A Long Weekend in Rotterdam and Nearby

A long weekend in Rotterdam fits the main sights in two full days and leaves one day for somewhere nearby. This plan is written for a Friday to Monday trip, so check that museums are open on the days you travel. Prices are in euros.

Arriving

From Amsterdam Schiphol, the Intercity Direct train reaches Rotterdam Centraal in about 25 to 30 minutes, and a small supplement applies on that train. Eurostar also serves the city from London. Around town you can use metro, tram and bus, paying by tapping a contactless card or phone, and tapping out on leaving.

Friday evening

Check in near Centraal, Blaak or Kop van Zuid. Walk to the Markthal, open until 21:00 on Fridays, for dinner. Then cross the Erasmusbrug at dusk, a 802 m bridge with a 139 m pylon, to see the towers of Wilhelminapier lit up.

Saturday: museums and views

Morning at Museumpark. The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen at Museumpark 24 needs an online slot, and it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00. The Kunsthal at Westzeedijk 341 opens at 10:00. Late afternoon at the Euromast, which stays open until 22:00 and has a general ticket from €13.50 online. For something active, the Euromast abseil runs on weekends from May into the autumn at €73.50, for ages 16 and over.

Sunday: choose a trip

  • Kinderdijk: 19 windmills, a €21 adult ticket, reached by WaterShuttle in under 30 minutes.
  • Delft or The Hague: each a short train ride away, with the Mauritshuis at €20.
  • Katendrecht: the Fenix Museum of Migration, the SS Rotterdam, and the Fenix Food Factory, all open on Sunday. The SS Rotterdam tours run 10:00 to 17:00 daily.

Monday

Many museums close on Monday, but the Kijk-Kubus at Overblaak 70 is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 at €3.50. Take the Spido harbour tour, 75 minutes, €18.75 for adults, then leave from Centraal.

Where to stay

For something different, the SS Rotterdam is a hotel as well as a ship museum. Hotel New York sits in the former Holland America Line headquarters at Koninginnenhoofd 1. Search other options on Booking.com .

Tips

  • Book Depot and abseil slots early.
  • Pack for rain at any time of year.
  • Red asphalt strips are cycle paths, so look both ways.

Read more: Rotterdam 3 day itinerary breaks the days into hours. See the Spido options at spido.nl .