This year for Christmas, our family is taking a cruise along the Rhine. My brother and I could each get time off before the cruise started to go to Europe early and play around a bit before joining the rest of the lot. Andy is a pretty big boat nerd, so he chose Rotterdam since for nearly 30 years it had been the busiest seaport in the world.
As I started research, it seemed that Rotterdam did not come up very high on many peoples lists. It is too industrial. It is not a real Dutch town. There is not much going on there. I have to admit that I must disagree. Andy and I really enjoyed out time there.
If you are thinking quaint little houses along canals and old architecture, Rotterdam is not your place. The city was basically flattened on 14 May 1940. After the war, the decision was made to rebuild Rotterdam not as a new old city, but as something completely fresh. This resulted in a boom of different, interesting, and some ugly buildings all over the city. It felt to me like a vision forward. A recognition of 300 years as a naval and shipping power. A desire to be the focal point for Europe in trade from overseas. To that end I think they succeeded.
Perhaps it is because of my engineering background, or because I grew up watching the shipping industry on the Great Lakes, or maybe because I have seen plenty of the traditional arts and architecture in the other hearts of Holland I have seen, but I really though Rotterdam had a very different feel and energy. I think it would be work a couple days on your itinerary.
Get a hotel along the river (we stayed at Inntel at Erasmusbrug). Watch the traffic go by. Take a night time walk and see the bridges. Ride the trams (the discount transit cards is one of the best deals I have seen). Take the harbor tour that goes to see part of the busy port. Visit the Maritime Museum. Take a walking architecture tour. Spend a little time in a slightly different type of the Netherlands.
- Uncle Phool
Location:Rotterdam, Netherlands
