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The 15 best free activities in Rotterdam

Want to visit Rotterdam with the least amount of money?

Then follow this Top 10 free tours, museums and activities to do in Rotterdam that we’ve created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.

🎟 Before you start, don’t forget your Rotterdam Pass to take advantage of the free museums, tours and transportation

💸 To discover Rotterdam’s most remarkable monuments for free, use public transport for free and save money, we recommend booking the Rotterdam City Pass.

Top 3 of our favorite tours and activities in Rotterdam

  • Embark on a cruise to discover the port of Rotterdam. Contemplate the cityscape and learn more about the city’s history from your guide. Book here.
  • ❤️ Explore Rotterdam from a unique perspective on this exciting guided tour. Discover the spectacular architecture of the southern part of the city, take a water cab, stroll through the old harbor, visit a cube house and enjoy a snack at the Markthal. Make a reservation here.
  • Discover Rotterdam’s unique architecture with an expert local guide. Discover the city’s innovative designs, enter iconic buildings and visit a rooftop that is usually closed to the public. Make a reservation here

The Cube Houses

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If you’re on your way to the Markthal (Rotterdam’s covered market), you won’t want to miss the Cube Houses!

These emblematic buildings of the city have a resolutely modern and, let’s say, peculiar architecture: as their name indicates, they are made of yellow cubes, and their facade is… a little slanted!

We strongly invite you to go and see them to get an idea of the modern architecture of Rotterdam

Admiring them from the outside won’t cost you anything, but if you want to see what one of them looks like from the inside, it’s possible for a few euros to visit a show house.

Website: https: //kubuswoning.nl/

The Markthal

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The Markthal, a kind of huge covered market, is a must-see in Rotterdam, so we’ll tell you about it right now. And guess what? It’s totally free!

You’ll find a wide variety of food stalls, stores and restaurants under its very high dome, whose walls house homes and offices

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The Markthal is known in Rotterdam for its unique design, but not only!

Once you’re under its dome, don’t forget to look up to the sky: you’ll be able to see one of the biggest works of art in the world!

Website: https: //www.holland.com/fr/tourisme/destinations/rotterdam/markthal-rotterdam-5.htm

A guided walking tour of Rotterdam

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To get an overview of Rotterdam, we recommend that you visit the website below and book a guided tour with a local

Is it free? Totally! From the Erasmus Bridge, the eccentric architecture and the seaport to the Markthal and the city’s eventful 20th century history, you’ll know everything about Rotterdam!

There’s really no better way than to explore the city with locals who are happy to show you their city voluntarily.

Website: https: //freewalkingtourrotterdam.com/

The Maritime Museum

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Located not far from the Erasmus Bridge, the Maritime Museum is one of the few completely free museums about ships and shipping in Rotterdam that we highly recommend visiting.

One of the best parts of this freely accessible museum is the open air Het Havenmuseum

There you can see the history of the port of Rotterdam from 1850 until 1970

You can even enter most of the moored ships and see what they look like from the inside! And who knows? If you visit Rotterdam in the summer, you might even be able to take a little cruise on one of these old ships!

Website: http: //www.maritiemmuseum.nl/

The Erasmus Bridge

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A visit to the Erasmus Bridge is a must for any free visit to Rotterdam!

This bridge is the second longest bridge in the Netherlands (800 m), and it connects the northern and southern parts of the city

Because of its swan shape, it has a truly iconic architecture that we urge you to go and admire

Plus, if you walk or bike across it, you’ll have a great view of Rotterdam! And then at night, it’s beautiful because the bridge, the houses and the offices around light up…. Sublime!

Website: https: //www.holland.com/fr/tourisme/destinations/rotterdam/le-pont-erasme-a-rotterdam.htm

The New York Hotel

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By taking the Erasme bridge, you will arrive on the New York hotel. This place, transformed to accommodate luxury hotel rooms and a chic bar/restaurant, was once the headquarters of the Holland America Line, a shipping company that allowed many people to emigrate to the United States.

While the accommodations aren’t cheap per se, the New York Hotel is still worth a look for its slightly old-fashioned charm that contrasts with its modern buildings nearby

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Near the hotel, you can also see the SS Rotterdam, a cruise ship also converted into a hotel

Plus, from this part of town, you can easily get to Delfshaven, the most historic part of Rotterdam!

Website: http: //www.hotelnewyork.nl/

Delfshaven

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Rotterdam was heavily damaged during the bombings of World War II, but some parts of the city were spared, including the Delfshaven district, which we now invite you to discover!

While visiting it, you will discover old Dutch houses along the canal and a beautiful marina

The most interesting part of this part of Rotterdam is its history: the people who used to live here used to make their living by fishing herring and making the famous Dutch distilled gin, genever

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When you’re there, we also highly recommend you visit the Pelgrimvaderskerk, a 15th century church where the Pilgrim Fathers met two centuries later before leaving for the Americas!

Website: https: //www.holland.com/fr/tourisme/destinations/rotterdam/delfshaven-9.htm

Luchtsingel

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Luchtsingel is a bright yellow wooden bridge that leads to the rooftop park is known as Luchtsingel. It connects the northern part of the city to the city center and is over 390 meters long

It is the main entrance for people going from the city center to the Hofbogen district, which has a beautiful park where you can relax

It’s a really nice bridge that we suggest you take: besides its color that stands out from the other buildings, it also offers beautiful views of the surroundings!

Website: http: //www.luchtsingel.org/en/about-luchtsingel/

The parks

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Speaking of parks, Rotterdam has some nice green spaces spread all over the city: they are all worth visiting, especially the ones we invite you to see here

The Kralingse Bos is known for its lake, which even has a small beach where you can swim, relax and enjoy the Dutch summer

The Vroenspark offers the same amenities as the others, but is located in the northwest of the city, not far from the Blijdorp Zoo

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And Het Park is right next to the Euromast (Rotterdam’s tallest tower), and includes plenty of green space as well as some ponds and small canals

All in all, all these parks make you forget that you are in the middle of a city!

Website: https: //www.hetkralingsebos.nl/ (Kralingse Bos); https://www.rotterdam.nl/locaties/vroesenpark/ (Vroesenpark); https://www.cityrotterdam.com/en/visit/parks-rotterdam/het-park/ (Het Park)

The Westersingel Sculpture Route

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If you’re an art lover, one free thing we suggest you don’t miss in Rotterdam is the Sculpture Route along the Westersingel Canal

It showcases various works of art from Rotterdam’s international sculpture collection

You will find 17 works by great sculptors such as Rodin, Carel Visser, Joel Shapiro and Umberto Mastroianni

There is notably a sculpture by Paul McCarthy that makes passers-by ask questions: apparently, it is a Santa Claus holding a tree in his right hand… We’ll let you be the judge!

Website: https: //www.rotterdamholland.ca/attractions/westersingel.html

Leeszaal Rotterdam West

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The Leeszaaal Rotterdam West is one of the best places we recommend you to visit if you like reading and want to feel like a local!

In this reading room you can go for free to read, write or meet interesting people from the neighborhood

You can even borrow books without applying for a library card! Did you like the book you borrowed? You can keep it! You don’t have to return it, but you can leave behind a book you’ve already read.

Website: http: //www.leeszaalrotterdamwest.nl/

World Port Days

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If you visit Rotterdam in early September, you are in for a treat!

The World Port Days celebrate Rotterdam’s status as a world port city, with fireworks, shows, boat parades, tours of companies that operate from the port and other festive activities that will make your trip to Rotterdam even more interesting… and free of charge of course!

Website: https: //www.holland.com/fr/tourisme/activites/evenements/les-journees-du-port-de-rotterdam.htm

The Witte de With street

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Being in the alternative and artistic district of Rotterdam, the Witte de With street is without a doubt one of the best free attractions we encourage you to do in Rotterdam!

You’ll find plenty of arts and crafts stores, and it’s the perfect place to get a taste of Rotterdam’s art scene and see some of the most amazing street art!

Filled with a multitude of bars, restaurants and museums, it’s no wonder it’s always busy day and night

A tip: if you can make it on a Friday night, you’ll even get free admission to the museum exhibits that line this street thanks to the weekly Kunstavond art night. Take advantage of it, it doesn’t cost anything!

Website: https: //www.cityrotterdam.com/bezoek/straten-rotterdam/witte-de-withstraat/

Free festivals in Rotterdam

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Rotterdam being a young and dynamic city, summer is full of festivals. And the best part is that most of them don’t charge admission, so you can enjoy them for free!

Here are a few that we recommend you attend (if you’re there when they happen):

  • Rotterdam Unlimited (end of July): art, music, dance and colorful parades are present over 5 days for a multicultural carnival representing no less than 170 nationalities! Website: https: //www.rotterdamunlimited.com/
  • Rrrollend Rotterdam (mid-June, mid-July and end of September) : festival dedicated to food where a multitude of food trucks offer you specialities from all over the world at reasonable prices ! Website: https: //www.rrrollend.nl/
  • North Sea Round Town (end of June) : it’s a free version of the famous North Sea Jazz Festival, with jazz stages all over the city. Website: https: //www.northsearoundtown.nl/
  • Baroeg Open Air (early September): Rock and metal fan? This open air festival with a great atmosphere is for you! Website: https: //baroegopenair.nl/
  • Architectuur Maand (June): discover Rotterdam’s ancient and modern architecture through tours and exhibitions all over the city. Website: https: //rotterdamarchitectuurmaand.nl/

The windmills of Kinderdijk

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Windmills are emblematic of the Netherlands, so why not enjoy them during your stay in Rotterdam?

The windmills of Kinderdijk are particularly worth seeing: built in the 17th and 18th centuries, you can walk among 19 windmills along the waterways

The site is exceptional: in fact, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Kinderdijk is not quite located in Rotterdam itself, but the best way to get there without spending too much money is to rent a bike and ride 15 kilometers east of the city to admire these jewels of Dutch culture

If you are motivated to walk a lot, a day trip from Rotterdam to the windmills of Kinderdijk can be organized: count 2h30 one way and the same for the return. On foot or by bike, the site is worth the detour!

Website : https://www.kinderdijk.nl/