A couple of weeks ago 400 bloggers descended on Rotterdam for #Traverse18 a fun filled weekend of blogging, drinking and well, pretty much everything in between. Lucky for me, I was one of those bloggers.
I was attending Traverse as a mini session speaker, so knowing it was going to be a busy weekend I decided to only give myself one day to explore the city, especially as I had travelled by coach overnight. That day, however, showed me that there is so much to do in the city and I REALLY wish I had given myself more time there.
As I did only spend around 8 hours exploring the city properly, I can’t give you much, but I can tell you the five things you absolutely have to do if you ever get the chance to visit.
Explore the Incredible Architecture
There are so many incredible buildings in Rotterdam and each and everyone one of them has their own unique style. From the unique cube houses to the amazing high rises, it’s a incredible mix of old and new. The whole city really made me want to improve my travel photography game as honestly, I’m useless when it comes to buildings. I think maybe I should invest in some camera tripods?
Visit the Markthal
One of the most incredible buildings in Rotterdam is the Markthal, not only for its unique design, but partly because it’s filled with stalls selling every food imaginable. From bitterballen to stroopwaffles, this market had every Dutch delicacy you could ever imagine, as well as so many other incredible dishes. I wish I had more time to spend here as I would have loved to have tried more of the food available.
Enjoy Food and Drink on ‘Witte de Withstraat’ Street
One of the most popular streets in Rotterdam just happened to be the one our hostel was on, which meant we were able to see (and hear) what it was like into the night. It was DEFINITELY a hotspot everyone seemed to love and if I had more time to explore the city I know I’ll have been out there with them, drinking until the bars closed around 5am.
Try the Amazing Array of Food
I realise that three of these points involve either eating or drinking, but oh my gosh was Rotterdam incredible when it came to food. I didn’t get chance to try everything that I wanted to, but there are some amazing places to eat. I managed to try Friteboutique (three times, ooops), Bulls and Dogs and Bakers Dough, however there are still places like Lilith, Supermecardo, Ayla, PickNick and Fenix Food Factory. I think I could go back for a ‘foodie’ trip alone.
Hunt for Stunning Street Art
It seemed every single corner you I turned in Rotterdam there was a new, fascinating piece of street art to look at. It added to the colourfulness of the whole city and made each and every walk that little bit more interesting. There are lots of different street art walks you can go on, so if you don’t fancy wandering around searching for it by yourself, you could book yourselves onto one of these instead.
So, when can I go back?
Kirsty Leanne
xoxo
