With a flourishing art scene, contemporary skyline and a fascinating history to discover, this city is more than just its thriving business district.
You can explore all of this and more when you rent a car in Rotterdam.
Explore Rotterdam’s finest museums
One of the best art galleries to visit when in Rotterdam is the popular Kunsthal. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and built in the late 1980s in a contemporary style, it boasts a breadth of rolling exhibits, which means there’s always something new to see.
With huge blank spaces, there are no restrictions on how an artist can use the space. This opens-up the possibilities of photography, paintings, sculpture, film, visual effects and light shows.
The National History Museum is a great day out for the whole family, meanwhile. Discover interactive exhibits where almost 400,000 artifacts and fossils, including a huge Asian elephant skeleton, are on display.
Another great place to visit is the Maritime Museum. Founded in the 19th century, it has immersive experiences for the whole family. Learn more about the seafaring traditions of the region in the permanent collections, which includes the oldest model ship in Europe, then delve deep under the waves to find what’s lurking beneath in the Sea Monsters exhibit.
Once you’re finished here, venture outside to explore the historic Old Harbour and find traditional wooden ships – including the replica of a 2,000-year-old vessel.
See Rotterdam from a great height
Take in the contemporary skyline at Rotterdam’s Lookout tower. Here the elevator will lift you up around 180 metres to the viewing platform where you can take in the view and enjoy dinner in the clouds.
The structure you see today was first built in 1960, and was later extended to take the lead as the tallest building in the city. It’s said that when conditions are clear, you can see all the way to Antwerp in Belgium.
Admire the contemporary architecture
Rotterdam’s skyline is relatively new, as much of the city was completely destroyed during World War Two. This led to a wave of contemporary architecture springing up in the post-war years.
The iconic Cube Houses were imagined by Dutch architect Piet Blom in the late 1970s and tessellate and topple together to create a canopy of white-topped grey squares. Overlooking the Old Harbour, visit the Show Cube Museum to see the unique interior of a cube residence. It’s so peculiar inside, the furniture had to be specifically designed to function in the space.
Visit the Market Hall to enjoy some local food and marvel at the patterned ceiling. With its striking glass facade and curving dome structure, inspired by an airplane hangar, it is truly a sight to behold.
The entire interior is covered in vibrant images of fruit and flowers. Peer up at the cheerful design and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the market stalls selling everything from fish to drinks, pastries, fruit and cakes.
With car rental in Rotterdam you can take in all the best local attractions, before heading out to see the wider wonders of the Netherlands beyond.