Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Modern Rotterdam is often referred to as a "wonder", because of its amazing Phoenix-like revival after bombs had virtually flattened Rotterdam on May 14, 1940. Highlights are the 180 metres tall Euromast which was built in the record time of 23 days, the impressive sculpture by Osip Zadkine entitled "The Destroyed City" and the town hall resplendent with its embellished facade in the style of the Flemis Neo-Renaissance.

Activities

The Havenmuseum shows the presence of the port of Rotterdam in the heart of Rotterdam. The Maritiem Museum in Rotterdam offers a wealth of information about the shipping industry, both past and present. The Openlucht Binnenvaart Museum offers berths to historical commercial (sailing) vessels in the Oude Haven area as well as parts of Delfshaven in Rotterdam. Close to the Oude Haven on the Wijnhaven, you will also find the Mariniers museum. Here, visitors can learn anything and everything there is to know about the lives of 'our boys', the ships and the history of the Royal Dutch Navy. The Wereldmuseum Rotterdam focuses on encounters and cross-cultural inspiration. How can one live in a cube house? In Rotterdam you will find the answer. Curiously angled cube-shape apartments have each been turned to balance on one corner on the top of tall beams. One of the cube houses, the so-called fully furnished Show Cube, is open to the public. The Blijdorp Zoo is a voyage of discovery, full of surprising encounters that takes you to different continents in one day. The Euromast, a 607-feet tower visible from miles around, gives a superb view of the city of Rotterdam and the largest port in the world.

Shopping

• A good place to start is downtown Rotterdam. You will find a wide variety of shops in this area. If you prefer a mall, try the completely covered Plaza across from Central Station. The Beurstraverse, an architectural subterranean link between the two sides of the Coolsingel boasts the largest continuous collection of shops in Europe.
• Art lovers will enjoy themselves on Witte de Withstraat.
• Are you interested in interior decoration? Visit the Alexandrium featuring no less than 192,000 square feet of ideas for your home. You will be surprised by the gigantic selection.

Currency

The Euro (EUR), the currency of the European Union, is the official currency of the Netherlands. Many stores and restaurants also accept major credit cards, which usually offer you a good exchange rate. When shopping, remember there is a Value-Added Tax added to most purchases.

Weather Forecast

Sailing Calendar

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