Rotterdam itinerary: 1 to 6 days
Plans for one to six days in Rotterdam, day by day: the Euromast, the Maritime Museum, St. Lawrence Church and the Cube Houses first, then the Kunsthal and Museumpark, the SS Rotterdam, the zoo and the museums along the harbours as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Rotterdam in 1 day
Day 1
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Museum of the port and seafaring with ships moored in the Leuvehaven outdoor harbour and hands-on exhibits.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Rotterdam in 2 days
Day 1
Museumpark
Park at the heart of Rotterdam's museum quarter, linking the Kunsthal, Depot Boijmans and Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Kunsthal
Exhibition hall by Rem Koolhaas with changing shows of art, design, fashion and photography.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Day 2
SS Rotterdam
1959 Holland America ocean liner, now a hotel ship at Katendrecht with guided tours of its decks and lounges.
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The mirrored, bowl-shaped art depot in Museumpark where you see the Boijmans collection in storage, then walk up to the rooftop garden.
Chabot Museum
Small museum in a modernist villa dedicated to Henk Chabot, a Rotterdam expressionist painter and sculptor.
Rotterdam in 3 days
Day 1
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The mirrored, bowl-shaped art depot in Museumpark where you see the Boijmans collection in storage, then walk up to the rooftop garden.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Day 2
SS Rotterdam
1959 Holland America ocean liner, now a hotel ship at Katendrecht with guided tours of its decks and lounges.
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Kunsthal
Exhibition hall by Rem Koolhaas with changing shows of art, design, fashion and photography.
Museumpark
Park at the heart of Rotterdam's museum quarter, linking the Kunsthal, Depot Boijmans and Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Chabot Museum
Small museum in a modernist villa dedicated to Henk Chabot, a Rotterdam expressionist painter and sculptor.
Day 3
Leuvehaven
Oldest artificial harbour in the city, now home to the Maritime Museum's historic ships and waterfront walks.
Kunstinstituut Melly
A contemporary art centre on Witte de Withstraat showing changing exhibitions by international artists.
Het Nieuwe Instituut
The national institute for architecture, design and digital culture, with exhibitions and the modernist Sonneveld House.
De Doelen
Concert hall and convention centre, home of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Diergaarde Blijdorp
Rotterdam Zoo, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, with themed areas and the Oceanium aquarium.
Rotterdam in 4 days
Day 1
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The mirrored, bowl-shaped art depot in Museumpark where you see the Boijmans collection in storage, then walk up to the rooftop garden.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Day 2
SS Rotterdam
1959 Holland America ocean liner, now a hotel ship at Katendrecht with guided tours of its decks and lounges.
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Kunsthal
Exhibition hall by Rem Koolhaas with changing shows of art, design, fashion and photography.
Museumpark
Park at the heart of Rotterdam's museum quarter, linking the Kunsthal, Depot Boijmans and Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Chabot Museum
Small museum in a modernist villa dedicated to Henk Chabot, a Rotterdam expressionist painter and sculptor.
Day 3
Leuvehaven
Oldest artificial harbour in the city, now home to the Maritime Museum's historic ships and waterfront walks.
Kunstinstituut Melly
A contemporary art centre on Witte de Withstraat showing changing exhibitions by international artists.
Het Nieuwe Instituut
The national institute for architecture, design and digital culture, with exhibitions and the modernist Sonneveld House.
De Doelen
Concert hall and convention centre, home of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Diergaarde Blijdorp
Rotterdam Zoo, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, with themed areas and the Oceanium aquarium.
Day 4
Netherlands Photo Museum
National photography museum that reopened in 2026 in the restored Santos warehouse on the Rijnhaven.
Fenix
A museum of migration in a former harbour warehouse in Katendrecht, with a spiralling rooftop viewpoint called the Tornado.
Hotel New York
The former head office of the Holland America Line, from which emigrants sailed, now a hotel and restaurant with river views.
Wereldmuseum
World cultures museum on the Willemskade with collections from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.
Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Museum of the port and seafaring with ships moored in the Leuvehaven outdoor harbour and hands-on exhibits.
Erasmusbrug
The white cable-stayed bridge nicknamed The Swan, linking the city centre to Kop van Zuid across the Maas.
Rotterdam in 5 days
Day 1
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The mirrored, bowl-shaped art depot in Museumpark where you see the Boijmans collection in storage, then walk up to the rooftop garden.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Day 2
SS Rotterdam
1959 Holland America ocean liner, now a hotel ship at Katendrecht with guided tours of its decks and lounges.
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Kunsthal
Exhibition hall by Rem Koolhaas with changing shows of art, design, fashion and photography.
Museumpark
Park at the heart of Rotterdam's museum quarter, linking the Kunsthal, Depot Boijmans and Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Chabot Museum
Small museum in a modernist villa dedicated to Henk Chabot, a Rotterdam expressionist painter and sculptor.
Day 3
Leuvehaven
Oldest artificial harbour in the city, now home to the Maritime Museum's historic ships and waterfront walks.
Kunstinstituut Melly
A contemporary art centre on Witte de Withstraat showing changing exhibitions by international artists.
Het Nieuwe Instituut
The national institute for architecture, design and digital culture, with exhibitions and the modernist Sonneveld House.
De Doelen
Concert hall and convention centre, home of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Diergaarde Blijdorp
Rotterdam Zoo, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, with themed areas and the Oceanium aquarium.
Day 4
Netherlands Photo Museum
National photography museum that reopened in 2026 in the restored Santos warehouse on the Rijnhaven.
Fenix
A museum of migration in a former harbour warehouse in Katendrecht, with a spiralling rooftop viewpoint called the Tornado.
Hotel New York
The former head office of the Holland America Line, from which emigrants sailed, now a hotel and restaurant with river views.
Wereldmuseum
World cultures museum on the Willemskade with collections from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.
Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Museum of the port and seafaring with ships moored in the Leuvehaven outdoor harbour and hands-on exhibits.
Erasmusbrug
The white cable-stayed bridge nicknamed The Swan, linking the city centre to Kop van Zuid across the Maas.
Day 5
Kinderdijk
A UNESCO-listed group of 19 historic windmills along polder canals, reachable by waterbus from Rotterdam; two mills are open as museums.
Arboretum Trompenburg
Historic arboretum in Kralingen with rare trees, rhododendrons and hostas in a landscaped garden.
Rotterdam in 6 days
Day 1
Crooswijk General Cemetery
Nineteenth-century cemetery and national monument with notable graves and a park-like layout.
Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Museum of the port and seafaring with ships moored in the Leuvehaven outdoor harbour and hands-on exhibits.
Erasmusbrug
The white cable-stayed bridge nicknamed The Swan, linking the city centre to Kop van Zuid across the Maas.
Day 2
Euromast
Observation tower built in 1960 by Hugh Maaskant, with a viewing deck at 100 m and a rotating Euroscoop lift to 185 m.
Kunsthal
Exhibition hall by Rem Koolhaas with changing shows of art, design, fashion and photography.
Museumpark
Park at the heart of Rotterdam's museum quarter, linking the Kunsthal, Depot Boijmans and Het Nieuwe Instituut.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
The mirrored, bowl-shaped art depot in Museumpark where you see the Boijmans collection in storage, then walk up to the rooftop garden.
Het Nieuwe Instituut
The national institute for architecture, design and digital culture, with exhibitions and the modernist Sonneveld House.
Day 3
SS Rotterdam
1959 Holland America ocean liner, now a hotel ship at Katendrecht with guided tours of its decks and lounges.
Netherlands Photo Museum
National photography museum that reopened in 2026 in the restored Santos warehouse on the Rijnhaven.
Fenix
A museum of migration in a former harbour warehouse in Katendrecht, with a spiralling rooftop viewpoint called the Tornado.
Hotel New York
The former head office of the Holland America Line, from which emigrants sailed, now a hotel and restaurant with river views.
Wereldmuseum
World cultures museum on the Willemskade with collections from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.
Leuvehaven
Oldest artificial harbour in the city, now home to the Maritime Museum's historic ships and waterfront walks.
Day 4
Chabot Museum
Small museum in a modernist villa dedicated to Henk Chabot, a Rotterdam expressionist painter and sculptor.
Kunstinstituut Melly
A contemporary art centre on Witte de Withstraat showing changing exhibitions by international artists.
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Late Gothic church and the only medieval building left in the centre after the 1940 bombing, with large organs.
Day 5
Kinderdijk
A UNESCO-listed group of 19 historic windmills along polder canals, reachable by waterbus from Rotterdam; two mills are open as museums.
Day 6
Diergaarde Blijdorp
Rotterdam Zoo, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, with themed areas and the Oceanium aquarium.
Cube house
Piet Blom's tilted yellow cube houses on stilts above Blaak; one is a show home open to visitors.
Arboretum Trompenburg
Historic arboretum in Kralingen with rare trees, rhododendrons and hostas in a landscaped garden.
Markthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall of apartments arching over food stalls, its ceiling covered by a huge mural of fruit and flowers.
Watch: Rotterdam in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Rotterdam
May to September is the best time to visit Rotterdam, with mild weather for the harbour, cycling and terraces. Rain is possible in any month, and winter is cool, damp and windy with short days. The North Sea Jazz Festival in July and Rotterdam Unlimited in summer fill hotels, while the International Film Festival takes place in late January.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Rotterdam on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Rotterdam on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Rotterdam on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Rotterdam with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Netherlands from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Rotterdam with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Rotterdam
- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is closed for renovation until about 2029; its collection is shown in the Depot Boijmans next door.
- Metro, tram and bus (RET) take contactless bank cards; the Erasmus Bridge and Wilhelminapier are a short tram ride from Centraal.
- Water taxis and the Spido harbour tour are quick ways to see the port; book the water taxi by app or phone.
- St. Lawrence Church has limited opening days, and several museums close on Mondays, so check before planning a Monday.
- The Rotterdam Welcome Card gives transport plus museum discounts; the Euromast and Markthal are busiest at weekends.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Arboretum Trompenburg: Opuntia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chabot Museum: Wikifrits, Public domain
- Crooswijk General Cemetery: Wikifrits, Public domain
- Cube house: Cmglee, CC BY-SA 3.0
- De Doelen: LaetBos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen: Rob Oo, CC BY 2.0
- Diergaarde Blijdorp: The original uploader was Sherpa at Dutch Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Erasmusbrug: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Euromast: F.Eveleens, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fenix: Joris, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk: GraphyArchy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Het Nieuwe Instituut: MonkeyPod, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hotel New York: F.Eveleens, CC BY 3.0
- Kinderdijk: Willard84, CC BY 3.0
- Kunsthal: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kunstinstituut Melly: Bob Goedewaagen, CC BY 3.0
- Leuvehaven: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maritime Museum Rotterdam: Marco de Swart, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Markthal: Exmpletree, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Museumpark: Hanhil, Public domain
- Netherlands Photo Museum: Marco Zanferrari from Doha, Qatar, CC BY-SA 2.0
- SS Rotterdam: Alf van Beem, CC0
- Wereldmuseum: F.Eveleens, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
