Rotterdam tours and tickets
Rotterdam is easy to book. The Depot at Boijmans Van Beuningen sells timed tickets, so buy a few days ahead, and the Euromast is best booked for sunset. Harbour tours leave daily and can be bought on the quay in summer. The Markthal, the Cube Houses and Delfshaven need nothing. Delft, Kinderdijk and The Hague are short trips by train, tram or boat.
Book these first
- Boijmans Depot
- A few days ahead. Timed entry, with slots filling at weekends.
- Harbour boat tour
- 1 day ahead in summer. Popular departures sell out.
- Euromast sunset
- 1 day ahead. The best slots go first.
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Monuments and landmarks
Euromast
A 185-meter tower with a viewing platform, a brasserie and a rope slide and abseil for the brave. Tickets are timed, and sunset is the busiest. The tower stands by the river.
Which to pick. Book a sunset slot a day ahead. Go on a clear day, and consider the Euroscoop rotating lift.
A day ahead for sunsetVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorCube Houses
Tilted yellow cubes designed by Piet Blom, with one open to visitors as a show house. The area has a view of the old harbor and the Markthal. Entry to the show house is by ticket.
Which to pick. Visit the show house in the morning, and walk the streets around. Buy at the door.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorMarkthal
A horseshoe-shaped market hall with an apartment block above and a huge painted ceiling. It is free to enter, and the stalls and restaurants open daily. It is closed on a few days.
Which to pick. Go for lunch, and look up. It is a good place to taste Dutch cheese, stroopwafels and street food.
Not needed, entry is freeOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Museums and galleries
Boijmans Depot
The first publicly accessible art depot in the world, in a mirrored bowl, with thousands of works on view and a rooftop garden. Entry is by timed ticket. Guided tours are offered in small groups.
Which to pick. Buy a ticket a few days ahead and take a morning slot. Add the rooftop garden if you have time.
A few days aheadVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorMaritime Museum Rotterdam
A museum of ships, ports and the sea, with indoor galleries and a harbor of historic vessels outside. It suits families and takes about two hours.
Which to pick. Buy at the door and spend an hour on the harbor ships. It is a good plan for a wet day.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
On the water
Harbour boat tour
A boat tour of the harbor and the Maas, with commentary on the container terminals, the old ports and the Erasmus Bridge. Trips last one to two hours and leave from the quay near the Erasmus Bridge.
Which to pick. Take a 75-minute tour in the afternoon. Buy at the quay in summer, and book ahead for weekends.
A day ahead in summerOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorWater taxi
A fast boat that links stops along the river, a handy and fun way to cross the city. A ride takes a few minutes between stops.
Which to pick. Use it for a short crossing to the Hotel New York or to Katendrecht, rather than for a tour. Pay on board or by app.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Delft
A canal town with a market square, two churches and blue pottery, about 15 minutes by train. Tours add the story of the porcelain and Vermeer.
Which to pick. Go alone by train. Climb a church tower and walk the canals, and pick one pottery visit.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorKinderdijk
A UNESCO set of 19 windmills in the polders, reached by waterbus from Rotterdam in about 30 minutes. A mill is open to visitors, and boats and bikes are available.
Which to pick. Take the waterbus from Rotterdam in summer, since it is simpler than the bus. Buy tickets for the site on arrival.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorThe Hague
The seat of government, with the Mauritshuis, the Binnenhof and the beach at Scheveningen, about 25 minutes from Rotterdam by train. It suits an easy half day or a full day.
Which to pick. Go alone and pick the Mauritshuis for Vermeer. Book a timed ticket a few days ahead for the museum.
A few days ahead for the MauritshuisOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
City and museum passes in Rotterdam
- Rotterdam Welcome CardA card for public transport and free or discounted entry to attractions, with a small discount on harbor tours. It suits visitors who plan several paid sights and a lot of transport. Official page
Booking tours and tickets in Rotterdam
Do I need to book the Boijmans Depot?
It is wise. Entry is by timed ticket, and slots fill at weekends. Book a few days ahead, and choose the morning.
Is the Euromast worth it?
Yes, for the skyline of cranes and bridges. Go for sunset, book a slot a day ahead, and pick a clear day.
Is the Markthal free?
Yes. You pay for food only. The hall is open daily, and it is best at lunch, when the stalls are open and busy.
Can I reach Kinderdijk without a tour?
Yes, by waterbus from Rotterdam in about half an hour in season. Buy a ticket on the day, and wear comfortable shoes.
Is Rotterdam better as a day trip from Amsterdam?
It works, with fast trains of about 40 minutes. A night in Rotterdam lets you see the harbor in the evening light.
What can wait until I arrive?
The Markthal, the Cube Houses, Delfshaven, water taxis and Delft can be done on the day. Book the Depot and a sunset slot at the Euromast ahead.