Trendy Rotterdam

While its more famous cousin, Amsterdam, may get more attention, Rotterdam is one of Holland’s coolest, most stylish and contemporary cities.

While Amsterdam’s 17^th century architecture gives the city a more conservative feel, Rotterdam is home to what is undoubtedly some of the country’s most fascinating modern buildings.

During the Second World War, large areas of Rotterdam were destroyed by German bombing campaigns, and instead of rebuilding and restoring these areas – as many European cities did – the council instead took the opportunity to build a new, better city around the port. Building continued until the 70s and has created some of Europe’s most striking architecture.

For people who love shopping, Rotterdam is well-served, with a number of shopping districts offering everything from one-off boutique shops to department stores such as Bijenkorf. There are also markets in the city centre every week with a multi-cultural selection of items available.

Rotterdam’s nightlife is among the best in Holland, with a wide and diverse selection of bars, clubs and restaurants sure to fit anybody’s budget. If you’re looking for a clubbing holiday without the Ibiza price-tag, then Rotterdam is a strong choice, with a number of nightclubs playing several genres of dance music. If you’d prefer to just chill out with some food and a beer, then you can find any number of reasonably-priced bars and eateries in the city centre, for example, the west-African Bazar, which sells a range of mouth-watering kebabs or Blender cocktail bar, with its industrial New-York-style interior.

As you may imagine from the striking architecture and modern attitude of the city, Rotterdam is a haven for modern artists, with a number of contemporary art museums offering up exhibitions in a number of formats. The Nederlands Fotomuseum is dedicated to the pursuit of beautiful photography, with a range of provocative, evocative and confrontational exhibitions from world-famous photographers. Gallery Kralingen is a large, spacious and airy studio for modern artists, but also doubles up as a live music venue, with eclectic music being played throughout the day and evening.

If you’re looking for a short break to a fascinating and ultra-modern European city, then consider heading to Rotterdam, you might just find something you like!