even though the cube houses are not a museum, it is possible to take a look inside one, namely the Kijk-Kubus.
The tallest tower that’s open to the public (185 metres), the Euromast, offers breathtaking views of the city. Fans of extreme sports will love it too, since you can zip-line and abseil off the Euromast. Reaching speeds of more than 100 km per hour, the Euromast zip-line is the fastest in Europe.
One of the symbols of the city, the Erasmus Bridge’s main feature is asymmetry; combining a cable-stayed and bascule bridge. It was named after Desiderius Erasmus. The 802-metre bridge is nicknamed “The Swan” by the Dutch. It is especially beautiful at night, when the lights are turned on.
This Protestant church is considered to be the centre of the city, and the only remnant of the medieval city of Rotterdam. A visit to the church costs 2 euros, whilst climbing the tower costs 5 euros. Services take place on Sundays and big holidays.
Tip: To save money on sightseeing, I would advise that you purchase the Rotterdam Welcome Card. You can buy a one-day card for 11 euros, a two-day card for 16 euros, and a three-day card for 20 euros. With this card, you can enjoy discounts (25-50%) at most attractions in Rotterdam, as well as unlimited travel on all metro, tram and bus lines.
There are a lot of wonderful and picturesque places in Rotterdam and I am pretty sure that you will fall in love with this city as much as I did. It is romantic, harmonious and simply beautiful. What do you think of Rotterdam? Let me know in the comments!