Centrum
First-timersAround the Markthal and the Cube Houses.
Rotterdam city guide
Rotterdam Travel Guide
Rebuilt after 1940 and modern because of it: the best architecture in the country, Europe's biggest port, food halls and a nightlife that feels more like a city than a postcard.
12
Hostels in the city
7.4
Average, from 18,176 reviews
1940
The bombing that cleared the centre
40 km
The port, to the sea
40 min
By train to Amsterdam
The city that started again
On 14 May 1940, German bombing destroyed almost the entire historic centre of Rotterdam. Instead of rebuilding the old city, Rotterdam chose to build a new one, and it has been experimenting ever since. It is now the architecture capital of the Netherlands: cube houses, a horseshoe-shaped market hall, a mirrored art depot and a skyline of towers on the river.
It is also the largest port in Europe, stretching forty kilometres to the sea, and the working city the rest of the country jokes about. Rotterdammers like to say that money is made here, divided in The Hague and spent in Amsterdam.
Rotterdam is cheaper and much less crowded than Amsterdam, forty minutes away by train. Two or three days covers it, with Kinderdijk's windmills and Delft close by.
Where to stay
The centre is spread out but well connected by metro and tram. The Witte de With area and Kop van Zuid are the best bases.
Witte de With
NightlifeThe bar and gallery street near the Museumpark.
Kop van Zuid
ViewsAcross the Erasmus Bridge, with the towers and Hotel New York.
Katendrecht
FoodThe old sailors' quarter, now full of restaurants.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 8 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Rotterdam
Start at the Markthal, a huge horseshoe of apartments arching over a food market, its ceiling covered in a giant mural of fruit and flowers. Across the road are the Cube Houses, tilted yellow cubes on poles, one of which is open to visitors.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a mirrored bowl in the Museumpark, is the first publicly accessible art storage building in the world, with a rooftop garden. The Kunsthal, next door, has changing exhibitions.
Walk across the Erasmus Bridge, the white harp-shaped bridge over the Maas, to Kop van Zuid and the Hotel New York, the former headquarters of the Holland America Line. Fenix, the migration museum in an old warehouse nearby, tells the story of the millions who left for America from this quay.
Take a harbour boat tour to see the scale of the port, or go up the Euromast for the view.
More on things to do in Rotterdam
Free things
Free things to do in Rotterdam
The architecture is free to look at, and it is the main reason to come: the Markthal, the Cube Houses from outside, the Erasmus Bridge and the skyline.
The Markthal is free to walk through. The rooftop park at the Depot is reached through the building.
The river walks along the Maas and the old harbour, Oude Haven, cost nothing.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the best city in the Netherlands for cheap, varied food, thanks to its multicultural population. The Markthal is the big food hall, and Katendrecht, across the river, has become a restaurant district.
Surinamese, Cape Verdean, Turkish and Moroccan food are everywhere, and cheap.
A meal is €12 to €20, cheaper than Amsterdam.
Nightlife
Going out in Rotterdam
Rotterdam has the best nightlife in the Netherlands after Amsterdam, and many locals would say better. The Witte de Withstraat and the Oude Haven are the bar streets; the Meent has cocktail bars.
The club scene is serious, with venues in old industrial buildings and a long history in electronic music.
A beer is €4 to €6.
Getting around
Getting around Rotterdam
The city is spread out but well served by metro, trams and buses, run by RET. Tap a contactless bank card in and out, or buy a day ticket.
The water taxis across the Maas are a quick and fun way around the centre.
Trains reach Amsterdam in about forty minutes, The Hague in about twenty-five and Delft in about fifteen. Rotterdam The Hague Airport is north of the city, and Schiphol is about thirty minutes by train.
For Kinderdijk, take the water bus from the Erasmus Bridge.
Costs
What Rotterdam costs
Rotterdam is cheaper than Amsterdam. Dorms start around €20 to €25, a meal is €12 to €20, and a beer €4 to €6. A careful day is €50 to €65.
The architecture and river walks are free; the museums are the main cost. Many places are card only, and some do not take credit cards.
Safety
Staying safe in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is safe, with ordinary big-city care needed around Centraal station and at night in some districts south of the river.
Cycle lanes are for bikes, and bikes have priority. Do not walk in them, and look both ways before stepping off the pavement.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Rotterdam
Windmills, Delft and The Hague are close by.
Kinderdijk
Nineteen eighteenth-century windmills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Delft
Vermeer's canal town.
The Hague
Government, galleries and the beach at Scheveningen.
Gouda
The cheese market town, with a Gothic town hall.
What's on
What is on while you are there
North Sea Jazz in July is one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world.
Staff pick
19 November
Connecting Cultures Festival
The Connecting Cultures Festival Food Fair in Rotterdam celebrates the city’s international spirit by inviting student associations to showcase authentic dishes and drinks from…
Staff pick
26 November
Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson is an English musician who spans genres from new wave and jazz to classical. He gained fame in the late 1970s with…
24 Oct – 28 Feb
Works by Paul Signac & His Contemporaries
A major retrospective exhibition at the Kunsthal showcases over ninety works by Paul Signac and his contemporaries, highlighting his role in Neo-Impressionism. You can…
13–21 November
DI-RECT
DI-RECT is returning to Rotterdam Ahoy for a series of concerts in November 2026. The band has a strong history with the venue, having…
22 November
Sparta Rotterdam vs. AZ Alkmaar
A competitive Eredivisie match awaits you as Sparta Rotterdam hosts AZ Alkmaar at Het Kasteel. Experience the excitement of Dutch top-flight football in the…
4–6 December
Jandino Asporaat
Twenty years of Jandino Asporaat on stage are celebrated in this special show that takes you through his career from theater beginnings to major…
4–6 December
The Big Anniversary Show: Jandino
Celebrate two decades of Jandino's career with a show that takes you through his journey from early theater days to major venues. Expect humor,…
5 December
Sparta Rotterdam vs. NEC Nijmegen
A football soccer match between Sparta Rotterdam and NEC Nijmegen is scheduled at Het Kasteel in Rotterdam. The game will take place on December…
Hostels
Where to stay in Rotterdam
The top-rated places to stay in Rotterdam right now, live from Hostelworld.
CityHub Rotterdam
Rooms from €25 a night
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Hostel Ani & Haakien Rotterdam
Dorms from €31 a night
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Sparks Hostel
Dorms from €18 a night
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Hostel ROOM Rotterdam
Dorms from €25 a night
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Sustainable
Stayokay Rotterdam Cube Hostel, Fully renovated April 2026
Dorms from €21 a night
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Sustainable
a&o Rotterdam City
Dorms from €14 a night
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CoolDocks
Dorms from €32 a night
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King Kong Hostel Rotterdam
Dorms from €21 a night
See dates and book
When to go
May to September is best. Summer brings the big festivals.
Jan
Cold, dark, cheapest beds of the year
Feb
Quiet
Mar
Tulip season opens at the end of the month
Apr
Tulips and Kingsday on the 27th
May
The best month
Jun
Long evenings, terraces full
Jul
Peak season
Aug
Still peak
Sep
Excellent and quieter
Oct
Cool, wet. Museum weather
Nov
Grey and cheap
Dec
Sinterklaas and Christmas markets
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Wind off the port makes it feel colder.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Transport assumes RET day tickets or tapping a bank card.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Rotterdam travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Rotterdam worth visiting?
Yes, for the architecture, the food and the nightlife. It feels completely different from Amsterdam.
How many days do you need in Rotterdam?
Two or three, with Kinderdijk and Delft.
Why does Rotterdam look so modern?
Most of the historic centre was destroyed by bombing in May 1940, and the city chose to rebuild in a modern way.
How do I get to Kinderdijk?
By water bus from the Erasmus Bridge.
Is Rotterdam cheaper than Amsterdam?
Yes, for beds, food and drink.
How far is Amsterdam?
About forty minutes by train.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September.
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