I should start off by giving you a little history about Rotterdam before getting into travelling through Rotterdam in One Day. Unlike many of the cities we have travelled to, Rotterdam doesn’t have the same old city feel. Although it was founded in the mid-13th century, and received its municipal rights in 1340, the city centre was almost completely levelled during World War II.
Since then, many famous architects have come in and brought their visions of some pretty cool architectural ideas to life. The city is now more modern and full of progressive designs. The city centre is located on the northern bank of the Nieuwe Maas and the city itself is home to Europe’s largest seaport.
We were only in Rotterdam for about 19 hours, give or take, so we hustled to see as much as we could.
Read below for our suggestions to see Rotterdam in One Day.
Check out Rotterdam Markethal (Market Hall)
The Rotterdam Market hall was built in 2014. It was the first covered market in the Netherlands. I know you can’t tell from the pictures, but it is massive. It holds 228 apartments, 1,600m2 of space for restaurants and food vendors, 4,600m2 space for retail and there is a 4-story parking garage underground that holds over 1,200 vehicles.
From produce to floral shops, sweet treats to coffee and teas, all the way to supermarkets and art galleries, this place has it all. It’s also only a 7-minute walk to the Maritime District and right across the street from the Cube Houses, so it’s in a great location if you’re only here for a couple of days (or like us, literally overnight).
Market stalls are open Monday to Thursday 10 am – 8 pm, Friday 10 am – 9 pm, Saturday 10 am – 8 pm and Sunday 12 pm to 6 pm. The restaurants on the exterior of the buildings do have their own entrances and own times, so if you wish to eat at one of them, make sure you check their hours first!
Walk through the Maritime District
Going for a walk along the Nieuwe Maas river to see the nautical roots of the city is a great way to spend your time in Rotterdam. There are many ships to see and we always enjoy reading their different names. Walking along the river also takes you past the Internationale Vlaggenparade, which is an outdoor museum showcasing 230 flags. So you can spend a couple of minutes trying to find your home country’s flag while trying to guess the others, as you walk by.
As you continue on, you will eventually get to see the war memorial monument, de Boeg. De Boeg was unveiled in 1957 and was created in dedication to the 3,500 Dutch lives that were lost on merchant ships in World War II.
Just a little bit further, you will stumble upon the Erasmus Bridge. Construction on the bridge began in 1986 and took 10 years to complete. It’s actually pretty neat because it uses cables to support the bridge but it’s also a draw bridge. For all you bridge nerds out there, this one is drool-worthy! Rotterdam loves this bridge so much that it’s even part of the city’s logo.
We got to see Erasmus Bridge at night and it really gave a beautiful backdrop to our walk. There is also a restaurant by the base of the bridge (Bar-Restaurant PRACHTIG). We tried to get in but there was a private function going on, so unfortunately we got the boot. It doesn’t take too long to walk along the Nieuwe Maas river but it’s a lovely thing to do as the sun is setting in Rotterdam.
Cube Houses for a quick visit
Not much time is needed here. Have a quick look at the genius structure and architecture, it is worth it. The Cube Houses are right across the square from the Market Hall and are residential homes. The Cube Houses are just that, they are shaped like cubes on a 45-degree tilt. The reason for this is to optimize the space available as much as possible.
There is a museum in one of the cubes, the Show Cube Museum (Kijk-Kubus), but again we didn’t have time to take advantage of this attraction. They are open 7 days a week from 11 am – 5 pm and it’s only €3 a person.
You can also book a stay at the Cube Houses, as they have a hostel available.
Make sure you pop by and have a look at the Cube Houses though, as they definitely should be on your list for a quick trip to Rotterdam.
Nightlife in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a pretty trendy city and has a lot to offer everyone. We stayed at the City Hub on Witte de Withstraat street. Even just on that street, the nightlife scene was huge. We later found out that it’s actually one of the most popular stops for nightlife. Witte de Withstraat street is lined with restaurants, pubs, cafes and street food vendors.
We ate at Nieuw Rotterdams Cafe on Witte de Withstraat, but more on that later! There is definitely no worry about eating on this street, whether you feel like enjoying Vietnamese, Mexican, Korean, French, Middle Eastern or Dutch cuisine or you want shawarma, poutine, hamburgers, fried chicken, sushi, kebabs, etc., this street has it all. Oh, and don’t forget to wash it down with your choice of beer, wine, cocktails, or coffee!
You will never go hungry or thirsty on Witte de Withstraat.
During the day there are local shops (new and vintage) and multiple art galleries for you to wander through. Then, at night, the scene changes. We discovered that one restaurant, where we had eaten dinner, actually doubled as a nightclub! The streets were packed and every place was at full capacity!
Just walking down the sidewalk took some time because we were shoulder to shoulder with others around us. The street was alive, vibrant, and so energetic. Truly a great place to spend your evening in Rotterdam when you’re only there for a quick trip.
Visit Grote Kerk (Sint-Laurenskerk)
This Protestant Church is the only remaining medieval building in the city of Rotterdam, pre-World War II. The church took over 75 years to build (between 1449 and 1525) with a wooden spire being added in 1621. During the bombings in 1940, it was badly damaged, but a decision was made to restore the church instead of demolishing and replacing it, with the restoration beginning in 1952. We were only able to walk by but were fascinated by the beauty of this church.
I would actually say that one of the best photos I took on the whole 2-week trip was of Sint-Laurenskerk.
The interior does look incredible, and you can definitely visit the church and climb up the tower. They are open March through October; Tuesday – Saturday 10 am-5 pm and November through February; Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. Tickets are so reasonable at €3,00 for a person to enter the church and €7,50 to climb the tower. Please go, and take pictures to show us!
Click on the link if you’re looking for some Rotterdam Food Tips. Which you should be!