Rotterdam is one of those places where reality and fantasy are confused with a simple harmony and bright. This city, located right in the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse, dresses with flowers and perfumes to farm, river sand and blue waters, which the blades of the windmills do to get it so that everything flows in absolute tolerance and diversity. Rotterdam, like the rest of the Netherlands, offers culture, wellness, history, music, color and sympathy to the side of a legacy left by the many artists who were inspired by its landscape. However, it is primarily a city of contrasts.

The area covers the surrounding area is unique. On the same day you can admire damped polders, fun beaches, and fascinating ports. And probably one of the best ways to discover these places is embarking on a cruise that takes in the estuaries of the Nieuwe Maas and the Nieuwe Waterweg.

Rotterdam is a city of extraordinary architecture, with unusual spots in its vicinity. Among them Voorne Island with its beaches, dunes and old villages, the «Hoek van Holland, where the environment creates navigation, Schiedam, known for its windmills and suginebra, and the old fishing villages of Maasssluis and Vlaardingen. You can make every minute trips and discover a new corner infinitely more amazing than the last. And it is that its architecture as the latest fashion to call «industrial tourism» make an unforgettable city.

The real heart of Rotterdam, and business center also is in the New Town, Nieuwe Binnenstad, from which descend two major arteries, Lijnbaan, pedestrian, and it is located in a magnificent shopping mall and Coolsingel, with modern buildings such as the Stock Exchange, the World Trade Center and the department store De Bijenkorf. It is a busy area with banks, office buildings, business offices, shops, department stores, hotels, restaurants, cafes, art galleries and cultural centers. Is definitely the most modern in the city. Already in the oldest part of town, is the Stadhuis (City Hall), a Flemish Renaissance building whose façade is possible to admire the statue of the founder of the Dutch East Indies. A few meters away stands the Sint Laurentskerk (Church of San Lorenzo). Dazzle us in their front windows and interesting already in, you can not overlook their vaults painted wood. This architectural marvel begun in 1469 and was completed in 1646. We must not fail to see the Schielandshuis Het Historisch Museum (Historical Museum), which houses an amazing show of paintings, glass objects, tiles, silver, and applied art, plus a collection of engravings of Atlas van Stolk.

The visit by the town center completed in the Central Library, built just eight years ago but of great beauty and elegance. Not far away, you can admire a series of buildings called Paalwoningen.
 
Area attractions in Rotterdam:
The port of Rotterdam
The port area of Rotterdam is known as Leuvehaven. Formerly had a great movement, but today it remains rather quiet. The old docks, warehouses and shipyards have been laid in relation to current needs, such as museums or office buildings, this is the case of Tower Boompjes.
Their main point of interest Euromast Tower, with almost 200 meters high, stands in front of the dock Parkhaven, completely surrounded by gardens. Its construction took place after the Second World War as a symbol of the resurgence of the city. It has a restaurant with a veranda from where it dominates the city. There is also the possibility to experience a space travel with the aid of smoke and light effects, which recreates a rocket launch. From a height of 185 meters can enter the world of the orbit and enjoy a magnificent view of Rotterdam.

The architectural ensemble of the port area is completed by the Museum of Ethnography, located in a XIX century building, and where you can admire the collections of former colonies, and the Maritime Buitenmuseum (Maritime Museum Outdoor), whose Exposure is based on topics such as shipbuilding, transport, transshipment and communications. A group of volunteers working each day in the restoration of the collection.

Other attractions:
The Kijk-Kubus is one of the most attractive examples of architecture in the city. It is simply a complex where you can experience how people live in houses of Piet Blom cubic. Not far away, the Kunsthal Rotterdam, located on the street Wetzeedijk 341, offers a variety of constantly changing exhibitions focusing on the visual and applied arts, design, photography, architecture and non-Western cultures. A half way, it is recommended to any visitor who makes a stop in Forest Kralingen, where you can see two real mills.

Nothing better than to relax in the water park Hillegersberg, with two lakes where you can practice water sports; Waterstad the Imax Theater, a theater audovisual consisting of a special projection method that gives a new meaning to the participation of public Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo, one of the most modern in Europe, which also has an observatory 48 meters tall; Trompenburg or the Arboretum, a botanical garden that offers a wide range of trees and shrubs imported from all continents.

For book lovers and art is a must Marketplace Books, which also can buy stamps, coins and used books, which opens its doors on Tuesday and Saturday or the Sunday Market, with objects art, books and antiques, which runs from April to September. Rotterdam is one of those places where reality and fantasy are confused with a simple harmony and bright. This city, located right in the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse, dresses with flowers and perfumes to farm, river sand and blue waters, which the blades of the windmills do to get it so that everything flows in absolute tolerance and diversity. Rotterdam, like the rest of the Netherlands, offers culture, wellness, history, music, color and sympathy to the side of a legacy left by the many artists who were inspired by its landscape. However, it is primarily a city of contrasts. The area covers the surrounding area is unique. On the same day you can admire damped polders, fun beaches, and fascinating ports. And probably one of the best ways to discover these places is embarking on a cruise that takes in the estuaries of the Nieuwe Maas and the Nieuwe Waterweg.

A natural landscape with hidden history and art is the city of Rotterdam.