Rotterdam has a crackling energy, with superb nightlife, a multicultural community, a gritty arts scene, and a clutch of excellent museums. It also has a long-standing rivalry with Amsterdam, reflected in most aspects of culture.
Rotterdam is simply bursting with architecture, design, art and culture, but also boasts a wide and varied range of shops, attractions, festivals, restaurants and parks. That’s why Rotterdam is a city that you can rediscover time and again.
Rotterdam is truly a world city. The impressive skyline can be seen from afar, enhancing the city’s imposing appearance characterised by such landmarks as the Euromast observation tower and the swan-like curve of the Erasmus Bridge. Rotterdam is known in the Netherlands and abroad as a city of great architecture, featuring many examples of innovative construction.
Rotterdam’s museums offer a highly diverse range of collections and expositions: from modern art to historical artefacts, from architecture to photography and from historical ships to exotic animals. There are also many interesting galleries at various locations throughout the city. The area around the Museumpark, in the heart of the city, is particularly well blessed with museums. A nice route runs from Museumpark to the Leuvehaven, via the Witte de Withstraat with its wonderful atmosphere, where the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art and many galleries are situated.
From classic French cuisine to spicy and exotic dishes, Rotterdam has it all. Every district has its own character when it comes to food and drink. The city boasts a wide range of restaurants and cafés located in the city centre, as well as in areas such as the Scheepvaartskwartier and the Oude Haven. In 2010 the restaurant guide SpecialBite named Rotterdam the Culinary Capital of the Netherlands in honour of its surprising culinary developments.
Rotterdam is a fabulous shopping city any season of the year. Even on Sunday, when many shops in this country close their doors for a day off, shopaholics can indulge themselves in Rotterdam. The shops in the city centre are open seven days a week. From exclusive to popular, from megastore to small boutique, situated in an arcade or a bustling street, Rotterdam has it all.
Visit VVV Rotterdam, the official tourist information office, for tourist information and tips on what to do in Rotterdam. Go to the city promotion centre ROTTERDAM.INFO or the VVV Rotterdam Info Café, where the staff is happy to help you.
There are also various i-Service kiosks in and around Rotterdam which provide tourist information:
• Beurs/WTC
• Selexyz Donner
• Rotterdam The Hague Airport (Information Desk)
• Shopping mall Zuidplein
• Shopping mall Alexandrium
• Information Centre Wilhelminapier
• Cultural Information Point Capelle
• Library of Bergschenhoek
More than three million people a year visit Rotterdam’s attractions. Whether it’s on the water, in the centre of the city, high in the air or out in nature, Rotterdam has something to offer everyone for a successful day out.
