Rotterdam
Travel Guide > Europe > Netherlands > South Holland > Rotterdam
In this Article
- Introduction
- Neighbourhoods
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Weather
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Work
- Learn
- Keep Connected
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Introduction
Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and the second largest city in the Netherlands. During the Second World War, central Rotterdam was virtually flattened by German bombs, leaving extensive rebuilding to be done when the war was over. In the decades following the war, the city attracted many prominent architects and actively encouraged a modern style. Visitors won't find many of the typical old buildings that make other Dutch towns so appealing, but the modern architecture make this city well worth a stop.
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
- Museum Boijmans-van Beuningen houses an enviable collection ranging from medieval European art to modern art.
- The NAi, or Netherlands Architecture Institute, has various exhibitions dedicated to architecture. It is itself housed in a stunning building .
- The Kunsthal, Museumpark, Westzeedijk 341, has temporary exhibits widely ranging in topic and style. The building is designed by Rotterdam architect Rem Koolhaas.
Events and Festivals
- Every year in July, there is the Summer Carnival in Rotterdam, one of the biggest summer carnivals in Europe.
- North Sea Jazz Festival is held in Rotterdam every year in July and is one of the biggest jazz festivals in Europe. It used to be in The Hague but the last couple of years Rotterdam was the city of action.
Tour de France 2010
Rotterdam will be the city where the Tour the France, the world's biggest and best-known cycling race will start. At the 3rd of July, there will be a timetrail of 9 kilometres, through the inner city of Rotterdam. Will a start and finish near to Ahoy. On the 4th of July the second stage will start in Rotterdam, and the cyclists will head south into Zeeland, on a route that will take them over three dams, that belong to the Delta Works, and from there head into Belgium.
Weather
Rotterdam weather is typical of what you get in the Netherlands: mild winters with rare snow, and reasonably warm summers. Winters might be a touch milder compared to areas more to the east.
Getting There
By Plane
Rotterdam has a small airport, not surprisingly called: Rotterdam Airport It's mostly used by Transavia, Correndon and VLM airlines. The first two are specialised in holiday destinations, and the last services a lot of the smaller airports in the Netherlands and Begium, and connects from Rotterdam to for example London City Airport, Manchester, the Isle of Man, Hamburg and Jersey. Skywork Airlines has a weekly flight to Bern in Switzerland (winter only).
By Train
Although the Dutch like to complain about the trainsystem in the Netherlands, it is quite good. From the bigger stations in the Netherlands there are almost always intercity trains going to Rotterdam. Rotterdam is also connected the network of nighttrains, that connects most of the bigger cities, in the middle and the south of the Netherlands. The Thalys is the best option for connections to Brussels and Paris.
By Car
By Bus
Eurolines connects Rotterdam to a lof of other cities in Europe. Near to the central station you can find the office of Eurolines where you can reserve tickets. One street away, on the Conradstraat is the busstop of Eurolines in Rotterdam.
By Boat
The Icelandic cargo ship Eimskip has two vessels, the Dettifoss and Goðafoss which travel the route Rotterdam-Hamburg-Göteborg-Århus-Fredrikstad-Tórshavn-Reykjavík. It takes 8 days in total and the return trip goes via eastern Iceland and Tórshavn only. The vessel can take a maximum of 3 passengers but only between mid-April and mid-October.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel Central | Kruiskade 12 | Hotel | 69 |
| Hostel Boat The Clipper | Scheepmakershaven Across Number 26 | Hostel | 65 |
| Hostel ROOM Rotterdam | Van Vollenhovenstraat 62 | Hostel | 85 |
| Hotel Baan | Rochussenstraat 345 3023DH | Hotel | 70 |
| Mafkees | Schaatsbaan 41 -45 3013 AR | Hostel | 75 |
| Stayokay Rotterdam | Rochussenstraat 107-109 3015 EH | Hostel | 69 |
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This is version 15. Last edited at 20:24 on Jul 27, 09 by Herr Bert (+4). 13 articles link to this page.
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