Attractions - Holland

Attractions - Amsterdam

Rotterdam, Netherlands

The gateway to Europe, busy and exciting Rotterdam is located at the heart of a maze of rivers and is one of Europe’s most important ports. There is something for everyone here in this buzzing city famed for its diamond trade as well as its endless shopping opportunities. With intriguing museums and buildings, many shops and a myriad of popular bars and cafes, a trip to Rotterdam is one never to be forgotten.

Sample the old-world charm of the harbour of Delfshaven, lined with 18th- and 19th-century buildings and the initial starting point for the Pilgrim Fathers on their journey across the Atlantic Sea. Here you can visit the Dubbelde Palmboom Museum and the nearby Boijmans-Van Beuningen Museum, one of the great attractions of Rotterdam. This fabulous museum features an enormous collection of paintings spanning the centuries, from Old Masters to Pop Art. The overwhelming array of works on display presents a veritable lesson in the history of art and features artworks by such masters as Breughel, Bosch, and Rembrandt through to recent giants such as Warhol and Liechtenstein. Wind down and stroll along the banks of the Oudehaven, Rotterdam’s oldest harbour that was brilliantly redeveloped after being blitzed during World War II. Here you can stop off for a beer or a coffee in one of the harbour’s many popular bars and cafes or enjoy a meal while admiring the comings and goings of this busy corner of Rotterdam. For a shopping experience second to none, take an hour or two to walk your way around the Lijnbaan, the first pedestrianised shopping precinct in Europe offering something for every taste and purse. Take in an amazing view of the city by making the heart-stopping journey to the top of the tower of the nearby 15th-century St. Laurenskerk church or for something out of the ordinary, visit the Kijk-Kubus, an intriguing upside-down house certain to baffle and amuse.

Experience the history of Rotterdam at the Schielandhuis Museum, which offers a variety of excellent displays or explore the city yourself by foot or by bicycle. Enjoy a leisurely waterway excursion past the wharves, landings and docks on board a gently chugging ferryboat. Travel out of the city for a daytrip to Gouda, a typical Dutch country town with quiet canals and old docks. Return for an evening out in a smart restaurant before sampling some of the exciting nightlife in exhilarating Rotterdam, the gateway to Europe.