Rotterdam

Ships sail straight from the North Sea to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam at Holland Amerika quay in the city centre. Cross the spectacular Erasmus Bridge for an easy walk into town.

The railway station is just 5 minutes away by taxi or around a 25-minute walk. Trams 23 and 25 stop about 500 metres away at Wilhelminaplein. On public transport, tap in with a foreign Maestro or Visa credit card and tap out with that same card; this applies to Train, Bus, Metro and other services throughout the Netherlands. Remember to check both in and out!

A taxi costs about 10 Euro, plus an additional charge for suitcases, for the roughly 2-3 km journey. The ride has to cross the Erasmus Bridge; otherwise, the driver is taking a longer journey to cheat you.

Amsterdam Schiphol airport is about an hour away by train. Use a foreign Maestro or Visa credit card to check in, then use the same card when checking out. This system covers Train, Bus, Metro and all other public transportation in the Netherlands. Do not forget to check in and out!

Carry a printable map.

This extensive modern port city was rebuilt from the ruins of World War II. In 1940, the Nazis threatened to destroy Rotterdam unless it surrendered. The city capitulated, yet the Luftwaffe bombed it anyway. Some of its architecture is spectacular!

The 605-ft-/184-m-tall Euromast Space Tower is now Rotterdam's most prominent visitor attraction. Ride its revolving seated lift to the summit for views that include the Erasmus Bridge, a modern suspension bridge nicknamed “the swan”. The harbour, one of the world's busiest, is an attraction itself, as is the nearby maritime museum. Dutch, Italian and French works at the Boijmans-van-Beuningen Museum form another worthwhile collection. Most travellers find half a day sufficient for Rotterdam.

Central Rotterdam is very easy to explore on foot.

Hop-on/off Tram Line 10 tours Rotterdam's leading visitor sights aboard a beautiful historic tram. Its route passes the new Central Station, Market Hall, cube houses, Erasmus Bridge, Coolsingel, the city's old western district and historic Delfshaven. Buy a day ticket on board and use it to leave or rejoin at any route stop.

The cruise port supplies a limited number of shuttles to the Market Hall, an architecturally designed masterpiece. Confirm availability with your cruise line.

Spido runs a selection of fascinating harbour cruises throughout the year. Boats leave opposite the Cruise Terminal, reached by crossing the Erasmus Bridge on a 10-minute walk.

Amsterdam is just 1 hour away by rail.

Nearby UNESCO-listed Kinderdijk is probably Holland's best place to see operating windmills. Catch the Waterbus from across the river, directly below Erasmus Bridge, for an enjoyable journey. The same outing can include Dordrecht, a pleasant historic town with a genuinely Dutch character. A boat departs each half-hour; ask aboard where to change vessels at Ridderkerk-Schans.

The principal shopping district surrounds the Lijnbaan, close to both the dock and railway station.

Opened in 2014, the Markthal is a bustling market hall overflowing with fresh fish, warm bread, tender meat, countless different cheeses and newly harvested vegetables.

Euros contain 100 cents. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros, while notes are issued in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, following the 1, 2, 5 pattern. Some shops refuse high-value notes, and many dislike 1 and 2 cent coins, so cash totals are rounded to the nearest 5 cents.

Credit-card acceptance is less widespread in the Netherlands than in many countries. Always ask first if you intend to pay by card.

Almost everybody in Rotterdam speaks English and takes pride in doing so; many also speak German and French. English speakers should use English unless they also speak Dutch, as trying French or German is more likely to offend than do anyone a favour.

Dutch is often mistakenly thought to be very close to German. They are not actually mutually intelligible: Dutch pupils must learn German at school and generally speak better English than German. German and Dutch resemble each other in much the same way as French and Italian.

Free Wi-Fi is available at the terminal and in most restaurants, trains and railway stations.

General shop opening times are: Mondays 13:00–18:00, although department stores often start at 11:00; Tuesday to Saturday 9:00–18:00; Saturdays 9:00–18:00; Sundays noon–17:00 in the city centre, when not every shop opens; and late-night trading every Friday until 21:00 in the city centre.