¨Free tour Rotterdam, history and architectural icons¨
Hello! We are a group of guides passionate about our work and in love with the Netherlands. Our motivation is to share with you the history, art, and culture of cities as diverse as they are rich in history as Rotterdam, The Hague, and Gouda. Rotterdam is not only the city with the most important port in Europe, it is also a city that reinvented itself after World War II. The Hague is not only home to the monarchy; it is a city that combines historical monuments, impressive architecture, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere that never ceases to amaze you. Gouda, for its part, has a rich medieval heritage that will transport you back in time...
Pickup
We will be in the square in front of Rotterdam Central Station, near the "Moments Contained" sculpture, carrying an open red umbrella.
Description
Welcome to the so-called Manhattan on the Meuse! A reinvented city that breaks with the traditional architectural patterns of the Netherlands.
We start the tour at the stunning Central Station , and I'll reveal what it's pointing at.
The bombing of 1940 and its devastation forced the city to completely reorganize, so we'll visit Lijbaan, a 1953 shopping area that was so pioneering it was imitated in other European cities.
We will continue our tour through Coolsingel where we will visit and discover why buildings such as the Stadhuis (town hall), the Witte Huis , or Saint Laurenskerk remained intact in the war. We will see where Napoleon Bonaparte stayed , you will enjoy the contrasts offered by the surroundings of the Oude Haven ( the old port), we will reach the banks of the Meuse River where we will see the Erasmusbrug, Willemsburg and De Hef bridges and we will talk about the battle against the Nazis that took place on one of them.
On our 2.5-hour walk , we'll also take a close look at the Witte House and the Cube Houses, and we'll end in front of Market Hall, where you can enjoy the variety of cuisine it offers at the end of the tour.