Things to Do in Rotterdam: Activities Guide
Rotterdam rewards people who like to do things rather than only look at them. The city rebuilt itself after the 1940 bombing as a modern port, and its best activities sit on the water, up its towers and inside its unusual buildings. Prices below are in euros.
Up high: the Euromast
The Euromast at Parkhaven 20 was built between 1958 and 1960 and reaches 185 m with its Space Tower. It is open daily from 09:30 to 22:00. A general ticket covers the platforms at 112 m and starts at €17.50, or €13.50 when bought online. The complete experience adds the Euroscoop, a rotating glass lift that rises to the top, at €19.00 online. Children get a scavenger hunt with the ticket. See euromast.nl for the current tiers.
Visitors aged 16 and over can abseil down the tower on weekends from May into the autumn. The abseil costs €73.50 including Euromast entry, or €79.50 with the Euroscoop, and it is booked online only.
On the water
The Spido harbour tour runs 75 minutes through the working port for €18.75 per adult and €10.55 per child, with an audio guide. Boats leave from the foot of the Erasmusbrug all year. Details are at spido.nl .
RiF010 on the Steigersgracht is an urban surf canal with an artificial wave. Sessions are reported from about €35 to €60 depending on wave height, and SUP and canoeing are also offered. Book through rif010.nl .
The Nieuwe Maas is a busy shipping river, so swimming and paddling in it or in the harbour basins are not safe. For open water, use the sand beach on the west shore of the Kralingse Plas in the east of the city. Boat and SUP rental there requires a swimming certificate, and Zeilschool De Lelie runs sailing courses on the lake. On the North Sea, metro line B ends at Hoek van Holland Strand, a sea beach for kite and wind sports.
Inside the buildings
The Kijk-Kubus at Overblaak 70 is a furnished show cube in Piet Blom’s tilted Cube Houses. It is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 and costs €3.50, or €2.50 for ages 65 and over and students. Pay by cash or card on arrival.
The Markthal, an MVRDV horseshoe hall opened in 2014, has food stalls under an arch of 228 apartments and a huge ceiling artwork. It is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 and on Sunday from 12:00.
The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen at Museumpark 24 is the mirrored art storage building. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00 and requires an online time slot. Walk-in tours of about 10 minutes come with the ticket.
Katendrecht
Across the river, Katendrecht has the SS Rotterdam ocean liner, which runs three daily tours from 10:00 to 17:00, and the Fenix Food Factory at Nico Koomanskade 1025, where the Kaapse Fenix taproom opens at 12:00 Tuesday to Sunday.
Tips
- Tap in and out on trams and metro with a contactless card or phone.
- Look for cyclists before stepping onto red cycle paths.
- Book the Depot, the abseil and RiF010 ahead.
Read more: Sightseeing in Rotterdam covers the architecture in more detail. For a tour with a booking page, search harbour cruises on GetYourGuide .