Must See Tourist Places and Top Things to Do in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second largest city in Netherlands after Amsterdam. The city got its name from a dam that was constructed over river Rotte in 1270, hence Rotterdam. It is also where the history of this city begins. The city’s port, which is among top places to visit in Rotterdam, is also the largest one in Europe. The city is well known for its unique architecture. Many of the things to see in Rotterdam have become popular owing to their architectural design. The city was heavily bombarded during the second world war and had to be rebuilt after utter devastation. The city took leaps in architectural innovation and constructed some of the most innovative and unique buildings. Some of these are regarded as works of art and are included among Rotterdam tourist attractions. The amalgamation of art, architecture and design is one of the most striking features to be explored when you visit Rotterdam.
The city is a lively hub for art even today. You should head straight to the Museum Park to admire brilliance in artistic endeavors from medieval times all the way to contemporary artworks. The city is abundant with art galleries, cultural centers, art museums and so on for best things to do in Rotterdam for artists and admirers of art. Kunsthal, Witte de With, TENT and Boijmans van Buiningen are the prominent spots among Rotterdam attractions for tourists who wish to admire great works of art from various time periods.
The city takes a whole new life after sundown. The marvelous architecture forms a picturesque skyline which can be viewed from many different Rotterdam sightseeing spots. There are plethora of options for fun things to do in Rotterdam at night to blow off steam. Apart from a vibrant nightlife, the city has many cultural events and venues for people to enjoy.
Table of Contents
Explore The Best Tourist Attractions in Rotterdam in 2 Days
As there are numerous fun things to do in Rotterdam, it can be difficult for tourist to navigate these attractions in limited time. Below is a 2 day itinerary of the most popular places to visit in Rotterdam to make it easier for you to explore the city and enjoy your trip.
Day 1
1. Maritime Museum of Rotterdam
This museum is one of the biggest Rotterdam tourist attractions and rightfully so. People enjoy the vivid exhibition of naval history with a collection of over 800.000 items. There are also several historical ships among things to see in Rotterdam as part of this museum. You would need about 2 or more hours to explore this museum.
2. Rotterdam City Hall (Stadhuis Rotterdam)
The city hall is not only an important historical building, but it is also considered as a symbol of Dutch survival of World War II. It is one of the few buildings which survived the onslaught of the war and is among the most prominent places to visit in Rotterdam. As there isn’t much to explore within the building, you don’t need more than 30 minutes for this iconic landmark.
3. Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
This church is one of the few surviving medieval buildings which you can explore during Rotterdam sightseeing. This protestant church is also the oldest building which stands in the city. You would need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.
4. Market Hall (The Markthal)
This open air marketplace is the best place to visit in Rotterdam for shopping. Besides being a hub for many top things to do in Rotterdam, the Market Hall is also known for Digital 3D artwork by Arno Coenen. You will need about an hour for this Rotterdam attraction.
5. The Cube Houses
The city is well known for its architectural innovations and these houses are one of the prime examples among wonderful things to see in Rotterdam. The houses were designed by Piet Blom and have become among top Rotterdam attractions just for their out of the box design. You should keep aside 20 to 30 minutes for these houses.
6. Old Harbor (Oude haven)
This harbor goes all the way back to 14th century. You will see a mixture of modern and historical ships docked at the harbor. It is one of city’s most important spots and you should definitely take at least 30 minutes to explore it when you visit Rotterdam.
7. Arboretum Trompenburg
This Botanical Garden was built in the 19th century. It has a large collection of plants and trees from a variety of species. It is a very blissful place to explore during Rotterdam travel. You would need about an hour to explore this garden.
Day 2
1. Kinderdijk’s Windmills
These windmills are among UNESCO world heritage sites. You will need to get on a train go on a drive to reach here. The journey is worth the view. You will be treated with one of the best sights, a long and broad expanse of pastoral landscape with windmills scattered over it. You should keep aside at least 3 hours for this site.
2. SS Rotterdam (The Grande Dame)
Also known as La Grande Dame, this ship used to be an ocean liner and a cruise ship. Now it is a museum and a hotel which you can visit among Rotterdam tourist attractions. You would need 2 hours to explore this large ship.
3. The Euromast
This tower is the tallest structure in the country and one of the highest in Europe. It is one of the best spots for Rotterdam sightseeing as you get a great view of the city’s skyline. You would need about an hour at this tower.
4. Kunsthal
This art museum doesn’t hold a permanent collection, so you would get to see something new every time you visit it. The museum mostly features 20th century art and contemporary art in temporary exhibitions. You would need about 2 hours to explore this museum.
5. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
This museum features one of the most impressive art collection in Netherlands and hence is among the most popular places to visit in Rotterdam. You can see wonderful artworks from medieval period as well as contemporary artworks in this museum. It also exhibits works of legends such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh. You would need about 2 hours to explore this museum.
If you plan to stay in the city for more than 2 day, you can check out our exhaustive list of places to visit and top things to do in Rotterdam in the section below.
Things to do in Rotterdam
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Rotterdam
- Cube House
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
- Kunsthal Rotterdam
- Maritime Museum
- Netherlands Photo Museum
- Grote of Sint Laurenskerk
- Witte Huis
- Museum Prinsenhof Delft
- Vermeer Centrum Delft
- Wereld Museum
- Nieuwe Church
- Royal Delft
- Natural History Museum
- Old Church
- Museum Park
- Stadhuis Rotterdam
- Chabot Museum
- The Destroyed City
- Het Nieuwe Instituut
- Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
- Depot Boijmans van Beuningen Museum
- Sonneveld House
- Santa Claus Sculpture
- Paul McCarthy Sculpture
- Stadhuis Delft
- Tax & Customs Museum
- Marines Museum
- Dutch Pinball Museum
- Stoom Stitching Railway Museum
- Luchtsingel
- Museum Paul Tetar van Elven
- Eastern Gate
- Science Center Delft
- National Genever Museum Schiedam
- Museum Vlaardingen
- Museum Rotterdam 1940 – 1945
- Erasmus – Hendrick de Keyser Sculpture
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Rotterdam
- Kinderdijk
- Kralingen Lake
- Rotte Lake
- Oude Maas
- Kralinge Bos
- Lage Bergse Bos
- Rottemeren Lake
- Zevenhuizerplas Lake
- Rhoonse Grienden
- Ackerdijkse Plassen
- Hoge Bergse Bos
- Carnisse Grienden
- Bergse Plassen Lake
- Bentwoud Forest
- Broekpolder
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Rotterdam
- Rotterdam Zoo
- Miniworld Rotterdam
- Arboretum Trompenburg
- Oceanium
- Plaswijck Park
- Kunstinstituut Melly
- De Tijdtrap
- Holland Casino
- Tent Rotterdam
- Villa Zebra
- Recreatieoord Binnenmaas
- Botanical Garden TU Delft
- Dark Park Rotterdam
- Attractiepark Rotterdam
Shopping in Rotterdam
- Market Hall
- Beurstraverse
- Meent Shopping Corridor
- Blaak Market
- Plaza Rotterdam
- Venetie Passage
- De Bijenkorf
- Alexandrium Mall
- Beursplein
- Zuidplein Mall
Offbeat Places & Adventure Things to Do in Rotterdam
- Trekking
- Camping
- Swimming
- Surfing
- River Boat Cruise
Sightseeing in Rotterdam
- Euromast Tower
- Erasmusburg Bridge
- Windmills at Kinderdijk
- The Rotterdam Building
- Port of Rotterdam
- Witte de Withstraat
- Nieuwe Maas
- Het Park
- Maastunnel
- Coolsingel
- Ondernemersvereniging Wilhelminapier
- Lijnbaan
- Maastoren
- Van Brienenoordburg
- Noordereiland
- Eiland van Brienenoord
- Schie River Canal
- Willemsbrug Bridge
- WTC Rotterdam
- Gebouw Delftse Poort
- De Haf Bridge
- Historische Tuin Schoonoord
- Kruiskade Street
- World Port Center
- Schouwburgplein
- Historisch Delfshaven
Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Rotterdam
- Kite
- Ter Marsch & Co
- Rotterdam de Jong
- Lof der Zoetheid
- Social Club
- Meteopole Cafe
- Euromast
- Gare de Nord
- Aji
- Lilith Cafe
- Brazzo
- Euskadi
- Parkheuvel
- Roffa Street Food
- Amarone
- Bertmans
- Joelia
- Urban Bistro
- Rosso
- Vessel 11
- De Harmonie
How to Reach Rotterdam?
By Air
The Hague Airport is the best option for Rotterdam travel. You can get direct flights from various cities including London, Munich, Antalya, Konya, Praia, Barcelona, Berlin, Bergerac, Budapest, Madrid, Prague, Nice, Faro, Rome, Valencia, Bodrum, Vienna, Geneva, Hamburg, Ibiza, Istanbul, Rhodes, Salzburg, and many more. You can use a train, bus or cab to reach the places to visit in Rotterdam from the airport.
By Road
You can get direct trains to visit Rotterdam from Paris, Brussels, Antwerp and Mechelen. Trains also connect many cities within the Netherlands which you may use for Rotterdam travel.
Eurolines and Megabus services connect you to several cities in Europe for Rotterdam travel. You can get a good discount on the ticket if you make advance booking.
If you plan to visit Rotterdam by road, routes A15, A16, A29, and A12 are the best options.
By Water
You can get ferries to visit Rotterdam from the United Kingdom. You can get overnight boat rides from Hull, Harwich, and Newcastle.
Image Reference
- Maritime Museum Rotterdam – Calips / Wikimedia Commons
- Rotterdam City Hall (Stadhuis Rotterdam) – Mark de Rooij / PixaBay
- Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk – Frans Berkelaar / Flickr
- Market Hall (The Markthal) – vzoest0 / PixaBay
- The Cube Houses – Rob van der Vloed / PixaBay
- Old Harbor (Oude haven) – GraphyArchyPocket / Wikimedia Commons
- Arboretum Trompenburg – Henk van der Eijk / Flickr
- Kinderdijk’s Windmills – Rudy and Peter Skitterians / PixaBay
- SS Rotterdam (The Grande Dame) – Marco Nedermeijer / Flickr
- The Euromast – Antonio Fassina / Flickr
- Kunsthal – Jeffrey Beall / Wikimedia Commons
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen – Fred Romero / Flickr
