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Welcomes Visitors With Countless Architectural Highlights, Notable Museums, and Trendy Everyday Culture
Table of Contents
A. About Rotterdam
Nickname: Manhattan on the MaasRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and home to the largest port in Europe.
After the Blitzkrieg of the Second World War, Rotterdam rose like a phoenix from the ashes. Today this highly dynamic city nicknamed "Manhattan on the Maas", welcomes visitors with countless architectural highlights, notable museums, and trendy everyday culture.
➕ The Good
Rotterdam ranks in none of the categories excellently (7/10), however, it still consistently scores high in all of them (except affordability). As a result, the overall performance is very impressive.
Furthermore, public transport is splendid, so there is no excuse for not stretching your travel horizons beyond the city limits.
In short, Rotterdam is one of the most dynamic, modern, and architecturally interesting cities in Europe.
➖ Negative Aspects
With a score of 3.0 for its affordability, Rotterdam is an expensive city, though to a slightly lesser degree than neighboring Amsterdam.
Furthermore, Rotterdam was widely destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in concrete. Therefore, you will notice hardly any historic buildings.
B. Best Things to Do in Rotterdam in 2025 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)
In total, we count a total of almost sixty sights in Rotterdam. The following sights and attractions contribute to an impressive score of 6.70/10 in this most important category:
# Market Hall 6
Opened in 2014, Holland's largest market hall is Rotterdam's main tourist attraction and a stunning example of modern architecture.
Market Hall | Modern Architecture Created: 2014
# Cubus Houses 6
Designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom, this iconic block of houses, with their unique cube-shaped upper stories, is an eye-catching example of iconic architecture.
One of them, the Show Cube, is open to the public.
Houses | Modern Architecture Created: 1984
# Boijmans van Beuningen Museum 6 (⚠️closed until 2026)
This prestigious world-class museum, one of the largest in the Netherlands, is home to a great collection of sculptures, paintings, and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to today.
The museum will reopen in 2026 after a major renovation project with a capital injection of €223 million.
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- Important Masterpieces: 4
- Highlight: The Pedlar (The Wayfarer), by Hieronymus Bosch (ca. 1500), 71 cm × 70.6 cm (28 in × 27.8 in)
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Top 8 Artworks of the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum: 1) The Pedlar (The Wayfarer), Hieronymus Bosch (ca. 1500), 71 cm × 70.6 cm (28 in × 27.8 in) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 2) The (Little) Tower of Babel, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1823-24) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 3) The Three Marys at the Tomb, Hubert van Eyck or Jan van Eyck or both (c. 1425-1435) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 4) Hell and the Flood, Hieronymus Bosch (ca. 1514) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 5) Portrait of Armand Roulin, Vincent van Gogh (1888) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 6) The Glorification of the Virgin, Geertgen tot Sint Jans (c. 1490–95) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 7) The Fall of Ixion, Cornelis van Haarlem (c. 1588) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 8) The Mandrill, Oskar Kokoschka (1926) by Wikimedia / Public Domain
Interesting Artworks: 6/10 Famous Artworks: 6/10 Art Display: 6/10 Building: 6/10 Size: 5/10 🧮 Overall: 5.6/10
Art Museum Gallery Space: ca. 12,000 m2 [130,000 ft2] | Galleries: 23 | Artworks on Display: ca. 1'000 | Established: 1849 | Visitors (2015): ca. 270,000
(Click on images to open in lightbox, recommended)
# Delfshaven 5
Situated on the banks of the River Nieuwe Maas, the small district of Delfshaven has survived the German blitz of Rotterdam in May 1940 unscathed and retained its traditional charm.
by Michielverbeek / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Blijdorp Zoo with Oceanium 5
Established in 1857, this great zoo features a Botanical garden and an Oceanium and is home to over 180 distinct species.
by Tim Strater / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Euromast 5
Constructed between 1958 and 1960, this 186-meter-high tower offers from its outside observation terrace spectacular unobstructed views across Rotterdam and its port.
Tower Total Height: 186 m | Observation Deck: 104 m
by F.Eveleens / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Erasmusbrug 4
Erected in 1996, this iconic modern bridge is nicknamed the Swan due to its large upright mast that resembles the neck of a swan.
# Old Harbour 4
Rotterdam's atmospheric old harbor (Oude Haven) is one of the most popular entertainment and dining areas for locals. It features a delightful mix of historic merchant houses and modern design.
by Elgaard / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Kunsthal 4
Housed in an award-winning building by renowned architect Rem Koolhaas, Kunsthal is Rotterdam's exhibition center. The museum doesn't feature a permanent collection but welcomes every year around twenty-five exhibitions, which are brought about through collaboration with large museums.
Modern Art Museum | Modern Architecture
by Sandra/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Maritime Museum 4
Dedicated to naval history, this museum features engaging hands-on exhibitions and an open-air harbor museum, where you can climb aboard a diverse range of historical vessels.
by Vysotsky / CC BY-SA 4.0
C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Rotterdam
– Centraal Station (Stationsplein) 4
The station, originally opened in 1957 and significantly revamped in 2014, features a striking modern design with a distinctive angular roof.
It accommodates high-speed trains, regional services, trams, buses, and a metro line, making it an essential part of the city's transport infrastructure.
Railway Station | Modern Architecture
D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Rotterdam
WINDMILLS OF KINDERDIJK 6
The Windmills of Kinderdijk, located in the Netherlands, are a collection of 19 meticulously preserved windmills dating back to the 18th century.
These iconic structures were built primarily to manage water levels in the low-lying Alblasserwaard polder by pumping water into the nearby river basins.
Windmills 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1997 | Distance from Rotterdam: 20 km
by Travelinho / CC BY-SA 4.0
E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Rotterdam (including close-by excursions)
To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Rotterdam for at least three entire days: