Written by: Malvika Mayani
New city, new things to see! This is going to be a long one if you want to explore everything and be a tourist in your own city. Rotterdam is known for its unusual architecture, harbour, skylines, museums, parks and zoos.
Starting off with the CUBE houses located in Blaak; it is literally in the name; however the story behind this architecture is kind of odd. The architect wanted to represent a forest within the city, so one house is a tree and all houses together makes it a forest. You can even go inside to experience what it is like to live in a cube house!
To the opposite of the cube houses, you have Markthal which is the most ideal place for foodies. Pick a country from all around the world and go to its stand or restaurant and munch on its food; the place has got it all! In the same area, if you go to Oude Haven (Old Port) on a late summer evening for drinks or dinner with friends, it is the ultimate place to be with historic boats.
Moving to the city centre, there is a street full of department stores and restaurants. Furthermore there is an entire street devoted to bars alone called Witte de Withstraat. It has one of the most famous bars called De Witte App and it is the place to be on Thursdays and Saturdays!
The Erasmus Bridge is a must-see which connects both ends of Rotterdam. I recommend taking a boat tour of the harbour to get a view of the famous Rotterdam skyline! We of course cannot forget the Euromast, a 185 meter tall tower where you have a breathtaking view of Rotterdam and along with two fantastic restaurants. One last stop for the city is our Maritime Museum. It provides more history about waterways and ships and features 850,000 objects from centuries ago.
Lastly, for a more fun and friendly activity you can always go to the zoo by metro. It features a botanical garden and an oceanium. It is really well organised and split into themes, so you have the option to choose which theme to experience!
We hope you get a chance to discover our beautiful city and its attractions over time. There’s always something new to see in this ever-changing, dynamic city!