Rotterdam

Tips for your trip to Rotterdam

Rotterdam is definitely worth a trip and an absolute insider tip for everyone who loves the Netherlands. 
The city offers the perfect mix between modern architecture and green chill spots. 

The arrival

Rotterdam is only a few hours away from my home, we decided to go by car. 

My tip for anyone going to Rotterdam is the free P + R Capelsebrug car park. 

We parked there for free for three days which was great for our travel budget. 

Right next to the parking lot is a metro station that will take you to the city center within 10 minutes for € 4 per person. 

Our accommodation

We decided on a special hotel, it was a kind of houseboat, which lies in the middle of the city center of Rotterdam. 
When we booked the H2OTEL (the name of our accommodation) we noticed that it was a bit cheaper than similar accommodation in Amsterdam. 
I love Amsterdam and I like to go there several times a year, so the comparison popped into my head right here. 
The Rotterdam Blaak train station is only a few meters from the hotel and offers a direct connection to the free P + R Capelsebrug car park. 
A wide variety of cafes and shops can be reached within a few minutes’ walk. 
My personal highlight was the floating terrace right next to our hotel room. 
A big advantage is the location of the hotel, because despite its proximity to the city, it is very quiet and you don’t notice anything of the hustle and bustle in the centre. 

My personal highlights

My highlight in Rotterdam was the Nieuwe Binnenweg. This street offers you many different cafes, vintage stores, restaurants and the most important thing at the end: coffee shops 😉 

If you walk down the street, you will find beautiful green spaces right on the water, the perfect place to take a little break. 

Another super cool street is the Witte de Withstraat. Here you will find many different cafes and bars. If you are interested in art, you should definitely stop by here. 

If you walk this way, you should definitely take a look at the small side streets, because there artists have provided the streets with super cool street art. 

Coffeeshops in Rotterdam

The coffee shops in Rotterdam are structured differently than in many other parts of the Netherlands. 

However, just like in other cities, you should have your ID with you, otherwise you will be refused entry. 

Because entry is only permitted in Rotterdam from the age of 18. 

For us it took a bit of getting used to at the beginning, since coffee shops here are not used as a chill spot, but rather as a “take-away”. 

However, we must not forget here that cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, it is only tolerated. 

You have to imagine the whole thing as follows:
 Possession of up to five grams is exempt from punishment and will not be legally prosecuted. 

Trading in large quantities of cannabis is still prohibited. This means that even coffee shops in the Netherlands still have to purchase larger quantities from the black market. 

The coffee shop operators also live in constant fear that their shops could simply be closed. 

Because these are only “tolerated” and some politicians and locals do not like them. 

Somehow it goes without saying that the typical German stoner tourists are not seen with pleasure. 

So we were pretty grateful to be able to use the shops at all. 

Because in many parts of the Netherlands only locals are allowed to shop anyway. 

In terms of prices, I personally couldn’t tell that there was much difference to other coffee shops in the Netherlands. 

 There are many beautiful green areas by the water, which are furnished with comfortable benches and invite you to smoke. 

So it didn’t matter to us that we weren’t allowed to stay in the coffee shops. 

One advantage here is that the spots are located in such a way that you are completely undisturbed and do not attract skeptical looks. 

For this reason I would recommend the city to you as cannabis enthusiasts in the summer. 

Because when the weather is good, there is nothing better than having a smoke in the middle of nature, right? 😉 

Extravagant architecture

It is not for nothing that Rotterdam is also called ‘Manhattan on the Meuse’. The city has a lot to offer architecturally. Even though it was almost completely destroyed by bombs in World War II. 
Since the rebuilding of Rotterdam, the city has been packed with crazy and breathtaking architecture. 
The market hall in Rotterdam is definitely worth a visit as it is a huge work of art because of its special ceiling painting. 
And for all those who like to look at architecture, just like me, but don’t need a stiff neck because they stared at the ceiling for three hours, there is incredibly good street food in the hall. 
We opted for a delicious cheese stand and ate fresh sushi. 

My conclusion 

If you want to get to know a slightly different side of the Netherlands, Rotterdam is the place for you.
The city is super diverse and there is something for everyone. Be it the modern architecture, the beautiful green areas, the coffee shops or the cool cafes and vintage shops.
It was definitely not my last trip to Rotterdam and I can highly recommend the city to you 🙂