Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam. It’s located in the Rhine-Meuse delta, in the province of South Holland. Rotterdam is known for being home to Europe’s largest seaport as well as its modern architecture and skyline. Rotterdam makes a great destination for a day trip or weekend getaway.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the best sights and attractions that you shouldn’t miss out on if you only have one day in Rotterdam.. We’ve put together a full itinerary to help you explore the best sights of Rotterdam in one day (or weekend). By the way, I lived in Rotterdam for almost three years and I’m sharing my tips below based on my countless strolls through the city.
Only have one day or a weekend in Rotterdam and want to see the highlights? No problem! The sights and activities below are arranged in order of location from the central station, so you can follow along on foot to all the attractions in just one day. If you’re staying for a weekend, you can split them over two days or add more sights – more on that at the end of this article.
Contents
1. Historic Central Station Building (Rotterdam Centraal)
Our itinerary for your day in Rotterdam starts at the central station. Of course, that’s perfect if you arrive by train. If you’re driving, you can park your car in one of the many car parks in Rotterdam.
Rotterdam’s central station will give you a great first impression of the city’s modern architecture. Every day, more than 100,000 people pass through the impressive building. Many of them commute to or from work, as Rotterdam is known to be an economic hub in the Netherlands. There are also several international train connections to Rotterdam.
The historic station building was fully rebuilt and modernized in 2007. What’s good to know is that the original lettering “Centraal Station” (now with LED lighting) and the clock on the front gable were preserved. The central station is a true eye-catcher and the perfect place to begin exploring the city!
2. Old Town Hall (Stadhuis)
From the central station, you’ll walk towards town hall (stadhuis), which takes about 10 minutes.
The city hall (Rotterdam stadhuis) is located in the heart of the city center. Rotterdam was heavily damaged during World War II, which didn’t spare the old town hall. The current town hall was reconstructed after the war on the exact same site where the previous one stood.
The town hall is an important building for the city. Not only is it beautiful on the outside, but it also holds special meaning for Rotterdam. The city hall represents Rotterdam’s resilience and innovative architectural style. The modern design features a striking glass façade and a unique twisted shape. Rotterdam’s municipal offices and city archives are located here. For visitors, it’s the outside of the building that is worth seeing.
3. Market Hall (Markthal)
From the city hall, your walk will lead you to Rotterdam’s famous market hall (Markthal). The walk takes about 10 minutes and takes you through the vibrant city center.
The Markthal is impressive both from the outside and the inside. In the semicircular glass building, there are more than 100 fresh food stands, a supermarket, and several cafés and restaurants. Don’t forget to look up when strolling along the stands, where you’ll see the artwork “Horn of Plenty”, the largest work of art in the Netherlands. This market isn’t called the “Sistine Chapel” for nothing.
Kitty’s Tip
If you’re hungry, have a snack at one of the many stands in the market hall. If the weather is good, you can sit on the grass fields or benches outside the Markthal.
4. Laurens Church (Sint-Laurenskerk)
Only about 100 meters across the large forecourt of the market hall is the Laurens Church (Sint-Laurenskerk). This imposing late Gothic building was built in the second half of the 15th century and is the last of its kind in Rotterdam. The destruction from the Second World War has been carefully restored and stands in memory of the fallen.
From the church tower, you’ll have a beautiful view of the surrounding city center. The church tower is only open to visitors during the summer (from April to October), usually on Wednesdays and Saturdays at specific time slots. The visit lasts about one hour.
Kitty’s Tip
If you have just one day in Rotterdam, we recommend that you only visit the church from the outside and skip the church tower. Don’t worry, we’ll have another viewpoint for you in this itinerary. If you spend two or more days in Rotterdam, climbing the church tower is a worthwhile experience.
5. Cube Houses (Kijk-Kubus)
Just across from the market hall are the famous cube houses of Rotterdam (Kijk Kubus). The unique cube houses were designed by an architect who envisioned a separate village in the middle of the city. The whole complex looks like a forest, with the hexagon-shaped cube houses representing trees. Be sure to enter the inner court to see the forest-like design.
Most of the cube houses are apartments. One of them is a museum that is open to visitors. It’s certainly worth a stop to experience the unique architecture from the inside.
6. Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug)
The Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug) is undoubtedly the symbol of Rotterdam! From the cube houses, your walk will lead you away from the city center, towards the Meuse River (Maas). Once you reach the tall red bridge, Willems Bridge (Willemsbrug), you should turn right. There are some beautiful hidden gems on your way from the center to the bridge, so be sure to look to your left and right.
Follow the riverbanks of the beautiful Meuse River (Maas) until you reach the Erasmus Bridge. The walk between the Willems Bridge and the Erasmus Bridge takes about 20 minutes. It’s a bit longer than crossing the city center, but it’s much more scenic. You’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view of the skyline of Rotterdam, the Meuse River, and the iconic bridges.
The Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug) is the large white bridge that you’ll see after you turn right at Willemsbrug. It connects the north with the south of the city and is 800 meters in length. It rises on 140-meter-high steel pylons, resembling a swan and therefore bears the nickname De Zwaan (the swan).
Cross the Erasmus Bridge to the south and enjoy the view of the Meuse River with its many cargo ships and boats. If you’re lucky, a gigantic cruise ship will be docked at the Cruise Terminal on the opposite bank.
7. Hotel New York
At the foot of the Erasmus Bridge, you’ll turn right. Your next stop is Hotel New York, a national heritage site of the Netherlands. It’s located in the former Holland America Lijn building, which was built between 1901 and 1917. The original purpose of the building was to temporarily host European emigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When flying became the norm, the building became redundant.
In the early 1990s, the building was converted into a luxury hotel, preserving the name Hotel New York. The two ancient towers and the original inscription “Holland America Lijn” were preserved. Hotel New York is an important landmark in Rotterdam. In addition to 72 rooms and conference rooms, the hotel also houses a restaurant that provides an upscale dining experience.
8. Cross the River by Watertaxi
A special feature of Rotterdam is the river Meuse (Maas). It runs through the city and has several small inland waterways. The waterways provide a unique form of public transport, the watertaxi.
The watertaxi works similarly to a bus; there are several stops across the city (you can’t just hop on and off at any point). One of those stops is located at Hotel New York. Luckily, prices are also comparable to a bus ride and not a taxi ride (crossing the river by watertaxi is about €2 per person). Hop on the watertaxi at Hotel New York and get off on the other side of the river, at Euromast.
The crossing by watertaxi is both a time-saver and a unique experience. You’ll get beautiful views of the Erasmus Bridge, as well as Rotterdam’s stunning skyline.
9. Euromast Tower
The Euromast is the tall round tower west of downtown (resembling a television tower). It might already catch your eye from the Erasmus Bridge and Hotel New York. Euromast provides one of the best views you can get of Rotterdam. On a clear day, you can enjoy a unique 360° view of Rotterdam and the port facilities on the outskirts of the city.
An elevator takes you up to the first viewing platform at 100 meters (328 ft) in just 30 seconds. You can also continue all the way to the top, to the Euroscoop, an observation deck at 185 meters (606 ft). In our opinion, the first viewing platform is good enough to get an impressive view of the city. We highly recommend that you purchase your Euromast tickets online prior to your visit to ensure availability. Euromast only allows a limited number of visitors during pre-booked timeslots.
Kitty’s Tip
Hungry? There are not many (good) eateries in the Euromast area. There’s a brasserie at Euromast (first viewing platform). A unique experience (right next to Euromast) is the Pancake Boat (pannenkoekenboot). It’s a 75-minute boat tour with all-you-can-eat pancakes. I joined this activity once with colleagues, and it was fun. You won’t have time for this if you’re in Rotterdam just for the day, but it’s a great activity if you’re staying for a weekend or longer.
10. Splash Bus
If you’re looking for a unique experience on your day in Rotterdam, you should take a ride with the Splash Bus. The tour starts at Parkhaven, just down the road from Euromast, next to the floating restaurant. You can perfectly combine it with your visit to Euromast.
The first part of the experience is a traditional bus tour. The good thing about it is that you’ll see a different side of Rotterdam that you won’t see during your walking tour. The bus will first cross Erasmus Bridge. You’ll see some parts of the district Kop van Zuid, where many of the tall buildings are located.
However, the highlight of Splash Bus awaits you in the second half of the tour. The bus will splash into the Meuse river and continue as a boat. You’ll get another view of the impressive Erasmus Bridge and the skyline. Even though the tour takes you along beautiful places, it’s not really about the bus ride… the real highlight is when the bus dives into the river!
The Splash Bus will drop you off at Euromast, so you can continue your tour from where you left off.
Kitty’s Tip
So, is the Splash Bus worth it? The Splash Bus is a rather expensive activity. You’ll already get a good view from the water when taking the watertaxi for a fraction of the price, so you don’t really have to take the Splash Bus for that. Many people will join the tour for the experience of splashing into the water, which is definitely a unique and fun experience. I’m happy that I took this tour. If you want to integrate the Splash Bus to the suggested itinerary, you need to have a full day. If budget and time are not an issue, you could do them all: watertaxi, Euromast, Splash Bus. If you start your day late, travel at a slow pace or on a budget, skip the Splash Bus.
11. Park (Het Park)
Adjacent to the Euromast, in the direction of the city center, is a large park (het park). This park is certainly one of the most beautiful parks in Rotterdam. It’s a carefully maintained green area with some lakes where locals like to relax on warm days. In the spring, there are a few colorful tulips. With the Euromast in the background, this makes for a beautiful photo.
After your visit to Euromast / Splash Bus, cross the park to walk back towards the city center.
12. Witte de Withstraat District
Depending on when you start your day and the time you spend on each sight on this list, you should be back at the city center in the early evening hours.
Rotterdam is not only known for its sightseeing, it’s also a great place to go out. The city has many wonderful restaurants and pubs. One of the iconic places in Rotterdam we recommend you visit is Witte de With Street.
From the early evening hours, Witte de Withstraat becomes a real hotspot of Rotterdam’s nightlife. There are countless cafés, bars, and small restaurants on this busy street, which are well frequented by locals. This is the ideal place to end your day trip in Rotterdam with some Dutch food!
If you want to try a local dish, head over to Jaffa Shoarma (my personal favorite) and try their famous kapsalon. It consists of French fries with meat (shawarma), topped with cheese and lettuce. Although this might not sound very Dutch to you, the dish kapsalon was actually invented in Rotterdam! If you prefer something fancier or cozier, head back to the city center where you can choose from countless local and international pubs and restaurants.
Share Your Thoughts & Questions!
Have you ever been to Rotterdam or are you planning to visit soon? Share your experiences and questions in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!
