Best of Rotterdam

Top itineraries and travel advice in and around Rotterdam

Completely rebuilt after WWII, Rotterdam is one of the most innovative cities in the Netherlands. Some of the world’s top architects have left their mark on the urban landscape, with standout works by Dutch luminaries like Piet Blom, Ben van Berkel and Rem Koolhaas. Innovation extends to many other facets of Rotterdam life, from its creative café scene to its wealth of museums and galleries.

Custom tours led by architects take you to some of Rotterdam’s most impressive designs. Art lovers can also book a private guided tour of the city’s collections. Home to Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam is deeply connected to its waterways, and a boat trip along the Nieuwe Mass provides some fascinating perspectives over the city’s important river. Traveling by boat is also one of the best ways to reach the Unesco World Heritage site of Kinderdijk, with its collection of 18th-century windmills.

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Wander around Amsterdam's historic canals and cobblestone streets

Grand Tour of Benelux: the Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg - 14 Days

Spend two glorious weeks in the tri-nation Benelux region with this action-packed itinerary. Start by cruising the canals and visiting the world-famous artworks of Amsterdam, cycling through the innovative streets of Rotterdam, and cruising past windmills in Kinderdijk. You'll then head to Brussels for mussels, beer, and museums, followed by kayaking in Belgium's picturesque town of Dinant. Finish the trip in Luxembourg, where you'll check out the capital and nearby castle of Vianden.

Historic monuments on a tour of Holland and Flanders

Highlights of Holland & Flanders - 7 Days

There's no need to choose between Holland and Flanders (the Dutch-speaking half of Belgium). This weeklong itinerary takes you to the highlights of both, including sightseeing in Amsterdam, an architecture tour in Rotterdam, a gourmet food tour in Antwerp, and a boat tour past medieval castles in Ghent. You'll sample cheeses where they're produced, spot windmills in the Dutch countryside, and relax with a Belgian crowd on a river beach. This whirlwind itinerary has something for everyone!

Highlights of Holland & Flanders - 10 Days

This itinerary combines the highlights of the Netherlands with the best of Flanders (the Dutch-speaking half of Belgium). Start by exploring the famous art museums of Amsterdam, then head into the Dutch countryside to see small fishing villages, cheese markets, and picturesque windmills. You'll travel to the port city of Rotterdam for a bicycle tour before crossing into Belgium. Finish the trip by tasting gourmet local specialties on a food tour of Antwerp and cruising around medieval Ghent on a boat.

Windmills and tulip fields in Kinderdijk

Discover Amsterdam, Dordrecht & Rotterdam - 5 Days

Experience Holland in a nutshell on this colorful 5-day itinerary around some of the Netherlands' classic attractions. Start with a day in Amsterdam, exploring the city by boat and visiting the famous Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Then you will travel by train to the city of Dordrecht, a charming historic city that offers easy access to Biesbosch National Park, which you'll tour on an e-bike. Also nearby are the world-famous windmills at Kinderdijk, which you'll see up close, and lively Rotterdam, where you'll go on a walking tour to learn about the city's fascinating architecture. Circle back to Amsterdam on day five, where the trip ends.

Highlights of Holland - 10 Days

Experience the best of Holland along with some of its hidden gems on this 10-day trip! From big cities to charming small villages, you’ll experience a perfect cross-section of what the Netherlands has to offer. You’ll have the opportunity to admire all of the traditional Dutch characteristics: cheese markets, famous painters, typical canals, rich history, churches with stained-glass windows, windmills, lovely squares, and ancient cobbled alleys. In addition to exploring picturesque smaller cities such as Gouda, Leiden, and Delft, you will also visit Amsterdam, home to the country’s most famous museums, the vibrant, modern harbor city of Rotterdam, and even get some beach time!

Explore Dutch Cities & the Southern Countryside - 10 Days

Discover lively Dutch cities and idyllic landscapes on this well-balanced 10-day tour of Holland. The trip starts in Amsterdam, where you'll visit the famous Anne Frank House and two major art museums. Then head into the nearby countryside to see historic windmills and charming fishing villages. Explore the university city of Leiden, spend one afternoon on a bike excursion to the beach, then go on a cycling tour of Rotterdam's architectural highlights. Learn more about the legacies of great artists Vincent van Gogh and Hieronymus Bosch in the quaint town of Den Bosch, followed by a stay in the off-the-beaten-path city of Maastricht, known for its historical buildings and churches. Finish the trip with several days of hiking and cycling in the peaceful National Landscape of Zuid-Limburg — a few days in the great outdoors is a wonderfully relaxing way to end this action-packed itinerary.

Family Tour of the Netherlands - 7 Days

Filled with outdoor adventures and colorful sights, this weeklong trip around the Netherlands is fun for the whole family. Cruise around the canals of Amsterdam on a private boat, cycle to the beaches of the North Sea, and learn how Dutch windmills work in Kinderdijk. Kid-friendly highlights include the interactive Maritime Museum in Rotterdam, where you'll learn all about sea monsters, and the walk-through model of the Netherlands at Madurodam. Getting around by train is half the fun on this itinerary, which is well-suited for families with younger travelers ages 6 through 12.

Dutch cheeses for sale at a shop in Amsterdam

Highlights of Holland- 7 Days

Welcome to the Netherlands! On this weeklong adventure around Holland, you'll see the famous canals and art museums of Amsterdam, the vibrant harbor city of Rotterdam, historic monuments in The Hague, and the windmills and cheese markets of Leiden and Haarlem. Train travel is quick and convenient between destinations, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the Dutch lifestyle. Finish the trip with a relaxing bike ride to the coast of the North Sea.

Highlights of the Netherlands - 7 Days

This action-packed 7-day itinerary takes you to many of the Netherlands' top highlights. Not only will you tour world-class museums in the vibrant capital of Amsterdam and explore modern architecture in the port city of Rotterdam, but you will go inside a Dutch cheese market, visit windmills in the countryside, and ride a bicycle alongside locals. Also on the itinerary are picturesque fishing villages, a boat tour of Biesbosch National Park, and an e-bike excursion in Hoge Veluwe National Park, home to a museum that houses an impressive collection of Van Gogh’s work. With a mix of cultural exploration, outdoor activities, fine art, and local experiences, this weeklong adventure is an excellent introduction to Holland.

Viewing Vermeer's paintings in Amsterdam

Art Tour of the Netherlands - 7 Days

Johannes Vermeer, Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, Piet Mondriaan: the Netherlands has been home to many world-class artists. On this weeklong tour, you'll learn more about the Dutch Masters, viewing their greatest works in person and visiting the places where they lived and worked. Along the way, you'll also enjoy a private boat tour along the canals of Amsterdam, explore the cobblestoned streets of Leiden, and ride an e-bike through a national park. While taking in such beautiful sights and landscapes, you'll understand the inspiration behind some of the great Dutch artists' finest paintings.

Discover the Green Heart of Holland - 7 Days

Holland's scenic landscapes draw crowds from all over the world. On this weeklong adventure through the "Green Heart" of the Netherlands, a region celebrated for its rolling meadows, quiet forests, and picturesque sand dunes, you'll see some of the country's most beautiful outdoor destinations. In between sightseeing in Amsterdam, visiting museums in Leiden, and learning about architecture in Rotterdam, you'll explore this natural wonderland on foot and e-bike. Cycle to the beach for fresh seafood, see historic windmills in the countryside, cruise around Biesbosch National Park on a boat tour — if you visit in spring, you'll see dazzling fields of tulips, too!

A lush green landscape in the Netherlands

Grand Tour of the Netherlands - 14 Days

Fields of tulips, antique windmills, paintings by Vincent van Gogh, boat rides on the canals of Amsterdam: on this magnificent two-week trip, you'll visit many of Holland's top highlights. Stops along the itinerary include the port city of Rotterdam, forested Hoge Veluwe National Park, and the windswept island of Texel, where you'll spend a few relaxing days at the end of the trip. No adventure in the Netherlands, of course, would be complete without a bicycle ride. So this action-packed itinerary also features several chances to explore historic cities and idyllic landscapes on two wheels!

Grand Tour of the Netherlands & Belgium - 14 Days

Castles, cathedrals, windmills, canals: this two-week itinerary takes you through highlights of the Netherlands and Belgium. Starting in the vibrant Dutch capital of Amsterdam and ending in the cosmopolitan Belgian capital of Brussels, the adventure offers a mix of cultural sightseeing and outdoor excursions. Learn about architecture in Rotterdam, see medieval Ghent from a boat, sample Belgian waffles in their place of origin, view original paintings by Vincent van Gogh, and experience natural landscapes with a ride through a national park on an e-bike. This grand tour has something for everyone!

Art Tour of the Netherlands & Belgium - 14 Days

The Netherlands and Belgium have produced some of the most famous names in art history: Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Peter Paul Rubens, and Jan van Eyck, to name a few. On this two-week tour you'll learn all about their lives and work. Ride an e-bike through landscapes that inspired the Dutch Masters, tour Rembrandt's studio, view priceless masterpieces in world-class museums, and view the famed Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral. This lively itinerary isn't only about art, you'll also enjoy a food tour of Antwerp, explore a national park, and relax on river beaches with locals.

Highlights of Coastal Netherlands - 9 Days

The Dutch coast has so much to offer, from quiet beaches to bustling cities to pristine national parks. This 9-day itinerary takes you through some of the top highlights, including picturesque Amsterdam, beautiful Oosterschelde National Park, the charming artisan center of Delft, and the architectural capital of Rotterdam. Ride a bike along with the impressive Delta Works, view historic windmills at Zaanse Schans, and explore remnants of the Dutch Golden Age in Middelburg. From nature to culture to history, this adventure has something for everyone.

Children walking on the coast of the North Sea

Family Tour of the Netherlands - 10 Days

Welcome to the perfect family destination — Holland! On this 10-day adventure, you'll explore the canals of Amsterdam on a private boat, see the windmills of Kinderdijk and learn how they work, spot beavers in their natural habitat at De Biesbosch National Park, and spend several days on the relaxed island of Texel. Travel by train, ferry, canoe, bus, and bicycle as you make your way between the country's top destinations. Featuring a mix of activities for adults and children alike, and diverse landscapes from mudflats to tulip fields, this itinerary is fun for the whole family.

Coastal Highlights of the Netherlands - 10 Days

The Dutch coast has so much to offer, from quiet beaches to bustling cities to pristine national parks. This 10-day itinerary takes you through some of the top highlights, including picturesque Amsterdam, beautiful Oosterschelde National Park, the charming artisan center of Delft, and the architectural capital of Rotterdam. Ride a bike along with the impressive Delta Works, view historic windmills at Zaanse Schans, and explore remnants of the Dutch Golden Age in Middelburg. From nature to culture to history, this adventure has something for everyone.

Art Tour of the Netherlands - 10 Days

Some of the most notable masters in European art history were Dutch: Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh, Hieronymus Bosch, to name a few. On this leisurely itinerary around Holland, you'll learn all about their legacies. Visit the region where van Gogh lived and worked, peek inside Vermeer's studio, revel in street art inspired by Bosch's fanciful paintings, and view masterpieces on exhibit at a museum inside Hoge Veluwe National Park. The tour isn't only about art, though — there's time set aside for boat tours, sampling Dutch cuisine, and cycling to the coast at your own pace.

Family Tour of the Netherlands - 14 Days

Peaceful islands, maritime museums, a fairytale-themed amusement park — these are just a few of the attractions that make Holland a wonderful destination for a family vacation. On this two-week itinerary around the country, you'll explore the canals of Amsterdam on a private boat, see windmills at Kinderdijk, hike on a sandbar at low tide, explore interactive museums, and cycle from The Hague to a beach that's perfect for building sandcastles. Your accommodations, from a cabin on a windswept island to a fanciful suite on the edge of Holland's best theme park, are part of the fun. Bring the whole family — this well-rounded adventure is sure to please travelers of all ages!

Other popular travel destinations in The Netherlands
Amsterdam · Leiden · Haarlem · The Hague · Dordrecht · Delft · Texel · Hoorn · Bergen · Utrecht · Gouda · Nijmegen · Terschelling

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