When one of my favourite bands, Arcade Fire, was touring in Europe we decided to get tickets to see them at the AHOY Arena in Rotterdam. As we were short of time due to work commitments, this trip required a whistle-stop visit to Rotterdam for the gig, with some planned activities around the music. If you love a water based city, then Rotterdam is for you. Read on to discover what to do in Rotterdam.
Where is Rotterdam?
Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam, located in the province of South Holland.
As Europe’s largest seaport, it is no surprise to learn that Rotterdam is a city on water – it sits on the Meuse River (which leads to the Rhine inland) and at the mouth of the North Sea. In 1340 a dam was constructed here, hence the city’s name (‘the dam on the Rotte’). Due to its network of rail, road and waterways, Rotterdam is a key gateway to Europe.
Getting to Rotterdam
From London by train
If you live near London, then you can easily travel to Rotterdam by train, catching the Eurostar from St Pancreas Station to Amsterdam (4 hours 50 minutes), and then catching a local train down to Rotterdam (35 minutes).
From other locations
From our home in the north of England, it was easier to fly from Leeds/Bradford Airport to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. From Schipol Airport take the train to Rotterdam Centraal Station, which could not be easier. It takes just under 30 minutes and brings you right into the centre of the city.
What to see in Rotterdam
Kijk-Kubus Museum-House or ‘Cube Houses’
Top of most lists for what to do in Rotterdam are the crazy yellow Cube Houses designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom, located just outside the Blaak Metro Station. Each house represents a tree and together the houses represent a forest, hence one of its nicknames, the Blaak Forest.
The complex of innovative housing comprises 38 small cubes and 2 super cubes, all attached together. Each cube is positioned at a 45-degree angle to a hexagonal pylon, which makes you wonder how on earth you can walk around inside them, let alone live in them.
Luckily, one of the cubes is open as a ‘show cube’ so that you can get inside and have a look around which was fascinating. Basically, you need to be creative with your furniture, and not mind small spaces with slanted roofs and a lot of stairs. If this is up your street, then you could buy one for around 445 Euros (2023 listed price).
Market Hall (Markthal)
Next to the Cube Houses is the Market Hall (Markthal), a horseshoe shaped building with apartments and offices on top, and a large retail space below filled with market stall holders. The dark grey structure is covered in pretty flower prints to help create an attractive space inside.
If you’re hungry then this is a great place to pick up some lunch supplies from one of the many stalls offering food from around the world.
Note – the Market Hall and Cube Houses are near the Old Harbour (Oude Haven), a beautiful old harbour built circa1350 and surrounded by terraces of restaurants, cafes, and bars. It is also home to the striking White House, the first skyscraper in Europe, which stands proud overlooking the port.
Hop On Hop Off Tram (Line 10)
If you’re not sure what to do in Rotterdam, you could take the vintage 1930s tram run by volunteers of the Rotterdam Public Transportation Museum (ROVM) which offers a circular Hop On Hop Off route around the key sights between April and October.
You can pick the tram up from one of its stops and pay on the tram. Stops include the Market Hall, Erasmusburg (landmark white bridge shaped like a harp), Delfshaven (see below), EuroMast (see below), City Hall, Coolsingel (a vibrant avenue with modern buildings, shops, and restaurants), and Centraal Station. This is a good way to get around and enjoy commentary on the city if you are short of time.
Delfshaven
If you want to step back in time and take a change from all the modern architecture in Rotterdam head to Delfshaven, and area which managed to survive extensive WWII damage. You’ll find a charming district set around pretty canals with old style canal houses, warehouses, distilleries plus an 18th century windmill.
On one of the canals is the De Pelgrim (The Pilgrim) Brewery, named after the Pilgrim Fathers, who set sail from here for the Americas in 1620, and the Pilgrim Father Church built in 1417. For history buffs, this area should definitely be on your list of what to see in Rotterdam.
EuroMast
Only a 15-minute walk from Delfshaven is the EuroMast, a tall observation tower offering panoramic views over the buildings and waterways from 112-meter-high platforms. There is also a ‘glass floor’ experience for those with the stomach for it.
Where to stay
SS Rotterdam
Whilst it might not be for everyone, we loved our stay on the SS Rotterdam, a retired Holland and America Liner now owned by the Westcord Hotel Group and permanently moored in Rotterdam.
Once the flagship liner of the Holland and America Line (HAL), you can book a guided tour of this historic ship or follow the self-guided audio tours on board. As I married an engineer, we ‘had to’ take the tour of the ship’s now dormant engine room!
The SS Rotterdam completed its maiden voyage in 1959 from Rotterdam to New York and was designed to deal with the rough conditions of the Atlantic Ocean. Rather than a chimney, it had two smoke ducks so was quite distinctive, and enjoyed 60 years of steam travel before being retired due to advances in other forms of travel.
You can book one of the 248 cabins on board decorated in 1950s style. Tip – if you can book one of the officer’s cabins, they have slightly more space. For an in-room experience, you can buy an Escape Room game – maybe good for rainy days?
You can visit the ship without staying on it, but a stay on the SS Rotterdam certainly has a novelty factor. It also offered some memorable moments for us with cocktails on the sun deck before we went to the gig at the AHOY Arena, and after the gig, night caps in the Art Deco style bar.
The SS Rotterdam has a water taxi dock right outside which is handy for getting around the waterways of the city.
Where to eat?
Hotel New York
You can catch the water taxi from the SS Rotterdam to the Hotel New York (also owned by the Westcord Hotel Group) which sits on Wilhelminapier, a pier named after Queen Wilhelmina who abdicated. It is also the location of the cruise ship terminal.
The Hotel New York building used to be the Headquarters of the Holland and America Line, until the HAL moved its administration to Seattle, USA, in the 1970s. This beautiful old hotel has a fantastic restaurant overlooking the water and a great menu. I can recommend the Spaghetti Vongole and the atmosphere which had a great buzz. Make sure to include it on your list of what to do in Rotterdam!
Alternatively, head to lively and hip, Witte de Withstraat for a great choice of restaurants and bars.
Concerts at the AHOY Arena
In case you’re wondering about the concert experience at the AHOY Arena, the band were great, and the sound was pretty good, but otherwise it was a typical arena style set up. The arena was easy to reach on the Tram system, alighting at the Zuidplein stop.
Final thoughts…
We enjoyed our short visit to Rotterdam – due to its setting on the water, if feels very open and not at all claustrophobic like some cities.
As a large part of the city was flattened during World War II, many of the buildings are modern, with pockets of old buildings and history in-between.
The city is well connected with trams and trains, and it’s fun catching the water taxi to get around.
We missed the Pinball Museum so that’s for next time!
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