Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Another Vibrant Dutch City 

If you all know me personally or follow me on Instagram, you know that I've recently moved to the Netherlands! The whole process has been a whirlwind, but honestly I thought it would be so much harder to adapt to my new home. 

Before completely settling in and finding a job, Klaas and I decided that we would explore different Dutch cities on the weekends. Rotterdam was one of them! 

I had read that Rotterdam was not a city to be missed, a city you could take a day trip to from Amsterdam. Mostly I heard of their amazing Market Hall, a place with TONS of food shops. Who doesn't love food??

We spent only a day in Rotterdam, so we didn't get to see everything, but we were so satisfied with what we DID experience. Below are 5 highlights of our Day in this Modern Dutch city. 

1. The Port Life and The Architecture

When we arrived in the city, I could not help but gaze at how massive the port was. It's actually the largest Port in Europe! So many ships of all shapes and sizes were all over.

Rotterdam's architecture has a mix of both modern and old, the former being more of an architectural influence on the city. You see, Rotterdam was almost completely destroyed during WWII and had to be rebuilt. It's more modern buildings are so unique to the Netherlands. More of that down below!

2. The Cube House - Architectural Art

Yup, you read it correctly, CUBE houses! I had seen these in pictures, but it's more stunning in real life. I was in awe of how many there actually were! Also, how cool is it that people actually live in these 45 degree tilted cubes? 

Luckily, there is a museum that allows you to enter and see what it's like to sleep, cook, and chill in one of these architectural rarities.

 

3. Baker and Moore 

I don't know about you, but for almost every trip I take I love to look for the cutest cafes with great food to eat at before arriving in the city. We found several, but this is the only one we got to check out. 

The interior was just perfect: clean and modern with a bit of a rustic design. The menu was where it was happening. They had my usual drink of choice, a chai latte along with other smoothies, fresh juices and coffee drinks. I kind of had a hard time ordering because everything sounded so healthy and wholesome, but I went with the salmon & avocado toast, and it was pretty decent! The chai latte definitely beat the sandwich in yumminess. The taste was a mix of a chai latte and an horchata drink, in my opinion. And if you know me I love a good horchata. 

4. Euromast 

Euromast is the the observation tower of Rotterdam and the tallest building of the city!

When on a trip to a new city, I love getting a bird's-eye view of it, and the Euromast did just that. If you are visiting during the fall or winter season, be prepared to be hit with ice cold winds when up top the tower! Klaas and I both started tearing up because of how cold and intense the winds were up there. Nonetheless, we had such a great time soaking in the wonderful views.

You have to wait in a short line to get to the highest point. A worker will lead you into a cylindrical structure that rotates about 5 times so you can enjoy the 360 view of the city and learn a little bit about the construction of the tower itself. 

Cost of ticket: 10 euros pp

This had to be my favorite view while up top!

4. The Park Scenery 

I felt like I was in FALL WONDERLAND. I have never seen an Autumn site like this! I was surrounded by lush, vibrant fall foliage. I felt like I was in a movie. Where I'm from, you don't get gorgeous fall scenery like this! 

5. The Market Hall 

Such a stunning place to gather with endless choices of FOOD!! Everyone said you must visit. Now I'm telling you, you MUST visit when in Rotterdam. This had to be my favorite highlight of our day in the city! 

It was the place to be at on a Saturday afternoon. There were all kinds of food stands: pastry, sushi, spice stands, and my favorite of them all,  a tea bar filled with loads of Matcha drink options! I loved it so matcha ;)

But seriously, I love how food can bring so many people together and fill them with harmony. There was not one single person in the building not smiling. All the kids were going crazy for the chocolate and fruit stands. The men were all about the meats and the fries. There were tons of youth hanging out, while couples dined in. I seriously wanted to shimmy because the atmosphere and ambiance gave such positive vibes. 

I walked out with chia seeds, macarons and a smile on my face. 

There is so much more you can do in Rotterdam, but again, we only had one day. I hope you felt a little inspired to visit the Netherlands! It's such a great country with a Fantastic culture!