Rotterdam holds a special place in the hearts of those from The Netherlands.
The port city was where its ships first ventured out into the world, having been established as early as 1270 by some accounts. From those origins, Rotterdam has grown into a bustling metropolis as well as being home to Europe’s biggest cargo port area. But there is also a great deal more to the city nicknamed Gateway To Europe, and travelers will have a blast engaging in these activities throughout Rotterdam.
1. The Euromast
First built in 1960, the Euromast is a striking fixture on the Rotterdam skyline. It stands at 338 feet (103 m) in height, and is the tallest structure in the city after some renovations were made in 1970. It functions as an observation tower, and in recent years has added a restaurant. For those looking for a unique visit, arrangements can be made to book one of the two suites, named Heaven and Stars for an overnight stay complete with room service and access to the balcony.
2. Kinderdijk
This village east of Rotterdam is home to one sight that The Netherlands is known the world over for — windmills. To be precise, nineteen of them. These windmills have been standing since 1740, and help to drain the water from the surrounding land thanks to a central pumping station. They are the oldest collection of windmills in the world, and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Visitors can make a day out of walking or biking around the grounds, and also checking out the Wisboom Visitors Centre for workshops and short films about the history of the area. Another activity is the Museum Mill tour, which takes guests through the preserved interior of a windmill with décor from the 1950’s.
3. Keukenhof
If you are a horticultural person, then Keukenhof will be a boon to your Rotterdam vacation. Keukenhof, or kitchen garden, came to life in the 15th century as the private garden of a countess. As time moved on, it became attached to a castle and grew in size. In 1949, it was turned into an official park and since then has become one of the largest flower gardens in the world. The grounds are bedecked with all manner of tulips and other flowers, making for a highly vivid pastoral scene. Visitors can also get a chance to tour the garden on a whisper boat, which runs through the park’s waterways or rent a bicycle and take one of four cultivated routes through Keukenhof.
4. Rotterdam Zoo Biljdorf
Situated in the northwest part of the city, the Royal Zoo of Rotterdam has been in existence for 150 years. It moved to the Biljdorf area during World War II in order to maintain the safety of the animals during the massive bombing campaigns. The zoo is home to multiple animal habitats, including a massive aquarium that holds various species of marine life found in the Americas, with guests even being able to walk through an underwater tunnel through one section filled with sharks. Visitors to the zoo have numbered up to close to two million on an annual basis, even in the winter when the zoo constructs a winter square filled with fun activities for all ages.
5. Rotterdam Cubic Houses
Designed by Piet Blom and constructed in 1977, the kubuswoningen are viewed as a geometric masterpiece of architecture. These houses are actually the second such project — a series of similar homes were built in another town, Helmond. The homes were conceptualized as composing an abstract forest, and 39 of them were built out of a proposed 55 ordered by the council. Sitting right above a subway station, the Cube Houses do attract a lot of attention, so much so that an owner turned one into a showcase for tourists to marvel at as they traverse the three floors. In addition, there’s a museum of chess pieces that is underneath that has been there since 2006.
6. Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Rotterdam prides itself on its maritime history, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Rotterdam Maritime Museum. The scholarly institute dedicated to naval history was founded and built in 1874. Within the museum there are a number of antiquities like the world’s oldest model ship. The present day complex also includes the Maritime Museum Harbour, an open-air exhibit which has a series of restored vessels in the water that visitors can tour as well as the last grain silo elevator in operation among other curiosities. The Maritime Museum also offers tour packages that include perks like lunch on the S.S. Rotterdam.
7. Kunsthal
Kunsthal is among the newer museums that have sprung up in Rotterdam over the past couple of decades. Part of its interest is in its eclectic design, which was the brainchild of globally-known architect Rem Koolhaas and built in 1992. It was built to convey a mixture of instantaneous sensibilities with smooth marble surfaces contrasting steel beams and a bright orange girder adorning its roof. The Kunsthal sits adjacent to the Museumpark, which links the museum to other artistic institutions around the glade. There are no permanent exhibitions, but there’s a number of exhibits that are held throughout the year there, which contain works from past and present artists, mainly in a vast gallery space that allows for exhibitions to be held parallel to each other.
8. Visit the Cube House
Based on the concept of ‘living as an urban roof’, Cube house is designed as high-density housing in the forms of 38 small cubes and situated in the center of Rotterdam on Overblaak 70. It lies right on the Black Square next to Blaak Market Hall, that is within walking distance to the biggest and most modern shopping streets of Rotterdam. From the Cube house, you can also walk to the Old Harbour.
The Cube house is designed by a Dutch architect Piet Blom with the idea to create a village within a town: shops, schools, children’s playground and living space in the same place. It is now a fully furnished house that is custom-made to give visitors the image of how one can live in a Cube house. The house has been built during the 80s and this is a good place for artists and visitors to capture the classic side of Rotterdam. Admission fee is 2.50 EUR (about 3 USD) for adults and 2 EUR (about 2.50 USD) for students.
9. Take a Water Taxi
As the city of port, Rotterdam is also popular for great views of gigantic bridges such as Erasmus Bridge and Willemsbrug that are the most famous one. One of the best ways to enjoy this is to take a Water Taxi - massive boats taking you to different parts of the city. You can book a group tour of more than 8 people or purchase single ticket on the boat.
Passing through the city above the waves while enjoying fresh air is a great experience at an affordable price of only around 5 USD. Take a water taxi from the closest port with Erasmus Bridge and you will also get a chance to see De Rotterdam - a well-known architecture with modern design as well. The journey time depends on your destination, as water taxi is used as a means of regular transportation. Remember not to take the expensive 60 USD + water taxi tour because you would end up paying way much more for the same experience.
10. Get to the windmill town Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is a small village in the South of Holland, about 15 kilometres from Rotterdam. This is where you can find the UNESCO World’s Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk - the biggest collection of windmills in the Netherlands, as well as the Itinerary Museum Mill Nederwaard. At the ticket office in the entrance, you will find the map of all the mills and prices based on how many windmills you want to visit. There’s no limit for the number of museum you want to check and it’s even free just to walk around and see it from the outside. Inside, you will basically see how the mills are operated back then.
Read also: Top 10 things to do in Amsterdam
from : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-rotterdam-705103.html
from Wiki Topx
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