Rotterdam Travel Guide

Rotterdam is a city in the province of South Holland in the west of the Netherlands. The city is the second largest in the country with a population of approximately 650,000 inhabitants in the municipality (2020) and about 2.2 million inhabitants in the shared metropolitan area of the Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Region (MRDH). Rotterdam is a vibrant, multicultural city; it is known for its university (Erasmus University Rotterdam), cutting-edge architecture, lively cultural life, industrial riverside setting, its maritime heritage and colourful summer events. The municipality stretches all the way to the North Sea with gigantic areas like Europoort and Maasvlakte 1&2. All belong to the Port of Rotterdam. Starting as a dam constructed in 1270 on the Rotte River, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre. The port of Rotterdam is Europe's busiest port by cargo tonnage, and was the world's busiest from 1962 until it was surpassed by Shanghai in 2004. Rotterdam'

To plan a trip (for all public transport in the Netherlands) see9292.nl[dead link]

REToperates the buses, trams, and metro within the city. You could find a journey planner and somenetwork mapsthere. Alternatively you'd use the pan-Netherlands journey planner –9292.nl. Transport generally arrives every 10 minutes during the day.

You should take normal precautions against pickpockets and baggage theft, especially in the main shopping streets, at markets, in trams and trains, at stations, and anywhere where tourists congregate.

See district articles for listings for camping, hostels and hotels.