"Rotterdam: the New and the Old" a Rotterdam Travel Page by Rixie

Rotterdam often comes in second-best to Amsterdam in travel guides to the Netherlands; even if you search diligently, you’ll usually find only a couple of paragraphs about it. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s dull – it’s really a very colorful and exciting city.

It offers both the New and the Old: knock-your-eyes-out modern architecture like the yellow Cube Houses (how the heck did they DO that??), the Bibliotheek, with huge multi-colored hoses coming out of the roof, and the elegant, harp-like Erasmusbrug that spans the River Maas, as well as an ancient brick and cobblestone section called Delfshaven, where you can visit the Pilgrim Fathers’ church.

Children will like the Rotterdam Zoo, a domed waterslide center called Tropicana, and the brown bunnies in Het Park. Their elders will appreciate the dance clubs, great food and beer, and fun-filled ethnic and music festivals.

Rotterdam is also well-located for side trips. It’s only an hour from Amsterdam by train, and only a hop, skip, and jump from Delft, Utrecht, Brielle, and Kinderdijk. Two hours will get you to Belgium, and Paris is only 3 hours away on the high-speed Thalys.

The thing I liked most about Rotterdam was that there were so few foreign tourists. Most folks assumed at first that I was Dutch! If you’d like to experience life in a Dutch city without mobs of people, this is a good place to start.

Rotterdammers are known for being forward-thinkers. After World War II, instead of reconstructing their city exactly the way it used to be, they designed an entirely new and innovative look, symbolizing their hope for the future..

Delfshaven is the only section of Rotterdam that survived the bombings in WWII. There are examples of traditional Dutch gabled buildings, canals, and a windmill. The mill was leveled during the war but reconstructed from the original bricks. A brick circle marks the original location, a few meters from the present location.
Delfshaven is like a miniature Amsterdam, only without the crowds! The Pilgrim Fathers' church -- inconspicuous exterior and lovely interior -- is here, on a quiet street.