Tourist for a day in Rotterdam
Besides visiting Kinderdijk and Keukenhof, I also took my niece on a tour through Rotterdam. After two days of walking around for hours, I just planned a relaxing day with some snacking, taking pictures, and shopping.
Next to the Kubuswoningen, is the public library and there are often interesting expositions in the large entrance hall. On the first floor, there is also a large rooftop bar called Bistro Bar Binnenrotte (in the picture: the place with neon green chairs and folded parasols). We went there to have a drink and nibbled on a basket of snacks (20 mini bites of the Dutch snacks: Kaassoufle, frikandel, vlammetjes, and bitterbal with ketchup and mayonnaise for €12), while we enjoyed the beautiful view of the Markthal and the Lawrence church.
This is the markthal, in which we later on bought a large portion of churros to share at the Churros & Sweets store. The churros dough was squeezed out of a machine and it immediately dropped in hot oil. The crust was crunchy and crumbly and inside, it was soft and airy. I really enjoyed these finger-sized snacks.
Right at the start of the Hoogstraat, you can find Poffertjes Salon Seth, where they make traditional Dutch poffertjes (small puffy pancakes). We bought two large portions of poffertjes (€5.50 each) and added €1 for extra strawberries. With the Rotterdam Welcome Card, you get 50% off two orders of poffertjes, so it was almost buy one, get one free.
We went shopping at the Blokker store, the Kruidvat store, the Zara store, the H&M store, the C&A store, and the Bijenkorf. It wasn't open yet, but a visit to the Søstrene grene store would have been nice too.
After some walking, we went to the HEMA store and we bought a rookworst (Dutch sausage) bun and a soft serve ice cream with colorful sprinkles.
We then walked to the Binnenwegplein and we shopped at the TK Maxx, the Monki store, the Flying Tiger store, the Xenos store, and the Action store. She bought a beautiful pair of sunglasses at the Monki store and she kept them on for the rest of the day. At the Binnenwegplein, you can also find the Bram Ladage (famous Rotterdam hand-cut potato fries), the Tosti house (ham-cheese toast), and the FEBO (fried fast-food from an automat (as in: insert coins to open the small glass door, behind which you can find the snack of your choice)).
Afterwards, we went to the Lijnbaan and at the Jamin candy store, I bought her three Tony Chocolonely chocolate bars in the flavors: milk, caramel sea salt, and popcorn discodip. Afterwards, you could also go visit the China town at the West-Kruiskade by turning left, or visit the city hall by turning right (on the street on the right of the city hall, called Meent, you can find great ice cream at the IJssalon and delicious Dutch apple pie at Dudok).
If you still have time, you can also explore Rotterdam-South by crossing the Erasmus bridge. There, you can try out the interesting stew on top of crispy potato fries from Bram's Gourmet Frites (you can find a review from me here).
We knew that she needed to sit in the train for quite a while, so we bought her a bottle of green tea and a Frikandelbroodje (pastry filled with the Dutch frikandel sausage) with thickened curry sauce and a round kaasbroodje (cheese bread) at the Albert Heijn supermarket. We originally wanted to buy her a saucijzenbroodje (pastry filled with minced beef) and a rectangular kaasbroodje (pastry filled with cheese filling), but there weren't any in the store. I was surprised to find out how much my niece loved cheese and the frikandel. I even joked about her taking a box of frozen frikandel with her to fry herself in England.
I wanted to take her to more places in the Netherlands and try more Dutch food, but she was only here for two and a half day. She will have a summer break soon, so she might come visit us again. I need to do more research though, because I don't know many touristic spots in the Netherlands.
We started from the yellow Kubuswoningen in Rotterdam Blaak, as she had a room at the Stayokay hostel. I have been inside to fetch her for a few times and the employees were friendly and helpful. You need to make up your own bed, but you get a free buffet breakfast and you can meet people in the common areas. The entrance might be a bit difficult to find, but once you get up the wide stairs and keep walking, you should find the hostel on the right.
Besides the interesting, connected yellow cube houses exterior, the hostel also has a good location. The Blaak metro station and train station are right outside.
This is the Blaak metrostation (large yellow M signs).
This is the Blaak train station. You can buy the train tickets at the machines and afterwards, go downstairs by escalator. In the back, there is a small kiosk, where you can get a quick coffee and snack. If you have more time before your train leaves, you can also buy snacks and drinks at the Albert Heijn supermarket in the basement of the Markthal, which is right next to the Blaak metro station and train station. Note: you are allowed to drink and eat in the train, but not in the metro.
Next to the Kubuswoningen, is the public library and there are often interesting expositions in the large entrance hall. On the first floor, there is also a large rooftop bar called Bistro Bar Binnenrotte (in the picture: the place with neon green chairs and folded parasols). We went there to have a drink and nibbled on a basket of snacks (20 mini bites of the Dutch snacks: Kaassoufle, frikandel, vlammetjes, and bitterbal with ketchup and mayonnaise for €12), while we enjoyed the beautiful view of the Markthal and the Lawrence church.
This is the markthal, in which we later on bought a large portion of churros to share at the Churros & Sweets store. The churros dough was squeezed out of a machine and it immediately dropped in hot oil. The crust was crunchy and crumbly and inside, it was soft and airy. I really enjoyed these finger-sized snacks.
The large street between the Markthal and the Lawrence church (in the picture: the church behind the ferris wheel, which is already removed by now) is the Hoogstraat and if you follow that street, it will take you to Beursstraverse, which is a large underground shopping street.
Right at the start of the Hoogstraat, you can find Poffertjes Salon Seth, where they make traditional Dutch poffertjes (small puffy pancakes). We bought two large portions of poffertjes (€5.50 each) and added €1 for extra strawberries. With the Rotterdam Welcome Card, you get 50% off two orders of poffertjes, so it was almost buy one, get one free.
We went shopping at the Blokker store, the Kruidvat store, the Zara store, the H&M store, the C&A store, and the Bijenkorf. It wasn't open yet, but a visit to the Søstrene grene store would have been nice too.
After some walking, we went to the HEMA store and we bought a rookworst (Dutch sausage) bun and a soft serve ice cream with colorful sprinkles.
We then walked to the Binnenwegplein and we shopped at the TK Maxx, the Monki store, the Flying Tiger store, the Xenos store, and the Action store. She bought a beautiful pair of sunglasses at the Monki store and she kept them on for the rest of the day. At the Binnenwegplein, you can also find the Bram Ladage (famous Rotterdam hand-cut potato fries), the Tosti house (ham-cheese toast), and the FEBO (fried fast-food from an automat (as in: insert coins to open the small glass door, behind which you can find the snack of your choice)).
Afterwards, we went to the Lijnbaan and at the Jamin candy store, I bought her three Tony Chocolonely chocolate bars in the flavors: milk, caramel sea salt, and popcorn discodip. Afterwards, you could also go visit the China town at the West-Kruiskade by turning left, or visit the city hall by turning right (on the street on the right of the city hall, called Meent, you can find great ice cream at the IJssalon and delicious Dutch apple pie at Dudok).
If you still have time, you can also explore Rotterdam-South by crossing the Erasmus bridge. There, you can try out the interesting stew on top of crispy potato fries from Bram's Gourmet Frites (you can find a review from me here).
My niece needed to catch the train to Belgium, so we brought her to Rotterdam Central station in the evening.
Søstrene grene stor
We knew that she needed to sit in the train for quite a while, so we bought her a bottle of green tea and a Frikandelbroodje (pastry filled with the Dutch frikandel sausage) with thickened curry sauce and a round kaasbroodje (cheese bread) at the Albert Heijn supermarket. We originally wanted to buy her a saucijzenbroodje (pastry filled with minced beef) and a rectangular kaasbroodje (pastry filled with cheese filling), but there weren't any in the store. I was surprised to find out how much my niece loved cheese and the frikandel. I even joked about her taking a box of frozen frikandel with her to fry herself in England.
I wanted to take her to more places in the Netherlands and try more Dutch food, but she was only here for two and a half day. She will have a summer break soon, so she might come visit us again. I need to do more research though, because I don't know many touristic spots in the Netherlands.
