I am going to be in Belgium and Netherlands region for a week in half. I am trying to decide if I should do three nights in Amsterdam and take a day trip to Rotterdam, or spend an evening in Rotterdam. I am an architect with a design background so i have been told not to miss Rotterdam. Any suggestions from the forum. Would it be better for me to make it a day trip? or stay one evening? Thanks!
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Rotterdam can easily be done as a day trip: it is just one hour from Amsterdam (45 mins if you take the Intercity Direct, which requires a small supplement).
In Amsterdam don't forget the architecture of the Amsterdamse School of the 1920s. This website lists them all, including a map to locate them.
In Rotterdam the architecture of the post-war "Reconstruction Period" is special. It includes the Groothandelsgebouw (next to Centraal Station) and the Lijnbaan shopping centre (a 10-minute walk).
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
1005 posts
If you only have three nights in Amsterdam, then I'd just do a day-trip to Rotterdam. Don't miss the Cube Houses (Kubuswoningen) near the library.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
The tourist office in Rotterdam has a map with an architecture walking tour; this doubles as a free city map (their general city map is not free). I saw much of the walk in a single day, including time at the photography museum. So a day trip is quite feasible. On the other hand, a single overnight would also work fine.
I agree, don't miss the Cube Houses and the Cube House Museum. And for fun, don't miss the sculpture called, in part, Santa Claus (I can't post the full name in this forum!).
Posted by
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
26 posts
I agree that most of the highlights in Rotterdam can be seen on a day trip. Taking a hotel in Rotterdam would however be cheaper than an extra night in Amsterdam. It would also free up time for a trip to Kinderdijk which is awesome when the weather is nice.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
2084 posts
Presuming you have a broad interest about architecture, so modernist architecture is as I see on your list. In (actually near) Rotterdam not to miss is the Van Nelle factory, if being informed well usually only a few days open a year for public, but the Chabot museum seems to organize tours there in case there is enough interest. The museum is in one of the modernist houses near the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, you will certainly walk along them during an architectural tour. Taking the train from Rotterdam Centraal to Schiedam you will see the factory close at the right side of the track.
Besides many other places like the already mentioned Cube Houses worth to see are the new Markthal and highrise “De Rotterdam”, designed by Rem Koolhaas architects. I like the new central railway station and the square exciting the main entrance.
In the Hague you can visit the Gemeentemuseum with a permanent exhibition about De Stijl (however still I have to visit), the art movement that had a huge influence about modern architecture. Gerrit Rietveld was a member and not to miss is his famous Rietveld-Schröder house in Utrecht.
In Amsterdam the “Eerste Openluchtschool” by Jan Duiker is a little gem. It still is a school so only open during schoolweeks, contact them if you have interest. Further his recently renovated estate Zonnestraal in Hilversum, southeast of Amsterdam. Further the “Raadhuis Gemeente Hiversum” by Willem Dudok. It is worth to join one of the many architectural tours in Amsterdam as there is a serious variety of different (experimental) styles to see.
In Antwerp is of interest the Zurenborg quarter, with beautiful turn of the 19th century houses. Further the new head office of the port authority there by Zaha Hadid and the building of the MAS museum.