Season guide · Rotterdam · Netherlands
Rotterdam in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: The original uploader was Sherpa at Dutch Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Lengthening days, King's Day celebrations and the marathon, with tulip fields within a short trip. Expect highs up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 29 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 3°C (37°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Sea
- 6°C (43°F) to 11°C (52°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 10°C (50°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 11 | 11.7 h | 2/5 |
| April | 14°C (57°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 9 | 13.8 h | 3/5 |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 9 | 15.6 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 14°C (57°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 129 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Rotterdam Marathon (usually April)
- April: King's Day — street markets and parties (27 April)
Good choices for spring
Market · Centrum
Markthal
MVRDV's horseshoe-shaped market hall, opened in 2014, wraps apartments around a vaulted food hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Cool and Witte de Withstraat
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
Kunsthal
Rem Koolhaas and OMA designed this 1992 exhibition hall at the southern end of the Museumpark, with ramps linking its galleries.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Cool and Witte de Withstraat
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
SS Rotterdam
The former flagship of the Holland America Line, launched in 1958, is permanently moored at Katendrecht as a hotel, restaurant and museum ship.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Day trips in spring
- Kinderdijk (About 30–40 minutes by waterbus) — The UNESCO-listed Kinderdijk has 19 windmills built in the 18th century to drain the polders, set along canals and reed beds.
- Delft (About 12 minutes by train) — Delft has canals, the Markt square between the Nieuwe Kerk and the town hall, Vermeer's hometown connections and the blue-and-white pottery of the Royal Delft factory.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Rotterdam?
Yes: May is among the best months. Lengthening days, King's Day celebrations and the marathon, with tulip fields within a short trip.
+What is the weather like in Rotterdam in spring?
Highs of up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.