36 Hours in Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Things to Do and See

36 Hours

By Seth SherwoodUpdated May 11, 2023

Amsterdam or Rotterdam? For sheer picturesqueness, Amsterdam is the easy winner. But what Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second-largest city, lacks in historical edifices — much of it was bombed in World War II — it makes up for with contemporary urban cool. Long the busiest port in Europe, the multicultural city is a hub of global commerce and avant-garde architecture. (The architect and Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas, a Rotterdam native, has added his touch to the soaring skyline.) Art institutions like the Nederlands Fotomuseum and the new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen have elevated Rotterdam into an essential European cultural stop, while food markets like the massive, futuristic Markthal and the sleek Foodhallen, which both opened over the past decade, add to a dining scene awash in experimental restaurants.

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