Where to stay in Rotterdam

See

Rotterdam has national notoriety for its architecture, and the city therefore is dotted with landmarks of all sorts. Most of them you will find in the city centre, but Feijenoord is also quite dense with them. Rotterdam is known for some bridges, not in the last place the Erasmusbrug, spanning the Nieuwe Maas between the city centre and Feijenoord. Also of historical importance is the former railway lifting bridge De Hef, slightly upstream from the Erasmusbrug. Historical landmarks are somewhat rare to come across in Rotterdam's city centre, but the city itself isn't completely devoid of them.

Do

Upcoming events and performances are listed on the VVV and Use-it websites. The larger events are well documented on the VVV site, for smaller venues check Use-it (under Calendar) for a very attractive and well updated listing of music, expositions, movies and parties that need checking out. The Uitburo office inside the Central Library provides information on theatre and music performances. It also sells tickets and offers an overview of performances that can be visited for free (gratis). Rotterdam plays host to a lot of events, a lot of them yearly ones. Besides these there are a lot smaller ones that can be very nice, so ask around and check the VVV website.

• Six Days of Rotterdam
• IFFR
• Art Rotterdam
• World tennis Tournament
• Motel Mozaique
• Poetry International
• Summer Carnival
• Heerlijk Rotterdam

Eat

The area around metrostation Blaak, called Oude haven (Old Harbour), is not only worth seeing but has also a lot of pubs and restaurants. The Rotterdam dining scene is developing very fast with new restaurants opening very often. While most of the attention focusses on new Michelin-star aspiring places, there is very much a trend towards high quality mid-range restaurants offering French/Dutch cuisine. It is difficult to find restaurants serving late night (after 22:00) food, even on Friday or Saturday night.

Drink

Centrum has a wide variety of bars, coffee shops and music venues. The Kaapse Brouwers brewery has four locations around the city. Each location has a whole wall of taps to choose from. They are popular place so waiting lines can be long.

Stay safe

You should take normal precautions against pickpockets and baggage theft, especially in the main shopping streets, at markets, in trams and trains, at stations, and anywhere where tourists congregate. It is not wise to hang around Stadhuisplein when nightlife ends. Fights often occur in this area after midnight. Rotterdam also has a reputation of mass venues getting out of hand, though you shouldn't worry too much about it. If violence breaks out at football festivities (not so unlikely) or at the end of sun soaked festive days, like Kings Day (even less unlikely, especially at the Stadhuisplein), just get out of the way and you're unlikely to be affected.