During my basic education years, I picked up a few facts about what would one day become my adopted home—the Netherlands. Tulips are Dutch (or so I thought, until I later learned they originally came from Turkey), Rotterdam is Europe’s biggest port (and from 1964 to 2004, it was the busiest in the world), and the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam is named after Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, one of the greatest scholars of the Renaissance. I learned about Rembrandt and Van Gogh—Van Gogh later became my favorite—and about PSV Eindhoven, Ruud Gullit with his wild hair, and Marco van Basten (my brother was a diehard fan).Fast-forward to today: I live just twenty minutes from Rotterdam. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this city would become my home. And let me tell you: Rotterdam might just be one of the coolest cities in Europe. It’s got it all—rich history, daring architecture, trendy hangouts, a web of water and water-taxis, a top international university, and people from 170 different nationalities. You can easily spend a few days here and still not see everything. Why should you visit Rotterdam? I’ve got some pretty convincing reasons.

Let’s start with food and art, because who doesn’t love a city that feeds both your stomach and your soul?

The Markthal: Opened in 2014, this iconic building is a covered market and apartment complex all in one. Its ceiling, known as the “Horn of Plenty,” features the largest artwork in the world—an explosion of fruits, flowers, and cows by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. Inside, 96 market stalls offer everything from Dutch cheeses to local delicacies. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

Fenix Food Factory: Located in a former warehouse in Katendrecht, this is a haven of artisanal, locally-sourced food. Think cheese boards, craft beer, and freshly roasted coffee—all with a waterfront view that includes Hotel New York, the former HQ of Holland America Line. Thousands of hopeful emigrants once departed from here to North America. Fun fact: Dutch singer Anouk wrote her 2004 album Hotel New York right here.

The Fenix Factory

Contemporary Art: Rotterdam takes art seriously. The Kunsthal curates everything from iconic photography to fashion (yes, I saw the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition—amazing). The Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum—one of the country’s oldest—features masterpieces by Van Gogh, Dali, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Picasso.

Dali – Couple aux têtes pleines de nuages

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: Opened in 2021, this is the first publicly accessible art depot in the world. Designed by Winy Maas of MVRDV (also behind the Markthal), the mirrored building invites visitors to browse 151,000 artworks and see conservation and research up close. Bonus: it offers a rooftop garden and panoramic views of the city.

First Depot – Boijmans Van Beuningen

More museums: Don’t miss the Netherlands Photo Museum, Maritime Museum, and remember—Willem de Kooning, whose Interchange painting sold for $300 million in 2015 (until 2017 it was the most expensive painting in the world), was born right here in Rotterdam.

Cultural events: From the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) to the North Sea Jazz Festival (hello, John Legend and Alicia Keys), the city thrives on creativity. Art Rotterdam Week draws 100,000 visitors annually, and Rotterdam will proudly host Eurovision 2021.

Now, let’s talk about architecture—the city is basically Disneyland for design lovers. Rotterdam has so many beautiful architectural buildings, from the historic buildings and characteristic post-war reconstruction architecture up to the hypermodern skyscrapers built in more recent decades. Rotterdam was heavily destroyed by the Germans in the Second World War when, in 1940, almost the entire historic city center was bombed, nearly 900 people were killed, and 85,000 more were left homeless. It is hardly surprising that the city hosts the International Architecture Biennale and the Netherlands Architecture Institute.

Cube Houses: Designed by Piet Blom, these tilted yellow cubes resemble an abstract forest. Angled at 54.7 degrees, they’re eye-catching and fun. Visit the Show-Cube to see how people actually live inside them.

Witte Huis: Built in 1897, this beautiful Art Nouveau building was the Netherlands’ first skyscraper. Inspired by New York’s architecture, it still buzzes with life today, housing a café and offices.

Witte Huis – Europe’s skyscraper of the 19th century

Van Nelle Fabriek: A former tea, coffee, and tobacco factory turned UNESCO World Heritage site. Built between 1925 and 1931 and designed by J.A. Brinkman and L.C. van der Vlugt, its airy glass-and-steel structure it’s now home to events and offices.

Erasmus Bridge: The city’s icon. Nicknamed “The Swan,” this sleek white bridge spans the Maas River and makes for killer photos, especially at sunset. The bridge was built in 1994-1996 and designed by Ben van Berkel, and it is the tallest bridge in the Netherlands. It is frequently used as a symbol of Rotterdam in photos and advertisements. In 1998 it was even chosen as a set for Jackie Chan’s film, Who Am I?

Euromast: Rotterdam’s tallest structure at 185 meters, this observation tower offers panoramic views, fine dining, and for adrenaline junkies—abseiling and ziplining. A rotating lift can transport visitors to the very top, the ideal place to take memorable photos.

Central Library: Often compared to the Centre Pompidou in Paris, this steel-tube-clad building stands out in the Laurenskwartier district. It is a striking building with steel tubes that run down from the roof along the glass facade. The library was designed by architects Van den Broek en Bakema.

Laurenskerk: Built between 1449 and 1525, this Gothic church survived WWII bombings and became a symbol of Rotterdam’s resilience.

Did I mention Rotterdam even has a Cool District? No joke—it’s called Coolsingel, pronounced ‘coal’ in Dutch. Once a separate municipality, it’s now a central boulevard lined with shops, restaurants, and soon, more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Sports lovers, rejoice! The city hosts the Rotterdam Marathon, ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, Roparun, and countless other events. It’s the only Dutch city with three professional football teams: Sparta, Excelsior, and Feyenoord.

The purpose of the Roparun is not only to achieve a quick track time, but also to raise money for various charities, especially for research and treatment of cancer. The route from Paris to Rotterdam takes the Roparunners about 30 hours. Where do you think the finish line is? Exactly, on Coolsingel, the cool district of this cool city!

Floating Forest: Yes, it exists. Made with recycled buoys filled with soil and lava rocks, it’s Rotterdam’s gift to green innovation. The idea for this floating tree installation was inspired by sculptor Jorge Bakker. In the ’70s, Bakker created an art piece that featured trees floating in a small aquarium. This ¨bobbing forest¨, also known as Dobberend, has trees placed inside buoys that have been adapted to fit the trees’ needs. This unique floating forest is the first of its kind. Creators of this project hope this green space will offer a place of reflection and tranquility, while also aiding in reducing CO2 emissions from the city.

Concerts: With venues like Ahoy, Rotterdam is a music magnet. Manowar and John Legend were already announced for 2021. Fingers crossed for safe events!

SS Rotterdam: This elegant steamship was one of the great Holland America Cruise ships in the late fifties and became quickly famous as the ship that could bring you across the Atlantic to the ‘new world’, America (destination New York!). The steamship retired in 1977 and was turned hotel/museum/restaurant, moored in Katendrecht. You can sip high tea while soaking in Atlantic-crossing nostalgia.

SS Rotterdam

Nightlife: Witte de Withstraat is your go-to for trendy bars and restaurants. Don’t skip Bazar, a colorful restaurant-hotel with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flair.

Rotterdam in numbers:

• 11^th busiest container port globally
• 50.3% of residents are of non-Dutch origin
• €161 average office rent per square meter in 2018 (compared with €216 in Amsterdam)
• 90% of the city lies below sea level
• 68 football clubs – Sparta and Feyenoord play in the Eredivisie
• 1340: the year it gained city rights
• 10.000 people (maximum) are allowed on the Erasmusbrug deck at the same time
• 73 bridges – Rotterdam’s biggest bridge is the Van Brienenoord bridge, and the Erasmus bridge is the star

So, why visit Rotterdam? Because it’s bold, inclusive, innovative, and just plain fun. Whether you’re here for food, art, architecture, or adventure, you’ll leave with stories worth telling.

And who knows—you might even want to stay.