JAMIE'S DINER
CUBE HOUSE
ERASMUS BRIDGE
BILDERBERG PARK HOTEL (Terrace)
ARZU
ROTTERDAM STREET ART
SPANJAARDSBRUG
ERASMUS BRIDGE
ROTTERDAM ARCHITECTURE
THE VIEW FROM OUR HOTEL ROOM
Hey guys,
I'm back again with another travel diary. Last weekend myself and John visited Rotterdam for 2 days and explored all that the city had to offer. my step count showed 25K steps both days so we did A LOT of walking. It's always the best way to see a city :) While we are living in the Netherlands for a year we have made a pact to see as much of it as possible before we leave and so far, so good. Rotterdam is just one hour on the train from Haarlem and Amsterdam with trains departing every 30 minutes on average so it's super easy to get to. We had heard so much about Rotterdam and the fact that it is so different to most dutch cities so I was really looking forward to spending a few days there and see what all the hype was about. It definitely lived up to it's expectations. It is very different to Haarlem and Amsterdam as these cities are very quaint, picturesque and full of culture whereas Rotterdam has more of a 'big city' feel and vibe. With tall buildings, bridges and seriously funky architecture, it's easy to forget for a moment that you're in The Netherlands. The food, hotels, nightlife and especially the shopping are all amazing. I think at one stage we passed about 3 Zara's in 10 minutes! With so many of the big brands there, you'll have no trouble shopping until your heart is content. I know I did, haha!
We stayed at the Bilderberg Park Hotel (which we paid for ourselves) and it was SO fab and amazing value! That seemed to be the case with most hotels in Rotterdam, you would have no problem finding a gorgeous hotel for €100 per night. The location of our hotel was fantastic. Super close to the main street of bars, restaurants and shopping. We were also within walking distance of the beautiful Erasmus Bridge and the crazy Cube House. We stayed in one of the executive rooms on the top floor and had the most insane panoramic view of the city the whole way around the room. It almost looked like a painting. Our hotel also had a beautiful outdoor terrace and a gorgeous bar for drinks in the evening so I would highly recommend it. You can check out their website here.
I complied a list before we arrived which I will leave below. We managed to visit most of these places and just stumbled upon a few ourselves. None the less I will leave the everything below, (even the places we didn't get to because they all came recommended and it's nice to have some options).
Food:
1. Arzu (UH-MAZING pancakes. Try the red velvet with white chocolate and caramel)
2. Old scuola (Great local style pizza parlour)
3. Aloha (Cocktail bar with a super cool terrace and view)
4. Hotel New York (Fab view of the hotel and a gorgeous outside area to chill and enjoy a cocktail)
5. Jamie’s diner (American style food and cocktails)
6. Obba’s day and night (cocktails and amazing gin)
7. Mio (drinks)
8. Stockholm (drinks)
9. De Pizza Bakers (Another gorgeous pizza place).
With regards to 'things to do', as I mentioned above, we just wandered around around the city, enjoying the street art, the crazy architecture and stopping off for food and drinks along the way :) However, I would definitely suggest walking across the Erasmus bridge and visiting the Cube house. They were super cool :) I would also leave some room in your suitcase for some shopping because it's SO good in Rotterdam.
Happy travels guys. Let me know if you visit :)
Lauren. X
