Rotterdam August 2016

The harbour of Rotterdam is the second largest in the world, and the biggest of Europe. During summer you have the opportunity to visit that massive space on an extended tour. During the other months, tours are shorter. We checked in for a trip of two and a half hours, and were actually surprised when we got back. Time flies when there is so much to see! Check the pictures for an impression, but go and visit yourself to really get a sense of the place.

One of the areas we saw from the boat was Katendrecht. Once referred to as Chinatown (Chinese people who worked at the boats or in the harbour lived here) and the red light district. Nowadays it is the newest hip neighbourhood of Rotterdam. Especially the Fenix Food Factory attracts visitors and locals alike. And there is a reason for that! Yummie authentic and new Dutch delicacies all around! To get here, take a water bus or the underground (stop: Rijnhaven).

If you want to know how Rotterdam looked like before the destructions of the Second World War, than head to Delfshaven. This is the only area in the city which still looks quite the same as a hundred years ago. It is easily reached by water bus or metro from the center (stop: Delfshaven).

Some interesting sites, besides the beautiful houses and canals, are the old grain mill (still working but you can only visit at appointment), the Pelgrimsvaderkerk (Pilgrim Fathers Church, build in the 15th Century, for a short time belonged to the Catholic Church, but since about 45O years the praying house of the Reformist Church), the brewery and the old shipyard. This is also the place where the famous sailor Piet Hein was born.
Adjacent to this quaint area, you’ll find Schiehaven. With the old but renovated warehouses, this is a nice place for a stroll along the water. And we learned about a lesser known part of the history of the port of Rotterdam: it once was a place from where hundreds of slaves where kept, traded and transported …