A priori, we don’t necessarily think of Rotterdam to spend the weekend. 2.5 hours by train from Paris, the first port in Europe has something to appeal to lovers of big cities. Rebuilt after the war, Rotterdam plays the card of modernity. Innovative architecture, intense cultural life, lively nights and cosmopolitanism: all the ingredients for a successful urban trip are there!

A showcase of modern architecture
Urban trekkers, lovers of contemporary architecture and passionate about culture, Rotterdam is made for you. Largely destroyed by German bombing in 1940, the economic heart of the Netherlands, the leading port in Europe, is today an astonishing showcase of modern architecture. This is what undoubtedly makes Rotterdam a city apart from the Netherlands and Europe.

Here, it is not venerable buildings of the golden age which are reflected in the canals, but shining skyscrapers which are reflected in the waters of the port. Coming from the Thalys (2 h 36 from Paris), one has the impression of disembarking in a North American city, however human-sized (650,000 inhabitants).

Skyscrapers and cube houses
To get an idea of the dynamism of the city, head to Kop Van Zuid, a peninsula on the Meuse in the city center. This is where the Holland-Amerika Line transatlantic ships departed for New York, whose former HQ now houses the splendid New York Hotel.

Kop Van Zuid is currently being rehabilitated: cultural centers and museums have taken over the old Las Palmas warehouses, and spectacular skyscrapers, with luxury offices and housing, stand on what was long an industrial wasteland. Some projects are still underway, such as that of the Rotterdam towers by star architect Rem Koolhas: ultimately, Kop Van Zuid should deserve its nickname of Manhattan on the Meuse.

It will be understood, contemporary architecture is one of the major attractions of Rotterdam. A brochure from the tourist office presents tours on the traces of the main buildings. Emblem of the city since 1996, the Erasmus bridge (Erasmusbrug), which connects Kop Van Zuid to the north bank of the Meuse, seduces by its elegant structure in the shape of a harp, slender despite its gigantic size (140 m high). Also, in the heights, the Euromast tower (185 m high) is the other symbol of the local skyline. Beautiful panorama of the city and the incessant bustle of the port from the observation platform.

Another architectural must-see: the Kijk-Kubus(photo), surprising cube houses taken out of the cartons of the very innovative Piet Blom in 1984. Resting on concrete pillars enclosing the access stairs, they remind us of huts perched in trees, where humans would have made their nest. A show apartment is open to the public and you can even sleep there for a low price in the AJ Stayokay Rotterdam.

In the port of Rotterdam
Impossible to visit Rotterdam without taking a cruise in the port, which is the largest in Europe and the 3rd in the world after Shanghai and Singapore. A mastodon that stretches 33 km to the North Sea and sees 420 million tonnes of goods, 35,000 freighters and some 133,000 river vessels pass through each year. Figures that make you dizzy.

The Spido boats organize 75-minute tours from the foot of the Erasmusbrug. We walk along the docks, freighters, fairing basins, crane forests and container mountains from around the world, containing goods intended for more than 160 million Europeans. It is simply fascinating!

In a much less industrial genre, let us point out, at the entrance to the port of Rotterdam, the miraculously preserved district of Delfshaven : an old harbor basin from the beginning of the 19th century spared by bombs, with pretty old-fashioned brick houses, barges, a mobile bridge, a craft brewery and even a windmill.

Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Rubens and the others
Like other major cities in the Netherlands, Rotterdam is a cultural destination, with museums, art galleries and many festivals throughout the year. Take a tour of the superb Boijmans-Van Beuningen museum, which alone is worth the trip. Here is the famous Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but also paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Gogh, Impressionists, Courbet, Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte.

Other museums worth seeing , such as the Wereldmuseum (museum of the world) devoted to ethnology and cultures of the planet, the museum of the history of Rotterdam Het Schielandshuis or the innovative Nederlands Photomuseum, installed in a warehouse of Kop Van Zuid, which allows you to discover Dutch photography.

Finally, we also note in the MuseumKwartier, the NAI architecture institute, a natural history museum and the Kunsthal Rotterdam for its quality temporary exhibitions. In 2012-13, Aristide Maillol and Jean-Paul Gaultier will be playing at the Kunsthal.

Cosmopolitan restaurants and trendy nights
After the spiritual foods, let’s go to the table! Very cosmopolitan, Rotterdam, with more than 160 different communities and almost half of its population of foreign origin, offers all kinds of cuisine from around the world. You can eat specialties from Suriname, Indonesia, Cape Verde, the Middle East, Asia, but also, for fans, cones of fries and broodjes.

After gaining strength at the table, it’s time to start exploring the nights of Rotterdam, which is the cradle of house in the Netherlands and an important clubbing destination (Off Corso, Thalia, Club Vie). The bars are particularly lively at weekends. In fine weather, it is not uncommon to see the crowd overflowing on the sidewalk.

Right in the center, rue Witte de Withstraat, with its young, arty and cosmopolitan atmosphere, aligns restaurants, nice bars and cafes. It’s our favorite corner. A few streets further north, around the town hall (Stadhuis), there are a lot of lively bars and clubs on Meent and gay bars on Oldenbarnevelstraat.

To be more peaceful, at the water’s edge, opt for the small port of Oudehaven , at the foot of the cube houses, or, to the west of the city, the beer bars and the juniper shops in Delfshaven in an “old Holland” atmosphere.

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