2 days in Rotterdam

Day by day

1. Day 1: Markthal and Cube Houses and Oude Haven

   Markthal, Cube Houses and Oude Haven, Harbour boat tour and Maritime Museum Rotterdam, then Erasmus Bridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Markthal

      Its ceiling is covered by Arno Coenen's huge mural Horn of Plenty, showing fruit, vegetables, fish and flowers, and the stalls below sell Dutch cheese, stroopwafels, seafood and food from around the world.

   2. Late morning

      Cube Houses and Oude Haven

      One, the Kijk-Kubus, is a show home you can visit. Below, the Oude Haven, the city's oldest harbour, has historic barges moored by café terraces.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Kibbeling

      Fish stalls at the Binnenrotte market, the Markthal and fish shops across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Harbour boat tour

      Spido boats leave from the Leuvehoofd at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge for tours of about 75 minutes through the inner harbours, past container terminals, shipyards and dry docks, with commentary on the port's history.

   5. Late afternoon

      Maritime Museum Rotterdam

      Near the Leuvehaven, the Maritime Museum covers shipping and the port, with interactive galleries, ship models and an outdoor harbour of historic vessels and cranes, plus a large hands-on play area for children.

   6. Evening

      Erasmus Bridge

      Walk across at dusk and continue to the end of the Wilhelminapier for the classic skyline view.

2. Day 2: Euromast and Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

   Euromast, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Kunsthal and Het Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House, then Witte de Withstraat in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Euromast

      Built in 1960 next to Het Park, the Euromast observation tower has a deck at about 100 metres and a rotating glass lift, the Euroscoop, that rises to about 185 metres, with views over the port, the river and, on clear days, towards the coast.

   2. Late morning

      Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

      Visitors walk through criss-crossing glass display cases and storage rooms holding the Boijmans Van Beuningen collection, from old masters to contemporary design, and up to a rooftop of birch trees with city views.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Raw herring

      Fish stalls and herring carts around the centre and markets.

   4. Afternoon

      Kunsthal

      It has no permanent collection and hosts changing exhibitions on art, design, fashion and photography.

   5. Late afternoon

      Het Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House

      The national institute for architecture, design and digital culture holds exhibitions in its Museumpark building, and also runs the nearby Sonneveld House, a 1933 Nieuwe Bouwen villa with its original furniture and fittings.

   6. Evening

      Witte de Withstraat

      Start with an early dinner here, then move to the bars on the Nieuwe Binnenweg nearby.

Before you go

• Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: Timed-entry tickets are recommended at weekends and in school holidays.

If it rains

• Swap in SS Rotterdam (Katendrecht): Have a drink in one of the ship's original lounges even if you don't take a tour.
• Swap in Fenix (Katendrecht): Climb the Tornado to the rooftop for views of the Wilhelminapier towers.
• Swap in Laurenskerk (Centrum): It is a two-minute walk from the Markthal; check whether the tower is open for a climb during your visit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.8 hours in December to 16.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The centre, the Markthal, the Cube Houses, the Museumpark and the Erasmus Bridge are within about 20–30 minutes on foot of each other.

More or fewer days

• One day in Rotterdam
• 3 days in Rotterdam

Questions travellers ask