Rotterdam on Foot: Four Routes

Four walks cover most of Rotterdam. They differ in length and mood, so pick one for the day you have. Distances are approximate, and every place named has a published address or hours.

Walk 1: Blaak to the Wilhelminapier, about 4.5 km

Begin at the Markthal, at Ds. Jan Scharpstraat 298 (markthal.nl ). Stalls open at 10:00 on Mondays to Saturdays and at 12:00 on Sundays. Next, pass beneath the Cube Houses and, if you wish, enter the Kijk-Kubus for €3.50. Follow the water past the Witte Huis, then cross the Erasmusbrug and end beside De Rotterdam and Hotel New York.

Walk 2: Delfshaven, about 2.5 km

Take the metro to Delfshaven, the one old harbour quarter that was spared in 1940. Look for the stepped gables along the canal and the church from which the Pilgrim Fathers set out in 1620. The city brewery Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim, at Aelbrechtskolk 12, closes the loop, and it gives tours to groups of about eight or more.

Walk 3: through Museumpark

Museumpark gathers three art venues on one lawn. The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen asks for an online time slot and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00. The Kunsthal opens from 10:00 on the same days. Het Nieuwe Instituut, at Museumpark 25, holds the Huis Sonneveld house museum. Finish on Witte de Withstraat, where Kunstinstituut Melly, formerly called Witte de With, shows contemporary art.

Walk 4: a route of remembrance

On 14 May 1940 German bombs destroyed the old centre, killing roughly 900 people. This route is slow and silent by design.

  1. The Destroyed City, Ossip Zadkine’s bronze of 1953, beside Leuvehaven.
  2. The Laurenskerk, a large medieval church that was heavily damaged and then restored.
  3. The Brandgrens, a loop of about 12 km marked with pavement markers and lights. A short section lies near the Doelen.

Leave out photographs of other visitors, and keep conversation low.

Getting between walks

Rotterdam’s RET metro links all four starting points, and tapping a contactless bank card or phone pays the fare. Tap out when you leave the station. Trams and buses use the same payment. On pavements, step carefully across the red cycle paths, because riders move quickly and have right of way.

Street art

Murals from the ALL CAPS festival cover walls in Afrikaanderwijk and Oude Noorden. Walls get repainted, so confirm locations before you go.

Tips

  • Dry shoes help, since showers can arrive in any season.
  • Use the metro or a tram to skip dull stretches.
  • When you finish, the Euromast stays open until 22:00.

Read more: Sightseeing in Rotterdam and the 2-day itinerary . Guided walks can be found on Viator .