Rainy day · Rotterdam · Netherlands
8 things to do in Rotterdam when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: GraphyArchy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Markthal, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and Kunsthal. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–13 hours across 3 areas; 1 is free. November is usually the wettest month, with about 13 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 12–13 hours
- Areas
- Centrum, Cool and Witte de Withstraat and Katendrecht
Rotterdam on a rainy day
Market · Centrum
1.Markthal
Come for an early lunch on a weekday; it gets very crowded on Saturday afternoons.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Cool and Witte de Withstraat
2.Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
Book a guided tour to see storage areas closed to individual visitors.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
- Iconic
Gallery · Cool and Witte de Withstraat
3.Kunsthal
Check what is on before you go; there are usually several shows at once.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Cool and Witte de Withstraat
4.Het Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House
Don't skip the Sonneveld House; it is one of the best-preserved functionalist interiors in the Netherlands.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Katendrecht
5.SS Rotterdam
Have a drink in one of the ship's original lounges even if you don't take a tour.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Museum · Katendrecht
6.Fenix
Climb the Tornado to the rooftop for views of the Wilhelminapier towers.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
Museum · Centrum
7.Maritime Museum Rotterdam
The indoor play zone is a good rainy-day option with children.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Centrum
8.Laurenskerk
It is a two-minute walk from the Markthal; check whether the tower is open for a climb during your visit.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Centrum | Markthal, Maritime Museum Rotterdam and Laurenskerk | 1 hour + 2 hours + 45 minutes |
| Cool and Witte de Withstraat | Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Kunsthal and Het Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House | 2 hours + 1.5–2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Katendrecht | SS Rotterdam and Fenix | 1.5 hours + 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 1 free, 1 low cost, 6 mid-priced. Book ahead for Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. The longest visit is Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: Timed-entry tickets are recommended at weekends and in school holidays.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Centrum): Markthal → Maritime Museum Rotterdam → Laurenskerk, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Cool and Witte de Withstraat): Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen → Kunsthal, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Cool and Witte de Withstraat and Katendrecht): Het Nieuwe Instituut and Sonneveld House → SS Rotterdam, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Katendrecht): Fenix, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- November: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 13 rainy days, quiet crowds. Dark and rainy; focus on museums, food halls and cosy bars.
- December: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds. Festive lights and winter events, with busy shops before Christmas.
- January: highs of 6°C (43°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Grey, damp and windy, but museums are quiet and hotel prices low; the film festival brings energy late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Centrum — Shopping streets, Rotterdam Centraal and the Markthal around Coolsingel and Blaak
- Cool and Witte de Withstraat — Galleries, terraces and restaurants between the centre and the Museumpark
- Kop van Zuid and Wilhelminapier — Towers, the Erasmus Bridge and the old Holland America Line quays across the river
- Katendrecht — A former sailors' quarter turned food and culture peninsula on the Maashaven
More of Rotterdam
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Rotterdam?
Markthal. MVRDV's horseshoe-shaped market hall, opened in 2014, wraps apartments around a vaulted food hall.
+Which of these are free in Rotterdam?
Markthal.