The Netherlands is an easy country to get around, making it a breeze to stop off in numerous cities in the same day. I took a day trip out of Amsterdam to see the UNESCO World Heritage windmills at Kinderdijk, just outside of Rotterdam, and was able to explore a little bit of Rotterdam and Den Haag in the same day. Of course while there was probably plenty more I could have done in each city, I was fine with just getting a little overview of some of the key sites in each.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is quite a contrast from Amsterdam. Where Amsterdam is known for the architecture of its canal houses dating back to the 16th century, Rotterdam is filled with a much more contemporary mix of architecture and a more modern skyline. It is also a commercially significant city, being the busiest port on the entire European continent.
One of the most prominent parts of the Rotterdam skyline is the beautiful Erasmusbrug (Erasmus Bridge), a cable bridge crossing the River Nieuwe Maas and connecting the north and south parts of the city. This was where I started my wandering after returning on the ferry from Kinderdijk.
Being a city that’s not afraid to experiment with architecture, naturally Rotterdam is full of artsy and quirky structures and statues. One such amusing treasure is Paul McCarthy’s Santa Claus statue which is located in the little square at Eendrachtsplein. It’s also often referred to as the Buttplug Gnome (Dutch: Kabouter Buttplug). You’ll see why.
Steps from the Buttplug Gnome is Oude Binnenwag, a pedestrian-friendly street lined with commercial retail and restaurants. On this street is another beloved statue – the spunky brass puppy Fikkie by Joeki Simak, complete with a little brass turd on the sidewalk.
After walking around for a bit, I was a little hungry and decided to venture into Markthal, which aside from hosting a vibrant public food market with a variety of cuisines, is also an architectural marvel with its glass facades and mural that wraps around the inside walls and ceiling. I was drawn to one of the first vendors I saw upon entering, Het Kroket Loket. Krokets are the Dutch equivalent of the French croquette, a deep-fried snack. I got a Rotterdam Cheese Kroket sandwich.
From there, I ventured out to take in some more architecture, including the gothic Laurenskerk (St. Lawrence Church) and the Blaaktoren apartment complex, also known as Het Potlood (The Pencil).
But my favorite and arguably one of the biggest architectural draws to Rotterdam is the Cube Houses designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom. These tilted cubes are residential, but there is a hostel that allows you to stay in the cubes, or one is available to tour as a museum. For someone just passing through, I just took a walk up to the landing in the middle of the complex to snap some external photos.
Lastly I stopped down by the water to see the Witte Huis (White House), a charming Art Nouveau building dating back to 1898 which is a National Heritage site and the first high rise building in Europe.
Den Haag (The Hague)
My train from Rotterdam took me right into Den Haag HS station. Upon arrival, I wandered down the Spui, a major commercial corridor in the heart of the city. Eventually the street took me out to the Binnenhof, Den Haag’s most notable and picturesque attraction. This Gothic castle structure was built mostly in the 13th century to house Dutch counts, and today is home to meetings of the Dutch parliament. It is one of the world’s oldest parliament buildings still in use to this day. It sits beautifully reflecting on the Hofvijver lake in the middle of the bustling city. At the time of my visit, the inner courtyard of the Binnenhof was closed to visitors, but I was able to enter a part of the courtyard. Otherwise, I was just as happy to take in the view from across the lake.
As my daylight dwindled, I decided to visit the Mauritshuis. Nestled at one corner of the Binnenhof on the lake, this seventeenth-century residence built for Count Johan Maurits of Nassau-Siegen houses an exquisite collection of Dutch and Flemish art. It’s operated as a museum since 1822, and its most notable works are Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp and Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring.
After my visit to the museum, I was ready for some dinner on the way back to the train station. At random I picked a restaurant along my walk. It was called Dudok and was a cozy cafe with a variety of people working, meeting, reading the newspaper, or just being social and catching a good meal. The menu wasn’t particularly Dutch, but I enjoyed the most delicious burger here with a Grolsch bier to wash it down.
From the restaurant, I caught a tram back to the train station and headed back to Amsterdam. It was a busy day packing Kinderdijk, Rotterdam, and Den Haag into one day, but I enjoyed every bit of it.
C to Shining C 