Center, North and Kralingen
This district is the most important in this guide. It is made up of several areas, each with different characteristics.
Chinatown owes its name to the large number of Chinese businesses located around Kruisplein. But it's much more than Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and stores; it's a rare melting pot of cultures. You'll find it all here!
West Kruiskade, for example, is brimming with specialized stores, restaurants and cafés: from North African bazaars to Korean bakeries and halal butchers... If you walk along the Westersingel canal, which stretches all the way to the museum district, you'll be able to admire several sculptures by contemporary artists.
A little further on, the Laurens district is the city's commercial nerve center. Stores are open every day of the week, and local names mingle with international brands. Rue Lijnbaan is the place to be for all shopaholics. Everywhere, charming restaurants adjoin stores, discotheques and theaters - the heart of the city's nightlife. The district never sleeps, and at night, this is where the party's in full swing. Away from the hustle and bustle, it's a great place to stroll. Badly damaged by bombing, the cathedral was completely restored in 1952 and finally reopened in 1968. And don't miss the picturesque Binnenrotte market with its 450 stalls (Tuesdays and Saturdays).
Finally, stroll around Nieuwe Markt and Pannekoekstraat and you'll feel like you're in a village of its own, with a host of stores and cafés that are both original and trendy, popular and hip. To the south of this district, you won't want to miss Piet Blom's Kijk-Kubus (cube houses) and the incredible Markthal, the covered market, a real architectural feat with its sublime mosaic roof.
The railway station district has undergone many changes, and includes some interesting places to go out. The Luchtsingel, an innovative aerial bridge, links this district to the north of the city, passing through the innovative Hofbogen zone, the former gallery of the Hofplein station, with its multitude of innovative stores and restaurants (including De Jong FG Food Labs). Don't miss the Schieblok, a building that includes the Op het Dak restaurant and its garden terrace overlooking the city.
The north of Rotterdam is also a fast-changing area: formerly a working-class district, it has become a colorful neighborhood with many different atmospheres coexisting. We particularly like Noordplein, Zaagmolenkade and Zwaanhals. They're great places to stroll.
Following on from the central area is Witte de Withstraat, a street renowned for its designer boutiques, trendy restaurants, galleries and bars. Always bustling, this street immerses visitors in a bubbling bath of cultures, a universe where all artistic expressions express themselves freely. As you can see, there's always something to see and do.
We're including here an eastern part of the city that's undergoing a major renewal, notably the area around the notorious Industriegebouw. Kralingen is a cosy area set around a beautiful park. Locals love to relax here.
West, Delfshaven and Binnenweg
This area covers Delfshaven's museum district and historic quarter. It's a varied area that includes the city's major cultural attractions (museums, including the Museumpark and the fabulous Depot). There are also rapidly evolving districts, such as the Nieuwe Binnenweg, which is constantly renewing itself and expanding westwards to reach Schiedam!
Delfshaven means "port of Delf". This little district to the west of Lloyd, on the right bank of the New Meuse, is well worth a visit. It's one of the few districts in the city to have retained its typical 17th-century appearance. It was here that the first pilgrims, known as Puritans (Pilgrim Fathers), gathered after fleeing England, and before continuing their journey to North America. The Pelgrimvaderskerk church, built in 1761 on the voorhaven, still bears witness to their passage.
Until January 1886, Delfshaven was an independent municipality. The population gathered around the port built in 1389 to serve the city of Delft. The building of port infrastructures enabled Delft to welcome merchant vessels and thus compete with its neighbor, Rotterdam. The canal, lined with Dutch houses, and the windmill are both worth a visit. And don't miss the statue of Piet Hein!
Also worth a visit is the M4H district, which is currently undergoing a major renewal. This is a port area that is currently being rehabilitated, with workshops, places to go out and a park to visit (Dakpark).
South, Kop van Zuid and Katendrecht
The Kop van Zuid and Katendrecht districts in the south of the city, on the opposite bank of the Maas river, are prime examples of the city's growing urbanization. To get there, cross one of the two bridges, Erasmusbrug or Willemsbrug.
Kop van Zuid, the birthplace of dockers and workers from elsewhere, was renovated in the early 1990s to become an economic center. Buildings such as the Montevideo and New Orleans Towers, the new Luxor Theater and the 165-meter-high Maas Tower are the pride of this new district. It was the construction of the Erasmus Bridge in 1996 that really brought the district to life. The symbol of the district is De Rotterdam, an imposing building by Rem Koolhaas, a breathtaking vertical city.
The Katendrecht district is nestled between the ports of Masshaven and Rijnhaven. Until recently, the Wilhelminaplein peninsula resembled a construction site where almost everything had to be built. Until the Second World War, Katendrecht, then known as the Cape, was home to Europe's largest Chinese community. Many sailors and port workers lived here. At the heart of Katendrecht lay the red light district and numerous sailors' bars, with their tense atmosphere and breeding ground for crime.
Today, the district is undergoing a major transformation and is enjoying a veritable renaissance. Its transformation dates back to 1980. Many of the grayish warehouses have now been converted. This is where you'll find a number of quality restaurants on the Deliplein and the Fenix Food Factory, a culinary market not to be missed. The district's latest landmark, Fenix, the Museum of Migration, due to open in 2023, promises to put Katendrecht even higher on the map of the city, the country and beyond.
For over 10 years, the gigantic ocean liner SS Rotterdam has been moored in the port of Katendrecht for more than ten years.
Rotterdam Zuid, as the name suggests, is a district to the south and east of the city, after Katendrecht. It is Rotterdam's newest district, and 70% of its inhabitants are under 18. The district includes the Zuidplein shopping center, the Ahoy sports hall, the colorful Afrikaanderplein market and the De Kuip stadium, home of local soccer team FC Feyenoord.