Rotterdam travel guide with information on hotels, restaurants and much more

Rotterdam isn t hosting only the largest port of Europe and the seventh largest container port in the world, but it s a mix of cultures on a piece of land strategically placed on the banks of Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse) , one of the channels formed by the delta of Rhine and Meuse rivers.

Citizens of a very diverse ethnicity make-up an exotic and modern city in the same time; Dutch, Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan, Antillean or Aruban, Italians, Spanish, a lot of asians coming generally from Indonesia.

But what is most striking the eyes of the tourist coming to Rotterdam is the modern architecture and skyscrapers enriching Rotterdam s skyline. Skyscrapers in Rotterdam The tallest office building in Europe (the White House) was finished in 1898. Other architectural attractions are: Van Nelle fabriek, Jugendstil clubhouse of the Royal Maas Yacht Club, football stadium de Kuip (home of Keyenoord football club). During the World War II much of the city was destroyed by the german bombs and > made place for the rise of the modern buildings after the end of the war: the Kubuswoningen or cube houses were built by architect Piet Blom in 1984, the Erasmus Bridge built in 1996, Montevideo Tower (the tallest residential building in the Netherlands), Delftse Poort ( is the tallest office building in the Netherland and hosting Nationale Nederlanden insurance company, part of the ING Group), the Euromast, built in 1960.

Rotterdam is also very famous for its shopping streets. The city is well renowned for the Lijnbaan, the Hoogstraat, the Coolsingel with the city hall, the Weena, the Beurstraverse (Stock Exchange Traverse) known by its nickname Koopgoot (Buying/Shopping Gutter).

The south of Rotterdam has a main shopping street called Zuidplein, very near the Ahoy Rotterdam which hosts accommodation facilities, shows, exhibitions, sports events, concerts and many other events. Alexandrium is another famous shopping center.

Festivals

In Rotterdam you can never get bored; there are yearly events like the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January, Rotterdam Marathon, Pleinbioscoop, the Summer festivals of Rotterdam, North Sea Jazz Festival in July, the Summer Carnival, FFWD Heineken Dance Parade (technoparade), Wereld van Witte de With (a culture and art festival) in September or every year.