Discover Rotterdam and surroundings through our waterways

In 4 days you will discover the western part of the Netherlands. This region is only 40 minutes by car or train from Amsterdam. 

This part of the Netherlands can be discovered by waterbus. It is easy to combine the  vibrant city of Rotterdam with lay back historical villages and national parks. And the lovely North Sea is never far away. Do you like hip urban live, architecture, historical towns and UNESCO protected windmills? This might be your spot. This trip is not complete without a visit at one of the famous museums and a tour to the largest harbour of Europe. Almost all the transport can be done on various rivers of the Netherlands, a unique experience.

Rotterdam

Skyline of Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a city with many faces: a tough port city, a trendy nightlife city, a sophisticated shopping city and a hip artistic city. But above all, Rotterdam is the architecture city of Holland that stimulates innovation. Its skyline is always changing. There are many things to do amid Rotterdam’s skyscrapers. You can go on a shopping spree, enjoy some excellent food and visit a range of museums and attractions in and around the city centre.

Enjoy the architecture of Rotterdam:

Architecture in Rotterdam is famous. Some of the most innovative and creative buildings in the Netherlands can be found here.

Cube Houses (Dutch architect Piet Blom)

These houses remain one of the city’s most eye-catching developments. Curious visitors can learn more about these apartments by exploring the Show Cube Museum (Kijk-Kubus). Complete your memorable trip to this harbour city by spending a night in a cube.

Market Hall

Rotterdam’s Cube Houses have been joined by another architectural icon just across the square. The largest indoor market in Holland is another example of multipurpose residential and retail development that will live long in your memory.

Euromast 

One of the highest towers (185m) in Holland can be found in Rotterdam. The view from the tower is spectacular. On this spot you can enjoy a real ‘high’ tea. High above the city you will find several luxury suites, where you may enjoy the most beautiful sunrise and sunset ever. 

The Kunsthal is nearby as well:  a modern architectural pearl designed by Rem Koolhaas. Here you can find temporary art and cultural exhibitions.

Harbor of Rotterdam

Experience  among the busy traffic of come and going ships one of the world’s largest ports in all its glory!

This trip is a special journey through one of the largest harbors in the world. You can see Rotterdam’s impressive skyline with its imposing buildings glide by and get a unique view of the harbors shipyards, docks and the hypermodern transshipping of thousands of containers. Last but not least the tour will end with a view of the steamship ‘Rotterdam’, the former cruise flagship of shipping company Holland America Line. An exciting 75 minutes with clear descriptions of everything you see (extended tour to Botlek available).

Maasvlakte

The port is already huge but it can always grow! Where the sea begins, the Dutch create new land. Combine a bus and boat trip to  this amazing project ‘Maasvlakte 2’. Learn everything about the construction and commissioning of this new port of the Netherlands. Enjoy the view of automated container handling and the biggest containerships in the world.  After this visit you will understand that the Dutch are the most famous sand constructors active around the world.

Dordrecht

Visit Holland’s oldest city and enjoy countless monuments, museums, ancient warehouses and busy merchant streets that commemorate the wealthy history of this city nearby the water.

Dordrecht obtained city rights as early as 1220, making it the oldest city in Holland. Located in a wetland area with rivers such as the Merwede, Noord and Ouwe Maas, it was an important merchant city with a lively trade in wood, cereals and wine. That history, wealth and culture is still clearly visible. The historic city centre of Dordrecht contains around 1,000 monuments and an ancient harbour, nowadays a lot of these buildings are in use as restaurants, museums and theatres.

Dordrecht’s rich history is still clearly visible when you walk past the old inner city harbors, monuments and museums of Dordrecht.

Absolute must-sees are the Great Church (Grote Kerk), the renowned collection of paintings of the Dordrechts Museum, the gorgeous interior of the old mayor’s house ‘Huis van Gijn’ and the thirteenth-century Augustine monastery ‘Het Hof’.

Also highly recommended is the lovely view of the rivers’ intersection from the Groothoofd. There is a easy signposted walk which pass the inner city harbors, monuments, important historic spots and attractive shopping streets.

Nature: National park Biesbosch:

De Biesbosch National Park is a unique freshwater delta comprising about 8,000 hectares of small rivers and streams. This nature reserve offers great opportunities for walking, sailing, canoeing, cycling, fishing, birdwatching, horse riding, swimming… etc. etc. You can do it all in National Park De Biesbosch. Some trips are organized throughout the year, such as birdwatching, sailing & cycling trips and hikes. Discover De Biesbosch and enjoy one of the most memorabel nights at a floating cabin! It is also possible to spent several days in a cabin boat and be your own captain.

Kinderdijk

Discover the splendid windmills of Kinderdijk to see how the Dutch have been controlling the waters for over 1000 years. It’s a unique spectacle!

In the beautiful wetlands around Dordrecht, you will find the windmills of Kinderdijk. Nineteen beautiful windmills, built around 1740, stand here as part of a larger water management system to prevent floods. Today, they symbolise Dutch water management, and in 1997 they were declared to be UNESCO World Heritage.

The windmills of Kinderdijk were built to keep the low-lying lands of the Alblasserwaard dry. Facing each other, they form an iconic Dutch scene. You can also admire many waterways, dikes, mills and sluices and discover how the Dutch have been using water to their benefit for over 1000 years. When visiting Kinderdijk, you absolutely have to take a look inside the two Museum Windmills and view the film in the Wisboomgemaal Visitors’ Centre. In the Molenwerkplaats (Windmill Workshop) guides explain to groups how the windmills work and are maintained.