Rotterdam is a dream city for the most sophisticated and demanding tourists, whose grandiose whims and whims are fulfilled as soon as they appear in the imagination. The ancient port of Europe finds its loophole to the heart of everyone: lovers of architectural monuments are presented with an abundance of futuristic structures and buildings in the Art Nouveau style; adherents of excursion tourism are given access to city attractions; fans of outdoor activities can do any water sports in the waters of the four lakes; those obsessed with buying are sent to local shopping zones; for connoisseurs of taste sensations, it gives an unforgettable experience in the best restaurants and confectioneries. Visiting Rotterdam is like diving into a fairy tale that you don't want to get rid of.
The life center of Rotterdam. Old Harbor
One of the most ancient ports in Europe dates back to the middle of the 14th century. The Old Harbor is the only place in the city that survived the bombings during the Great Patriotic War, so this is the best place to start your acquaintance with the life of Rotterdam. Everyone can watch the busy movement of ships on the river and get to know the surroundings during a boat trip along the shipyards, docks and piers. To the OldThe famous sights of Rotterdam overlook the harbor: the legendary "Cube Houses" and the White House, the first skyscraper in Europe, built in the 19th century and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Vanguard on a grand scale. "Cubic houses"
Rotterdam is a city of bright and unexpected architectural structures. But along with futuristic and modern buildings, the most original is a residential complex of 38 houses in the form of cubes, raised above the ground with the help of pillars rotated at an angle of 54 degrees. The idea of creating an avant-garde attraction of Rotterdam arose in the early 70s of the last century. Then the architect Piet Blom developed the first sketches of the "Cube House", which consists of several levels. On the first one there is a playground, shops and a school, on the second - a walking promenade, and on the third there are living quarters. People still live in the complex, and only one cube is used as a museum to show the arrangement and placement of household utensils in houses of this unusual shape.
From a bird's eye view. Euromast
Studying Rotterdam on the map, it is impossible to imagine the unearthly beauty that opens from the Euromast tower, the highest observation tower in the Netherlands. The mast was erected by the architect Hugh Maascant in the early 60s of the last century in honor of the famous flower exhibition held in Holland every 10 years. The height of the tower reaches 185 meters, whilewhile its diameter is 9 meters, and the thickness of the walls is only 30 centimeters. There are several viewing platforms in the Euromast tower, a luxury restaurant with rather high prices for European cuisine, a cafe with a more affordable price level and two elite hotel rooms. The latter are full-fledged sights of Rotterdam, since you can only rent a double room from April to September, and the cost of this service is 385 euros.
In the animal world. Blijdorp Zoo
For an exciting family vacation, a visit to one of the oldest zoos in the country, which was opened in the city of Rotterdam (Netherlands) in 1857, is the best fit. For more than 150 years, the flow of tourists who want to admire the species diversity of the planet Earth and see with their own eyes rare animals in their natural habitat, which were created on the territory of the zoo, has not decreased.
Attraction-journey to all parts of the world. Bleidorp Pavilions
Bleidorp is a favorite Dutch attraction with many interesting pavilions. In the realm of cold and ice, you can meet king penguins and even take a walk on moving ice floes right above the floating birds. The pavilion called "Crocodile River" will discourage exotic fish, turtles, crocodiles and amphibians of Africa. In the Oceanarium, you can admire the sea and coastal inhabitants and even see how sharks are fed in the shark tunnel. Butterfly pavilion will please with the brightness of shades,iridescent insects on weightless wings that live in the recreated forests of the Amazon. The Botanical Garden will surprise you with the pride of the Netherlands, national collections of primroses and bromeliads, and in the Asian part of the zoo, visitors will be met by Indian rhinos, bison, Amur leopards, bantengs, lion-tailed macaques, Asian elephants, speckled cats and crested baboons. Interestingly, Bleidorp is actively involved in the breeding program for endangered species of birds and animals. Local sights of Rotterdam - rare animals okapi (artiodactyl of the giraffe family), lowland gorillas and bongos (a mammal of the forest antelope genus).
