Looking for a creative and modern weekend break? Then Rotterdam is for you. If you’re wondering what to do in Rotterdam for a weekend here is your complete guide. This Dutch port city is unlike anywhere else in the Netherlands. It is modern. Very modern. Bold, innovative architecture is everywhere you look. Add in buzzy food markets, excellent museums and quirky attractions and you are set for a great weekend.
I have visited Rotterdam as a guest of Visit Rotterdam.
Table of Contents
Mosey around in Rotterdam Museums
Rotterdam has a wealth of museums. Far more than even I can see in one weekend. Five of them are clustered in the Museum park, which makes museum mooching a doddle. Here are my favourites. You can get a discount at most with the Rotterdam Card.
Fenix
Fenix is housed in an extraordinary building and is an extraordinary museum. Devoted to migration, situated opposite the Quay where many migrants both left and arrived in Europe. Start with the suitcase maze. Every suitcase has been donated by a migrant or their decendents, you can listen to their stories as you wind you way through. Profoundly moving. Upstairs there are artworks inspired by or created by migrants. At the centre of the museum is a stainless steel, double helix, spiral staircase. Climb to the top for great view across the port of Rotterdam.
- Fenix, Paul Nijghkade 5,
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
- Admission: €15
Pinball Museum
Everything you ever wanted to know about pinball. Collected with passion and beautifully displayed. Learn about the fascinating history of pinball told from early bagatelle boards through to the newest machine. Even better you can play on 125 of the 237 pinball machines in the museum.
- Pinball Museum, Voorhaven 12
- Open: Wednesday noon – 5pm, Weekends 11.50am – 6.10pm
- Admission: 2 hours €17, all day €30
Kunsthal
An absolutely stunning building that hosts a rotating array of temporary exhibitions. Also home to an excellent cafe.
- Kunsthal, Museum Park
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
- Admission: €18
Boijmans Depot
An even more stunning building, like a giant silver egg cup. Inside is the storage for the Boijmans Museum. You get a glimpse of the objects in store plus spaces for an ever changing display from the stores. When I visited there was a Yayoi Kusama infinity room.
- Boijmans Depot, Museum Park
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
- Admission: €20
Nieuwe Instituut
Another great cafe. I take museum cafe research very seriously! The Nieuwe Institut is devoted to architecture and design with a changing roster of displays.
- Nieuwe Instituut, Museum Park
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm (9pm Thursday)
- Admission: €18 includes Sonnveld House
Sonneveld House
Next to the Chabot Museum is another Modernist masterpiece. An unmissable gem. The Sonneveld House was commissioned by the Sonneveld family in the 1930s with every mod con available at the time. Still furnished in the way it was in the 30’s. Like stepping into a time machine.
- Sonneveld House, Museum Park
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
- Admission: €18 with Nieuwe Instituut or €12 without
Chabot Museum
Housed in a modernist building the Chabot Museum is devoted to Modernism. It has an ever changing series of displays, I confess that I was a little underwhelmed on my visit.
- Chabot Museum, Museum Park
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm (noon on Sunday)
- Admission: €12
Rotterdam ’40 – ’45 now
Rotterdam was flattened by German bombs on 14 May 1940 in a 15 minute raid. Most of the centre was destroyed. Rotterdam 40 – 45 tells the story of the destruction and its aftermath in a profoundly moving way.
- Rotterdam ’40 – ’45 now, Coolhaven
- Open: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
- Admission: €12.50
Brutus
For cutting edge contemporary art head to Brutus. Part artist workshop, part gallery space. There is always work by Joep van Lieshout and a rotating array of up and coming artists. Outside is an extraordinary sculpture garden of Joep van Lieshout’s work.
- Brutus, Keilweg 10b
- Open: Gallery Thursday – Sunday noon – 6pm. Sculpture Garden Workdays 10am – 5pm
- Admission: Gallery €10, Garden Free
See eye popping modern buildings
Rotterdam’s architects have taken full advantage of having a blank canvas. Stunning modern buildings are dotted around the city. Make sure not to miss the Cube Houses, the Market Hall, Boijmans Depot and spiral topped Fenix Museum. Take a read of my post dedicated to Rotterdam’s incredible buildings for full details.
Take to the Water
Rotterdam is a port city. Viewed from the river you really get a feel for the city. You have three choices for getting waterborne. Water Taxi, water bus or a boat tour.
Ride in a Water Taxi
Riding in Rotterdam’s water taxi’s is one of life’s great joys. Once out on the open river they zip along. There are 50 stops throughout Rotterdam. You can either book a water taxi via the app or catch one that follows one of six set routes. Fares start at €5. https://www.watertaxirotterdam.nl
Catch a Water Bus
Catching a water bus is the best way to visit the Kinderdijk or Dordrecht from Rotterdam. Fares are €15.50 for a day. Book your tickets and see the full routes on the Rotterdam Waterbus website.
Take a Harbour Tour
Tour boats leave from the foot of the Euromast. You benefit from a commentary telling you what you are seeing. I confess that I prefer the whoosh of a water taxi. You can get discounts on tours with a Rotterdam card.
See where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail
Delfshaven is the one pocket of central Rotterdam that escaped large scale bombing. It looks like you imagine the Netherlands to look. There is a windmill, a cute bridge, warehouses and a church. This was the church that the Pilgrim Fathers worshipped in be they boarded the Speedwell and left the Netherlands. They left in haste and the Speedwell was not up to the arduous Atlantic crossing. Once in the UK they found the Mayflower and set off for American. Nowadays the Delfshaven is lined with attractive bars and restaurants and don’t forget to visit the Pinball Museum which occupies one of the warehouses.
Get a Birds Eye view of Rotterdam from the Euromast
I am conflicted with tall buildings. I want to go to the top. See the view. Say I’ve done it. But I find heights very scary. Anyway on a solo trip to Rotterdam I headed up the Euromast. You have two options. To go to the viewing terrace 96 metres high, have a meal or coffee in the cafe up there and come down. Or you can go up to 180 metres in a 360° glass elevator, called Euroscoop. I had a ticket to do this, but had to wait. Got scared and came down without getting in. The views from the viewing platform are excellent, even on a misty day.
- Euromast, Parkhaven 20
- Open: Daily until 10pm
- Admission: €15, Euroscoop €18.50
Keep an Eye art for Street Art and Sculpture
Quirky interesting sculpture pops up in the most unexpected places. For instance, a pair of giant ceramic armchairs on a bridge. Witte de Withstraat has excellent murals lurking on the ends the buildings. On my walk from the station to my hotel I spotted several murals on West Kruiskade in what I later discovered is the open air Street Art Museum.
Day Trips from Rotterdam
Rotterdam has a couple of easy day trips. In under an hour you can be at the Kinderdijk windmills or be strolling around The Hague.
Kinderdijk by Waterbus
Hop on a waterbus and 45 minutes later you will be at the UNESCO world heritage listed Kinderdijk windmills. If you have travelled by car do not even think of driving there. Parking is a long way away, you need to get on a shuttle bus. The waterbus takes you straight to the world famous windmills. Read more about the Kinderdijk windmills in my post about Dutch UNESCO heritage sites.
Hop on the Metro to The Hague
Hop on Metro Line E in central Rotterdam and just over half an hour later you will be in the Dutch capital. Take a read of my blog post about a cultural weekend in The Hague for what to see when you are there.
Where to Stay in Rotterdam
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If you want to be central then opt for the wonderfully named Cool district is near the train station and shops. To stay in one of Rotterdam’s iconic modern buildings take a look at the Kop van Zuid to the south of the Erasmus Bridge. Here are a selection of places that I have stayed:
- The Usual – in heart of the Cool District, the Usual has a cool lobby that serves as a bar, breakfast area and place tap away at your laptop.
- New York Hotel – housed in the former HQ of the Holland-Amerika Line the Hotel New York nestles at the foot of the skyscrapers of Kop van Zuid with great views across the river.
- Supernova Hotel – just a little to the East of the Cool District and housed in an old post office. I loved the spacious rooms and many great cafes in the surrounding streets.
- Stayokay Rotterdam – housed in the Cube Houses. OK I haven’t stayed here but I tried to book a family room one March for high summer and was too late.
- Wikkel Boat – thwarted in my desire to stay in the Cube Houses we stayed in a recycled cardboard Wikkel house down the river in the Biesbosch. Now you can stay in Wikkel houses floating on pontoons in Rotterdam next to the Putaine restaurant.
Where to Eat in Rotterdam
For lunch you could choose from one of the many tempting stalls in Markthal. I can vouch for the excellent museum cafés at Fenix, Nieuwe Institute and Kunsthal. For a coffee with a view op-t for either the cafe at the top of Depot or the Restaurant on the Euromast. In the evening I have eaten at:
- Putaine – housed in a Europe’s largest floating building ideal for a cocktail and fine dining.
- Xin – modern Chinese style cooking, simply excellent but only open Thursday – Saturday
- Restaurant Rotonde – Sublime vegetarian food
- Morgan & Mees – one of those places that you walk by at any time of day and people are eating, drinking and having a good time.
How to get to Rotterdam
- Train: Eurostar direct from London to Rotterdam takes 3½ hours.
- Ferry: Stena Line sails from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. Trains from London are steps away from the dock at Harwich and at the Hook of Holland the metro is a few steps away from where trains grow direct to the centre of Rotterdam. P&O sail from Hull to Rotterdam Ferries but are trickier for foot passengers involving a bus and changes.
Rotterdam Weekend Itinerary
Here’s my itinerary from the last time I visited Rotterdam. On day one I headed to see the Cube Houses and Market Hall in the morning. In the afternoon I visited the Pinball museum and explored the Delfshaven. In the evening I ate at Xin which was ultra convenient as I was staying at Supernova Hotel. On day two I headed to the Kunsthal and spent the morning seeing all their current exhibitions, followed by lunch in their cafe. Next I caught a river taxi over to Fenix. Then it was time for cocktails at Putaine and dinner at Margan and Mees. On my final day I caught the late afternoon train home and spent the morning exploring the Euromast, Rotterdam ’40-’45 Now, Chabot Museum and Sonneveld House with lunch at the Nieuwe Instituut cafe.
Practical Tips for Visiting Rotterdam
- Getting Around: The city’s trams, metro, and buses are efficient and easy to use. You can also rent a bike or hop on the water taxi for short trips across the river. I find that the centre is quite compact and that most places can be reached on foot.
- Rotterdam City Card: First things first, I love a city card. They make things simpler for a visitor. Rotterdam City Card comes on 1, 2 or 3 day versions. For that you get all public transport, you can even go The Hague or the Hook of Holland. You also get discounts of at least 25% at various attractions and boat trips. Cards cost €15, €22.50 or €27.50. If you fancy the discounts but not the travel you can have a card for €10 that covers three days.
- When to Visit: Spring and summer bring outdoor festivals, rooftop events, and long daylight hours. Autumn is great for art lovers with new museum exhibitions, while winter offers a cosy atmosphere and fewer crowds.
- Language: Dutch is the language of the Netherlands but in practice almost everybody speaks English. Saying “Dank u wel” to people who have helped you always goes down well.
Why You’ll Love Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a city that celebrates creativity and resilience. It’s modern yet welcoming, bold yet unpretentious. Whether you’re exploring cutting-edge architecture, discovering hidden art corners, or tasting your way through its food markets, there’s a sense of energy that’s infectious. A weekend in Rotterdam offers the perfect mix of culture, fun, and fresh perspectives. So pack your bags, hop on a train discover one of Europe’s most underrated urban adventures.
Quick Rotterdam FAQ’s
- Is Two Days Enough to See Rotterdam? Yes — two days is ideal for seeing the main sights, enjoying the museums, and soaking up the city’s creative vibe.
- What are the best museums in Rotterdam? My favourites are Fenix, the Depot, Sonneveld House, the Boijmans Deport, Kunsthal and the Pinball Museum.
- Can you do day trips from Rotterdam? Absolutely! Kinderdijk, Delft, The Hague and even the seaside are all excellent day trips from Rotterdam.
