Rotterdam is gorgeous and walkable (Image: Getty)
Lights flashed on the screen in front of us and techno music started playing.
Already seated 320 feet in the air, we slowly began to climb to the top. Once we reached the top of the 606-foot Euromast tower, the circular lift began to rotate, offering spectacular panoramic views of the city below.
This could not be done anywhere. It was very Rotterdam!
You can take in all of Europe's largest ports from the top of the glass-enclosed Euromast, one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.
Gazing at the mixture of modern architecture, green spaces, and intricate, busy bodies of water was the perfect way to start our urban adventure.
Read more I visited the island from White Lotus on 28C in February
Briel, a historic town near Rotterdam (Image: Getty)
Rotterdam gets far less press than the more popular Amsterdam. In Britain, it is primarily known for its unkind portrayal of Song of the Beautiful South, with its inhabitants being called “dull” and “gargoyles”.
So after signing up for the food and route experience, I didn't know what to expect. This is a self-guided walking tour that takes in past areas of particular interest, stopping at restaurants and bars.
Walking is a great way to see Rotterdam, but we had already experienced its great public transport links. The day before we caught the Stena ferry from Harwich in Essex to Hook in Holland.
The 7-hour crossing is not only like getting from A to B, but also like the beginning of the holiday itself. Our own cabin, onboard restaurant and access to the stena and lounge made our journey across the North Sea very relaxing.
There are faster options in the Netherlands, but none that allow you to stretch your legs and ride in the air like a ferry. The Dutch Metro station is located just outside the ferry terminal and will take you to the center of Rotterdam within 40 minutes.
Our food and route tour took us to a lot of interesting buildings and sights around the city.
Erasmus Bridge and Rotterdam at dusk (Image: Getty)
Rotterdam can trace its history back 800 years, but it was almost completely destroyed by German bombs in World War II. This means that most of its infrastructure is very modern and the city is famous for its groundbreaking architecture.
The Erasmus Bridge is an amazing structure that connects the north and south of the city.
The Markthal (or Market Hall) is even more breathtaking, with a huge space selling a variety of food products from around the world, and the outside of the building incorporating apartments and offices. The Depot Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has a mirror on the outside glass. That is, if you look carefully, you can see yourself approaching from a distance.
Inside, there's a vast collection of masterpieces, including those by Van Gogh and Picasso, but the building itself, with its glass floors and impressive central lift shaft, is the real attraction. But as the title suggests, Food and Root Tours is about more than just buildings.
The first food stop featured Rotterdam's most famous dish: Kapsalon. Invented by a hairdresser who asked a local restaurant to throw all his favorite foods into one dish, it's a combo of chips, kebab meat, melted Gouda cheese, salad, and hot sauce.
It could be the work of modern culinary genius. It's more like you eat it on the way home from the pub rather than your first drink of the day, but we weren't complaining.
Our tour also included a visit to Chocolatier, Mark Sal's Greek Bakery and Brewery. Beer tasting is a big thing in Rotterdam, and after getting a taste on the tour, we settled on a brewery called Kaapse Maria to investigate further.
Like neighboring Belgium, Dutch beer is not for the faint of heart. Instead of downing a pint, sample each bevvy sensibly in a 100ml glass and don't worry about it being 7-8% ABV.
The brewers at Kaapse Maria are proud of their work. They explain how each is made and recommend new ones to try based on what you like. We didn't have enough time to sample everything on the menu. If so, I might have walked right back to the hotel before dinner.
place to stay
We stayed at the Hilton Hotel Motto in the center of Rotterdam. The combination of comfort and convenience is exactly what you need for a short city break. After dusting ourselves off following a day of hitting the streets, it's time to dine at one of the best restaurants in town.
Hotel New York is an iconic building at the end of one of the city's many peninsulas. This was the base of Holland America Line when passengers regularly sailed from Rotterdam to the Big Apple.
The New York Basement is a classy cocktail bar and restaurant located below the hotel, with what has been described as a “pre-war Manhattan” atmosphere.
We were greeted with champagne and pushed into a 6 course tasting menu. I can't remember when if there was a better portion of sole or scard steak.
Maybe it's because most of our meals these days include 3 kids and a lot of stress, but maybe it's because the whole experience was great.
If you ever get a chance to go to a basement in New York, do it. we didn't sleep much that night
A foodie adventure.
And by lunch the next day, we were back from our trip to the North Sea and watched the waves through the cabin's porthole.
Sadly, there was no Kapsalon on board. It's worth returning to Rotterdam just for that.
Book your holiday
Stena Line ferry tickets from Harwich to Hook of Holland start from £69 one way. Stenaline.co.uk
Rooms at Hilton Hotel Motto in Rotterdam start from just under £67 per night. Hilton.com
More information on Rotterdam.info
