10 Best Things to Do in One Day in Rotterdam: A Free Walking Tour

Visit The Netherlands Capital of Cool. Use this free self-guided walking tour to discover the best things to see in one day in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam is a city that rose like a magnificent phoenix from the ashes.

With the bullseye of its important port, the Netherlands’ second-biggest city was flattened in a Nazi bombing raid on May 10^th 1940. Only a handful of historic buildings survived the onslaught.

When the time came to rebuild Rotterdam, enlightened town planners and architects used its destruction as an opportunity to build a strikingly modern city that pushes the envelope of urban design. What we see today is an architectural showcase designed by the great and the good of contemporary architects.

There are boldly futuristic apartment buildings, office towers, libraries, bridges, market halls and subway stations. But as a nod to Rotterdam’s past, remnants of the city’s few surviving historic buildings are tucked between its more contemporary creations.

And, better still, Rotterdam is one of the best European cities to visit as a solo traveller.

Many people visit Rotterdam as a day trip from Amsterdam, as part of a cruise itinerary or stay for just one night. If that’s the case for you, here are the best things to do in Rotterdam in one day.

However, if you have a little bit more time in this accessible and vibrant city, I have also included some additional places to check out.

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Best Things to Do in Rotterdam

Exploring Rotterdam in One Day on a Self-Guided Walking Tour

To help you make the best of your day in Rotterdam, visit these key sights, linked by my self-guided walking tour.

Your walk starts at the central railway station (Rotterdam Centraal) and ends at the Old Harbour. It is around 4 miles long.

Rotterdam self-guided walking tour – map

To help you along your way, here’s an interactive map of this Rotterdam walking tour. If you need directions, simply click on this map.

If you would like to use public transport to help you to see these sights, fast forward to the end of this post for some tips on how to get around Rotterdam.

Guided Tours of Rotterdam

But if you want someone else to take care of all the arrangements for you or want to benefit from the knowledge of a local guide, why not join an organised tour?

A tour can be particularly useful if you are travelling alone.

Many solo travellers fear being lonely, and joining an organised activity can be excellent for making friends while you are travelling.

Here are a few options to consider:

Best Things to See in Rotterdam in a Day

1. Rotterdam Centraal train station

Our walking tour starts at Rotterdam Centraal train station, a modern architectural gem.

Opened in 2014, Rotterdam’s futuristic central train station is massive, spread over 430,000 square feet under a cathedral-like roof. Before you start your walk in earnest, you might want to pick up a city map from the train station’s Tourist Information Office.

When you exit the station into the plaza, turn around and look back at the station to admire its flying saucer-shaped roof, its tip in harmonious juxtaposition with the adjacent buildings.

Walk along the boulevard-like Krusiplein and then take a left turn down Koningginnebrug.

Pass through Schouwbergplein, one of Rotterdam’s striking public plazas, to reach Korte Lijnbaan.

2. Rotterdam’s Shopping Zone

Korte Lijnbaan forms part of Lijnbaan, a fairly unremarkable network of pedestrianised shopping streets. So why is this included in this Rotterdam walking tour?

Lijnbaan’s claim to fame is that it was the first pedestrianised downtown shopping area to be developed in Europe. As such, it was a huge tourist attraction in the 1950s when such developments were novel.

Today, it has lost its shine and its shops are a little down market. Nonetheless, it is pleasant and, as a cycle-free zone, you don’t run the risk of cyclists approaching you from behind you like silent assassins!

When you reach the statue of the rasslin’ bears, take a right, and when you reach the tram tracks take a left. You are now in Beustraverse, another shopping street.

Carry on straight and you will reach Hoogstraat, which was at the heart of Rotterdam’s downtown area pre-1940.

Are you now ready for a pit stop?

If so, then grab a prized pavement table at Poffertjessalon Seth (Hoogstraat 147)  and order a portion of their tiny traditional pancakes, smothered in butter and dusted with icing sugar. They are like little sweet clouds of heaven.

Now on a sugar high, head toward the steeple of St. Lawrence Church.

3. St. Lawrence Church (Laurenskirk)

St. Lawrence Church is one of the few buildings that survived the WW2 bombing raid. Completed in 1525, this imposing Gothic building is Rotterdam’s oldest.

I didn’t go inside, but if you fancy a peek it will cost you €3 (2023 price). St. Lawrence Church is open 11:00 – 17:00, Tues – Sat, November to February. Between March to October, it opens at 10 am. The church also hosts concerts.

If you have a head for heights, for €7.50 you can climb the tower on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer months (April – October).

You can check current information here.

4. Erasmus

Have you heard about the Erasmus programme? This is a European exchange programme designed to enable students to gain experience in another country, either as part of their degree programme or as a work placement.

Now meet the man who inspired this. The statue of Rotterdam native, Desiderius Erasmus (1469 – 1536) graces the plaza in front of St. Lawrence Church.

Erasmus was a Renaissance humanist scholar who studied extensively abroad to avoid the fate of his like-minded friend, Thomas More, who had his head chopped off by Henry VIII.

Other Rotterdam landmarks are also named after him. We’ll come across at least one other in this walking tour.

But, for now, continue to the end of Hoogstraat and straight ahead you will see a white building with yellow tubes. Head towards this building which is Rotterdam’s City Library.

5. The City Library

For lovers of funky architecture, one of the best things to do in Rotterdam is to visit the City Library. Often compared to Paris’ Pompidou Centre, Rotterdam’s City Library is in keeping with the French building’s aesthetic of “form follows function”, celebrating the guts of a working building.

If you have time, it is well worth going inside the building and taking the escalator all the way up to the top floor to fully appreciate this space. I loved the funky 1970s-style lampshades.

Exiting the City Library, walk back across the plaza towards the modern dome-shaped building which is Rotterdam’s Market Hall. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, a market is held in this plaza.

6. Rotterdam Market Hall (Markthal)

If you only have one day in Rotterdam, its Market Hall is a must-see.

It is not like any other market that I have come across on my travels. Gleaming and modern, this cathedral of food is covered by a spectacular 36,000 sq ft ceiling mural, featuring fruits, vegetables and other market goods.

Beneath this domed ceiling is an extensive food market with more than 100 retailers, restaurants and fast-food stands.

Is it lunchtime yet? This is one of the best places in Rotterdam to stop for a drink or a quick bite to eat.

Back outside, you will be able to spot the distinctive tower block dubbed “The Pencil” by Rotterdammers because of its shape. Make your way toward it and you will arrive at the Cube Houses.

7. The Cube Houses of Rotterdam

For many, the Cube Houses are the stars of Rotterdam’s architectural show. Designed and built in the late 1970s by the architect Piet Bloom, these innovative buildings have achieved iconic status.

This urban forest of 39 identical yellow cubes sits on hexagonal poles, their walls tilted at a precarious 54.7-degree angle. Each cube houses a single family on three levels: the lower triangular level is the living room, the middle level is for sleeping and bathing and the upper level is an additional sleeping or living area.

For a closer look, follow the signs to the museum to enter a series of courtyards around which the Cube Houses are clustered. You can enter one of the houses themselves by paying €3 to visit Kijk-Kubus Museum House.

Alternatively, if you are after a more immersive Cube House experience, you can stay in one at the Stayokay Hostel (Overblaak 85-87). Dorm beds and private rooms are available.

From the Stayokay Hostel, take the steps down to Rotterdam’s Old Harbour. As this is the endpoint of our Rotterdam walking tour, we will return here. But if it is time to refuel you can do worse than take a break at one of the harbourside bars and restaurants.

If you want to carry on, walk around the left-hand side of the harbour, cross the main road and then go under the bridge’s flyover to reach the Maas riverfront.

8. Maas Riverfront

The red bridge to your left is the Williams Bridge (Willemsbrug).

With your back to the Williams Bridge, stroll along the riverfront boardwalk. In around 15 minutes you will arrive at the Parade of Flags, 200 of them representing the nationalities of those making up Rotterdam’s multi-ethnic population.

Remember Erasmus from earlier in our walking tour? Here is another Rotterdam landmark that bears his name, the spectacular 800-meter-long Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusburg).

The graceful shape of its 139-meter-high pylon has given it its nickname, “The Swan”.

The Erasmus Bridge is considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful bridges and it forms part of the city of Rotterdam’s logo.

To continue our walking tour, turn right to head away from the river and up Schiedamsedijk. Then turn right to reach the Maritime District.

9. Leuvehaven

One hundred years ago, Leuvehaven was a busy commercial port. Today it’s a harmonious blend of the old and the new, with a few remaining historic harbour buildings sprinkled amongst new tower blocks. It is an open-air venue for all things related to nautical history.

It is also home to Rotterdam’s Maritime Museum. In the plaza behind the museum is the symbolic De Verwoeste Stad (The Destroyed City) statue, commemorating the city’s WW2 destruction.

Follow the road (Blaak) around to the right at the Maritime Museum and just past the Blaak metro station you will find yourself back at the Old Harbour.

10. The Old Harbour (Oudehaven)

Rotterdam’s Old Harbour is a modern recreation of what the harbour would have been like, based on what little was left of it after Hitler had his way with the city.

With its enticing outdoor bars and restaurants and a handful of historic ships, it is a very pleasant area to stroll and sup.

It must be time for that cold drink now. You deserve it and where better to end your day in Rotterdam?

If You Have More Than One Day in Rotterdam

Do you have two days in Rotterdam? Even better!

To reach my first two recommended places – Delfshaven and Luchtsingel – you will need to hop on the city’s metro system. They are both so worth the trip, albeit in very different ways.

Delfshaven

Mercifully saved from the destruction wrought by the WW2 bombing campaign, Delfshaven is a very well-preserved area of Rotterdam and gives us a glimpse of what the city would have looked like in its golden age.

As its name suggests, Delftsaven was actually the port for Delft, six miles northeast of Rotterdam.

Walking along the idyllic Voorhaven canal is one of the best things to do in Rotterdam. Crisscrossed by bridges, lined by historic buildings and with a working windmill in the distance, it doesn’t get much more Dutch than this.

Don’t miss the Pilgrim Fathers Church (Oude de Pelgrimvaderskerk), near the main drawbridge. It was here that the Pilgrims prayed the night before they set sail for the New World on 1^st August 1620. The rest, as they say, is history.

Luchtsingel

Images of this 390-metre-long footbridge, slightly east of the main train station, have graced many an Instagram feed.

This bright yellow walkway connects Rotterdam North to the central area and, in doing so, has revitalised a once-neglected area.

Each of the 8,000 wooden planks forming Luchtsingel is inscribed with the name of the person who funded it, or with a message of the funder’s choice.

If you get a chance to visit, take a peek at the community area. It’s not often that you see sheep waiting for a train that will never arrive!

Rotterdam’s Instagrammable subway stations

Rotterdam’s architectural treasures can also be found underground. My favourites were Marconiplein and Blaak.

If you manage to visit Blaak station, look out for the remains of Rotterdam’s city walls which are suspended over one of its platforms.

Rotterdam’s street art & Witte de Whithstraat

If I have time, I try to check out street art in the city that I am visiting.

The street art scene in Rotterdam is centred around Witte de Whithstraat, which is the city’s hipster central.  This lively street is lined with restaurants that represent Rotterdam’s ethnic diversity, boutiques, art galleries and even a Dutch “coffee shop”.

If you head to Rewriters Rotterdam, you can download a free downloadable Rotterdam street art map. An app is also available.

Planning Your Trip to Rotterdam

How to get to Rotterdam

Rotterdam – The Hague Airport is located 3km from the centre of Rotterdam. The flight time from London City airport was a mere 45 minutes. The ice in my G&T barely had enough time to melt.  

To reach the centre of Rotterdam by public transport, take bus #33 from the terminal.  A bus leaves every 10 – 15 minutes during the day and it will take you all the way to Rotterdam Centraal. Buy a two-hour ticket from the machine as you exit arrivals.

Alternatively, catch the #33 bus going in the opposite direction to the nearby Meijersplein metro station, five minutes away, and then hop on Line E. The two-hour ticket will cover you for both journeys.

Rotterdam is also well-served by trains, including a direct Eurostar train from London St. Pancras.

Do you fancy travelling in affordable luxury to Rotterdam? I so, consider travelling in Standard Premier class on Eurostar. It’s not as expensive as you may think.

Getting to central Rotterdam from a cruise ship

• If you arriving in Rotterdam on a cruise, reaching the city centre is a breeze.
• Cruise Terminal Rotterdam is centrally located at Wilhelmina Pier, at the southern end of the Erasmus Bridge. The nearest metro station is Wilhelminaplein, five minutes walk away. From here, it’s four stops north to Rotterdam Centraal on Line D or Line E.
• The cruise terminal is also served by trams #23 and #25.

How to get around Rotterdam

Thanks to its integrated and efficient public transport network, getting around Rotterdam is easy. Your ticket choice will depend on how much you anticipate using the city’s transport system over a set time period.

For a one-off journey within Rotterdam, buy a two-hour ticket for €4 (2022 price).

If you plan to do a lot of travelling within Rotterdam during the course of a day then a day ticket costing €9.50 (2023 price) is your best bet.

A Tourist Day Ticket for €15.50 is also available. The difference between this and the day pass is that it gives you free travel within the South Holland region, from the tulip fields of Lisse in the north to Dordrecht in the south. 

If you are planning to use public transport in other Dutch cities, an OV-chipkaart may be more convenient. Similar to London’s Oyster Card, you preload this card with credit or add a specific travel product. 

Where to stay in Rotterdam

If you can be persuaded to spend more than one day in Rotterdam – and I recommend that you do! – the city offers a broad range of accommodation options to suit all budgets.

As each district has its own charm and personality, there is no single best area to stay in Rotterdam.

The lively city centre, right in the thick of things, is divided into sub-districts. Here are a few areas that are worth considering:

• The Cool District around Witte de Withstraat Street  – brimming with bars, restaurants, boutiques and galleries
• The Triangle area, near Blaak Square and the Market Hall. From here, it is easy to visit most of Rotterdam’s attractions
• Oude Haven – for a dose of Dutch culture and history

Mid-range

citizenM Hotel – I stayed at the funky four-star hotel in the thick of things, alongside the Old Harbour and across the road from Blaak station. Recommended.

READ THIS NEXT: citizenM Rotterdam Hotel: Affordable Luxury?

Here are other options that I have found that may suit different budgets:

Splurge

PREMIER SUITES PLUS Rotterdam – these stylish, serviced apartments near the central train station have garnered rave reviews.

Budget

Sparks Hostel – Close to Rotterdam Centraal station, this hostel offers dorm beds and private rooms.

>>> None of these places take your fancy? Discover other great accommodation choices in Rotterdam.

Recommended guidebook for Rotterdam

Getting your hands on a good guidebook to help you to plan your trip to The Netherlands, and explore the country whilst you are there, is a smart move. I highly recommend this excellent Rick Steves guide, which was my constant companion I visited The Netherlands.

Final thoughts – Amsterdam or Rotterdam?

Go to Amsterdam for its canals, its medieval buildings and a window into the Netherlands’ past. Rotterdam is modern Holland and without the crowds that can often swamp Amsterdam.

Don’t visit Rotterdam expecting a living Vermeer painting. Instead, come for bold modern architecture and a multicultural buzz that is hard to beat.

You won’t be disappointed.