Highlights, History and Hidden Gems: A Rotterdam Walking Tour

It’s no coincidence that Rotterdam was included in the prestigious 2025 New York Times list of ‘52 Places to Go’. And rightly so!

This beautiful Dutch city is brimming with fascinating stories and interesting sites – if you know where to look. On this walking tour, you’ll get a broad overview of the ‘must-see’ places, as well as the little things of interest that most visitors miss.

The tour starts on the south bank of the River Maas, near the Cruise Terminal. From there, you’ll cross the Erasmus Bridge and hear about Rotterdam’s earliest history. I’ll tell you how the bombing of May 14, 1940 changed Rotterdam forever and made the city look like it does today.

From there, you’ll have a chance to explore the many fascinating sights Rotterdam has to offer, like old streets and harbours, super modern architecture, historic statues, medieval churches, and so much more! I’ll also share the unconventional nickname of Paul McCarthy’s Santa Claus sculpture. The tour ends with a bang in front of the city’s most spectacular modern architectural landmark, the Art Depot of the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum.

You can also look forward to:

● Seeing the unique modern architecture of the Markthal Market hall and the Cube Houses
● Learning about historical buildings such as the Schielandshuis, a historic building that survived WWII bombings, and St Lawrence Church
● Appreciating beautiful statues and important monuments like the 200 year old statue of Erasmus, Auguste Rodin’s L’Homme qui Marche and Zadkine’s The Destroyed City
● Discovering hidden gems, such as the inner garden of the City Hall and the small markings in the pavement that trace the 1940 fire border
● Understanding post-war reconstruction in the inner city, including the Lijnbaan and the Theatre Square

Whether it’s your first time in the city or not, by the end of this tour you will have learned lots of interesting new things and had a chance to appreciate Rotterdam even more. There are plenty of cozy restaurants and shops nearby, so you can spend the rest of your day just as you wish.