Rotterdam Visitor Guide 2022:Everything you need to know

Rotterdam is one of Europe's great ports and a major economic driver of the Netherlands. Founded in the thirteenth century, Rotterdam has been one of the most important cities in the country ever since. The second-largest city in the Netherlands after the capital of Amsterdam, Rotterdam is home to over 630,000 people.

During the Second World War, the importance of the port was its downfall. Heavily bombed by German forces, much of the city was destroyed in the conflict. However, following the war, Rotterdam regenerated itself. Now, the city is home to some impressive modern architecture that replaces what was lost and makes the city a fascinating place to explore. Drop off your bags at a Rotterdam luggage storage and see what the Netherlands' second city has to offer.

8 Best Ways To Experience Rotterdam In 2022

Rotterdam is often overlooked in favor of the more touristy, but famous Amsterdam. That's a shame as Rotterdam has so much to offer and there are some exceptional things to do there. Check out the companies mentioned here, then go out and about with them and you'll see sides to the city you never imagined existed. Whether you choose a walking tour, a boat ride down the Niewue Maas, go around Rotterdam by bicycle or on a Segway, you'll discover a Dutch city you'll want to visit time and time again.

Best Segway Tour – Segway Rotterdam

Walking around large cities isn't for everyone and let's face it, sightseeing on foot can make you too tired to enjoy an evening out. Ride around the sights on a Segway and you'll have enough energy left to party till dawn. Segway Rotterdam runs tours lasting seventy-five minutes where you're guided around the cycle paths past all the main sights. Tuition for handling the segway takes a mere fifteen minutes so after a couple of hours you'll be free to go off and do something else, including catching up on your sleep if you had a late night.

Contact Segway Rotterdam by emailing them at info@segwayrotterdam.nl or give them a call on 31-10-436-0425 for rates and availability.

Best Walking Tour – Walk Rotterdam

If you're really not into whizzing around Rotterdam on a Segway and prefer to stroll at a leisurely pace while viewing the city's stupendous architecture, Walk Rotterdam is the company to get in touch with. Walk Rotterdam organizes a series of walking tours around the city which concentrates on the most outstanding buildings and bridges. The tour guides are knowledgeable about the history of the structures that are the main landmarks as well as how they were designed and built.

To join Walk Rotterdam on an architecturally focused tour call them on 31-641-435-120 or drop them an email at info@walkrotterdam.com.

Best Tour For Foodies – Bike & Bite Rotterdam

When in the Netherlands, do as the Dutch do and ride everywhere by bicycle. It's the easiest, cheapest and most environmentally friendly form of transport there is. Want more of a taste of Rotterdam? With Bike and Bite Rotterdam, cycling around the sights is made even more fun by combining cycling with a food tour. It's a fun four hours where you don't need to worry about the calories you're taking in as you'll burn them off by pedaling between sampling locations.

Organize your cycling food tour with Bike & Bike Rotterdam by emailing info@bikeandbite.nl or call 31- 617-479-420.  

Best Running Tour – Rotterdam Sight Running Tour

Make your morning exercise more interesting by joining a group and going on a running tour of the city. Rotterdam Sight Running Tours have a variety of different routes which will take you to the best parts of the city or around historic WW2 sites. If you prefer to run with just the guide, you can have a private tour. Whichever you choose, be prepared for an early seven o'clock start.

Get ready to run on a Rotterdam Sight Running Tour by emailing contact@rotterdamsightrunningtours.com or call them on 31-641-277-240 for more details.

Best Free Tour – IDTours

If you're exploring on a budget, a free tour can help you see more of the city while saving some money. IDTours offers two different tours to choose from: the Highlights tour which will show you Rotterdam's most iconic sites or the Skyline tour which will give you a better understanding of the city's architecture. The tours are completely free, but remember to tip your guide for the services. Also, if you like what IDTours provides, they offer paid tours of different aspects of the city, so you can support them by taking one of those.

Reach out to them to book a tour at info@rotterdamidtours.com or 31 628 975 044.

Best Off The Beaten Path tour – Rotterdam Pages

Not all sightseeing tours take you to the city's more hidden and lesser-known spots. When you go on a free walking tour with Rotterdam Pages they leave no corner of the city undiscovered. If you love to see the work of graffiti artists, find unusual sculptures or wander off the beaten track you'll be right at home with Rotterdam Pages tour guides and see plenty of stuff you'd just never have found by exploring alone.

Contact Rotterdam Pages for tour dates and availability by calling them on 31-655-623-122 or send an email to info@rotterdampages.com.

Best Private Tour – Tour Guys

The Tour Guys are hard to beat for an all-inclusive private tour of Rotterdam. By day or by night, a full day or just half a day, go with the Tour Guys and you won't find yourself forking out extra for museum or gallery entrance fees or for food and drinks. Everything is already budgeted for in the price of the tour before you set out and the tour routes are equally as amazing too, whether you choose one of theirs or have one tailor-made especially for you.

Get ready for a great day out with the Tour Guides by emailing them at info@tourguys.nl or by giving them a call on 31-622-646-000.  

Best Boat Trip - Rederij Van Hulst

Have a lazy day cruising along the canals and rivers around Rotterdam with Rederij Van Hulst. These super riverboats are totally decked out for comfort so you can sit and see the countryside passing through the panoramic windows while sipping a cup of good Dutch coffee. There's plenty of fantastic photo opportunities as you float out of Rotterdam toward Leiden as you’ll pass lots of traditional windmills on the way.

Sail away with Rederij Van Hulst by emailing info@rederijvanhulst.nl or give them a call on 31- 712-501-900.

A weekend in Rotterdam

A weekend in Rotterdam isn't going to exhaust everything there is to do, but it will give you a chance to see some of the city's major sights. Drop off your bags at a Rotterdam bag storage and you'll be free to explore at your own pace in this vibrant and fun-loving place.

• Immerse yourself in Dutch cuisine at Rotterdam's Markthal. Worth visiting for its modern architecture alone, this striking market hall is home to a variety of shops, stalls, bars, and restaurants. It's the perfect place to try some great food and enjoy the best atmosphere in the city.
• The Euromast tower is an icon of the city. Built in 1960, the 600-foot tall tower is the tallest building in Rotterdam, and its observation deck is the best place to get a view over the city. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even zipline down from the top.
• Thanks to the Nazis, there isn't much left of medieval Rotterdam. However, you can see a glimpse of how the city used to look at Great St. Lawrence Church. Built in 1449, this beautiful church remains the spiritual heart of the city and a reminder of what was lost in the twentieth century.

Rotterdam lockers

As one of the most vibrant cities in the Netherlands, Rotterdam is a fascinating place to explore. You'll find it a lot easier to see everything the city has to offer if you travel light. Drop off your unneeded bags at a Rotterdam luggage storage service where your things will be safely looked after until you're ready to pick them up. The less you have to carry, the more you'll be able to see.

Off the beaten path in Rotterdam

Although Rotterdam is a major Dutch city, it doesn't get the attention the capital Amsterdam does. So in a way, the entire city is off the beaten path. Still, Rotterdam offers some quirky things to do away from the more popular tourist attractions. Drop your bags at a Rotterdam luggage locker and explore the more unusual side of the city.

• The port of Rotterdam is one of the biggest and busiest in the world. You can explore it on a boat tour which will tell you more about the cutting-edge technology used at this port and its importance to the country and the continent.
• Fenix Food Factory is the perfect place to explore the local food culture further. Home to restaurants, markets, and food tastings, you can indulge yourself in fresh coffee and local beer along with the delicious food. The factory even offers workshops and cooking lessons where you can brush up on your skills.
• See one of the last of the great ocean liners at the SS Rotterdam. Built in the 1950s, the ship was retired in 2000. Now a hotel, its lavish interior is a monument to the golden age of ocean liners, and guided tours allow you to see the bridge, the engine room, and other interesting areas of the ship.

What to do alone in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a great place to explore by yourself. Remarkably safe, the city is perfect for solo travel. Whether it’s business or pleasure that brings you to Rotterdam, you won’t run out of things to do in this fascinating town. Drop off your bags at a Rotterdam suitcase storage and enjoy your solo trip.

• See some of Rotterdam's unique modern architecture at the Cube House. This housing block features houses that are tilted 45 degrees. People really do live in these unusual houses, but one of them is preserved for visitors so they can see what it's like to live in such an unconventional structure.
• Windmills are an icon of the Netherlands, and some of the best can be found just outside Rotterdam at Kinderdijk. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the windmills and canals of this village are a glimpse into the rural life of the Netherlands just outside one of its biggest cities.
• Rotterdam has been a center of shipping for centuries, and you can explore more of this story at the Maritime Museum. Learn about the battle of Trafalgar and the pilgrims who left the Netherlands for the United States from Rotterdam, among other interesting chapters of the city's history.

Best souvenirs in Rotterdam

Cheese is a big part of Dutch cuisine. The Dutch are great consumers and producers of dairy products, and you can pick up great local products at De Kaashoeve. Jewelry also makes a great gift as well as a souvenir, and you can see some unusual pieces at Galerie Puur. For something that references Rotterdam's maritime heritage, pick up a decorative ship's oil lamp at Egge Maritiem, close to the city's Maritime Museum.