Take a day trip to one of the coolest cities in Europe – Rotterdam! The second largest city in the Netherlands is home to an abundance of quirky and unique architecture, cool culture and good food. Plus, it’s the perfect day trip from Amsterdam, so you can discover another side of the Netherlands for a day!
In this handy guide to spending one day in Rotterdam, you’ll find everything you need to plan your trip, with all the best things to do in Rotterdam in a day, plus a suggested itinerary and top tips to keep in mind.
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Is Rotterdam Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Not only is Rotterdam a really easy day trip from Amsterdam, but it’s also one of the most underrated cities in Europe. You’ll find an eclectic mix of old and new architecture, in a city that embraces both its history and its quirky culture.
By spending a day in Rotterdam, you’ll have the chance to discover a great foodie scene, fun and modern buildings, interesting history, cultural museums, and so much more!
Is One Day in Rotterdam Enough?
Although there are loads of things to do in Rotterdam, the city is small, so one day is the perfect amount of time to see all of the highlights. Plus, you can get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam in less than an hour, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore!
How to Get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam
The easiest way to get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam is by train. You’ll find regular train connections between Amsterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal, and can expect to pay between €30-40 for a round trip. Trains take anywhere from 40 minutes – 1hr15. You can buy your tickets at the station or book online in advance.
If you’re looking to get to Rotterdam from Amsterdam on a budget, you can also jump on a bus. Prices are much cheaper, as you can expect to pay as little as €15 for a round trip. The trip takes between 1-2 hours and the schedule is less regular, so I recommend planning your trip and booking tickets in advance.
Top Tip: You can also visit Rotterdam on a day trip from Brussels! The journey is a bit longer, at 1-2 hours on the train and 2+ hours on the bus. Prices also vary a bit more – you can pay anywhere between around €40-60 for a return on the train. Buses are usually less than €10 each way.
How to Plan a Day Trip to Rotterdam
Taking a day trip to Rotterdam from Amsterdam is pretty easy – the transport connections are simple and the city is very laidback. However, it always helps to be prepared, so here are a few top tips to help you make the most of your Rotterdam day trip.
- Rotterdam Centraal train station is a short walk from the centre of the city. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk from the station to the main attractions in Rotterdam.
- Rotterdam is a very walkable city, and I recommend getting everywhere on foot. However, you’ll find a well-connected and centralised public transport system should you need it, with a tram and metro network as well as buses.
- Like a lot of the Netherlands, Rotterdam is a very windy city! It depends on what time of year you’re visiting Rotterdam but always be prepared for slightly chillier weather.
- If you don’t want to plan your own Rotterdam day trip, you can book a guided tour to spend one day in Rotterdam and some other Dutch cities!
Read Next: The 10 Best Museums in Amsterdam
The Best Things to Do in Rotterdam in One Day
The Cube Houses
One of the most iconic symbols of Rotterdam is the fun and eye-catching Cube Houses. This small residential complex was designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom back in the 70s, the houses sit on a 45-degree angle, creating a truly striking set of buildings.
Rotterdam is known for its architecture and the Cube Houses play a large part in that. Whilst most of the houses are inaccessible (as people live in them), you can visit their ‘show house’ for just a few euros, and tour one of the cubes. And if you fancy extending your visit to Rotterdam to stay the night, you’ll find a hostel in the complex where you can sleep inside one of the cubes!
Witte Huis
As the first high-rise building constructed in Europe back in 1898, the Witte Huis (or White House) is a piece of history in the centre of Rotterdam. And although the mere 10 stories have nothing on some of the skyscrapers found around the world today, the unique building remains a Dutch heritage site and is a must-see on your Rotterdam day trip.
Most of the building isn’t accessible today, but you can get a great view of the Witte Huis from across the street at Hertekade. There’s also a bar where you could enjoy a drink and a bite to eat outside or on the ground floor of the building.
The Erasmus Bridge
The Erasmus Bridge (or Erasmusbrug) dominates the Rotterdam skyline, connecting the north and south of the city. Nicknamed ‘The Swan’, the bridge has been open since 1996, and pays homage to the famous Rotterdam-born humanist and philosopher Erasmus.
There’s not much reason to walk along the Erasmus Bridge if you’re only spending one day in Rotterdam, but you can still get up close to admire the architectural feat from Boompjeskade, Rotterdam’s waterfront promenade. Look out for the Vlaggenparade along Boompjeskade, where you can see the flags of all the UN nations displayed.
Markthal
The innovative Markthal combines Rotterdam’s love of architecture with its foodie scene. The modern arched building houses a huge food hall with Dutch and international cuisines. No space is wasted here, as the outer arch of the building makes up an apartment complex. This is easily one of the most unique things to see in Rotterdam, if not all of The Netherlands!
If you’re looking to try some Dutch food during your Rotterdam day trip, you’ll have plenty of options here. There are fries at Bram Ladage, Broodje haring (and other fish dishes) at Royal Fish, Kroketten and Bitterballen from Het Kroket Loket, plus Stroopwafel and Poffertjes from a couple of stalls. My favourite spot is The Duck Truck, where you can enjoy duck burgers and fries, all made with local ingredients.
Rotterdam Museums at Museumpark
Rotterdam’s Museumpark is home to a number of museums which would all make a fun addition to your day trip to Rotterdam. Take a stroll through the park, and then choose one of these top museums:
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen – a museum with a large collection of historic Western art
- Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen – the world’s first art storage facility that’s open to the public, housed in an impressive modern building
- Nieuwe Instituut – a contemporary architecture and design museum
- Kunsthal – an exhibition space centred on art and culture
Westersingel Sculpture Route
Rotterdam is also home to a fun open-air museum – the Westersingel Sculpture Route. While enjoying a walk along the canal, you can follow the 1km route to see just shy of 20 contemporary and modern art sculptures.
Look out for the famously controversial Santa Claus by Paul McCarthy, as well as a Picasso piece called Sylvette.
St. Lawrence Church (Laurenskerk)
The St. Lawrence Church serves as a damning reminder of why Rotterdam is home to such modern and innovative architecture. Rotterdam was heavily bombed during WW2, and the entire historic city centre was destroyed. In fact, Laurenskerk was the only medieval building that survived, and it still stands proudly today.
You can admire the Gothic building from outside, or pop into the church to see the interiors. You can also learn more about its difficult history, and how Laurenskerk came to be such a symbol of Dutch resilience.
Maritime Museum
Rotterdam houses Europe’s largest seaport, which for a good 40 years was also the world’s busiest port! You can discover all about Rotterdam’s maritime history and culture at the Maritime Museum. You’ll find a fun and interactive journey through Rotterdam’s history as a port city, as well as some temporary exhibitions.
There’s also a large collection of miniature ships on display, and if you’re lucky, you could take a guided tour of the museum’s harbour, with plenty of life-size ships and cranes to see!
Discover more things to do in Rotterdam!
Suggested One Day in Rotterdam Itinerary
From Rotterdam Centraal, make your way to the Stadsdriehoek neighbourhood to begin your Rotterdam day trip. On the way, you can pass the Rotterdam town hall (Stadhuis) and Laurenskerk. You might want to fuel up for the day with some breakfast or coffee – try Backyard or Harvest Café and Bakery.
It’s time for your first main stops of the day – The Cube Houses and Witte Huis. Take a wander around these cool architectural spots and the surrounding waterfront streets. Then, make your way to the Maritime Museum to discover Rotterdam’s stamp as one of the most important port cities in the world. After, you can hop on a Rotterdam harbour boat tour to delve into this even further!
Soon it will be time for lunch, so head to the iconic Markthal for a bite to eat. Take a moment to admire the building before exploring the culinary delights inside. There’s so much choice here, so whether you’d like to try some traditional Dutch food or fancy something a little more international, you’ll find something to suit you.
After a delicious meal, take a stroll out to Museumpark and choose a museum to spend your afternoon in. Rotterdam certainly isn’t shy of museums, so you could also choose to visit the Dutch Pinball Museum, the Wereldmuseum, or see Rotterdam from above at Euromast.
Finally, discover more art in Rotterdam with the Westersingel Sculpture Route. This will take you back to the station, so if you’re ready to end your day in Rotterdam you can jump on a train back to Amsterdam. Otherwise, head back into the centre to enjoy some dinner, and some drinks if you’d like to experience a slice of Rotterdam’s nightlife.
I’m sure that by now you’ve fallen in love with Rotterdam, and with this guide under your belt, you’ll be ready to spend the perfect one day in Rotterdam!
If you’re visiting the Netherlands, you might want to check out my ultimate Amsterdam guide to help plan your trip. Or, discover the best photo spots in Amsterdam.
Wow there seem to be lots of interesting things to do in Rotterdam for one day! And all the food at Markthal looks so yummy!
Rotterdam seems like such a beautiful and fun city! I hope to visit it in the future! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is such a helpful guide and definitely bumped Rotterdam up my bucket list! 🙂 Being a big foodie, the market hall looks especially enticing haha
This is so great! would love to visit Rotterdam!
The architecture in Rotterdam is wonderful! So many unique places to see and visit. I visited Amsterdam for only 2 days and wish I had time to hop over to Rotterdam for a day. next time!
I have to make it to Rotterdam. The Cube houses are really something, such an architecture masterpiece. That duckburger looks delicious. I tried someting similar back in Copehenhagen it was was devine!
I love your tips and advice for traveling to Rotterdam! It is on my bucket list! The Santa statue is super cute!
These cube houses look so cool! I have never been to Rotterdam but I need to add it to my list!
Wow! So many unique sights. I have never thought about visiting Rotterdam, but you have convinced me to add it to my bucket list! Thanks for the day trip tips from Amsterdam!
Rotterdam is lovely. I was there 2 years ago and had a nice time. Hope I can come back again! Nice post.
We have been wanting to go to Rotterdam to see a statue of a family member. This guide will be a great help in planning our trip.
Oh I love this! Rotterdam has such formidable architecture that I never knew about. I’d love to head over there next time I get to cross over the pond, once travel is safe again!
What a beautiful place – I have always wanted to go! One day.