14 hidden gems in Rotterdam you have to visit

You’ve devoured all the Rotterdam top 20 lists and think you have seen everything the city has to offer? Well, no, no, no, dear friend — I’m pretty sure I can reveal some hidden gems of this amazing city that you haven’t seen before.

Having lived in the port city my whole life, I can safely say that I have found some top spots that many other people won’t know about. And it’s your lucky day — because I’m not a gatekeeper! 🤫

This list of 16 hidden gems in Rotterdam will take you across all corners of the city, and the best part? Most of the locations on the list are free!

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1. Café De Riddert: the smallest bar in Rotterdam

Do you remember that time you were so drunk you fell over? Well, probably not.

In any case, Café de Riddert is so small this wouldn’t even be possible! This brown café, just around the corner from Centraal Station, offers special beers, whiskeys, and live music.

The beer casks are stored underneath the floor, so it happens quite often that you have to step away from the bar to make room for the floor to open up — it’s magical! For this bar, we can say three really do make a crowd.

2. Schoonoord gardens: for Rotterdam nature views

Rotterdam has three famous parks to the north side of the river: Vroesenpark, Kralingse Bos, and Het Park (a.k.a. the Euromast Park).

But did you know that next to Het Park, behind a little stream, some trees, and a fence, there is a little park called Schoonoord? Walk past its gates, and you’ll find yourself in a big garden dating back to 1706!

This place used to be someone’s backyard, but now it’s open and free to visit for everyone. The park has a beautiful pond, a botanical garden, birds, and trees over 250 years old!

READ MORE | A guide to 11 beautiful national parks in the Netherlands

This is the perfect place to take your date and have a glass of wine. Just make sure it’s a day-drinking date because the park closes at 4:30 PM. 😉

3. Eiland van Brienenoord: escape to the highlands

Close to the Feyenoord football stadium, an exit leads to a tiny bridge. This bridge will take you to Brienenoord Island. An island with forest, open waters, and Scottish Highlanders.

Halfway through the island, you’ll find little cottages with gardens full of veggies and plants. Walking underneath the Brienenoord bridge is quite impressive and a huge contrast with the rest of the island, full of nature.

Because of the bridge and the noise of the cars, it may not be the perfect place for some quiet nature, but you do get some nice skyline views.

4. Restaurant Gare Du Nord: a vegan restaurant in a train wagon

This is one of those hidden places that you’ll only find if you are vegan or have watched too many Thomas the Tank Engine episodes.

READ MORE | 15 delicious vegan restaurants in Amsterdam

You’ll find Gare Du Nord just behind the old Hofplein train station. Even though this place might sound fancy, it’s not expensive.

Just make sure you make a reservation if you are going for dinner. If you feel like a rebel and want to eat a sandwich on a train, this is for you.

5. Luchtpark Hofbogen: a park on old train tracks

The old Hofplein train station is a great place to enjoy some city views. This station is built on top of the old train tracks, where you will find a little garden growing herbs, fruits, veggies, and other plants. In summer, you might even stumble upon an event or two.

If you have always wanted to walk over train tracks, this is your chance! Rotterdam plans to convert the old Hofplein train tracks into a 1.2 km-long park, just like they did in New York. The concept has been given the green light, and construction is planned to begin in 2025.

This station is connected to the famous yellow pedestrian bridge “de Luchtsingel”, which also connects to the Biergarten.

6. Biergarten: for late night pints

Biergarten might be the least hidden spot on this list, and if you have lived in Rotterdam for more than 10 seconds, you will probably already know this place.

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Normally, this is the first location I take my international friends to, as it’s close to Centraal Station and, in summer, is a great place to grab a drink and have some food.

Clubs like Annabel, which surround the garden, are closed during the day, but in the evening, everyone is mingling.

7. Noordereiland: full of history and great views

You don’t have to go to Zeeland or the north to find islands — there is one in Rotterdam! Noordereiland is floating between the north and south of Rotterdam and is connected by De Willemsbrug and Koninginnebrug.

While the island is officially part of the city’s south side and neighbourhood of Feijenoord, people keep debating whether it is the “real” south. Noordereiland, therefore, remains stuck in the middle.

The island played a very important role at the beginning of World War II. When the German army caught the Dutch by surprise at the old Willemsbrug on May 10, 1940, the Dutch marines and army fought straight at the south side of the bridge for four days.

Even though the Dutch army was weak, surprised, and not modernized yet, the Dutch were able to keep the German forces from taking the bridges. Of course, this changed after the city bombardment on May 14, 1940.

Next to the island’s rich history, it has great views and locations to take pictures. On the north side, you will have a great skyline view in front of the historical houses. On the west side, you’ll find a unique angle of the Maastoren and Erasmusbrug.

8. Pedestrian Maastunnel: walk under Rotterdam

The Maastunnel is the oldest “sunken” tunnel in the Netherlands, opened in 1942 during World War II. The tunnel was built on the mainland and sunk into the water after.

Next to the car tunnel, the city built a cyclist and pedestrian tunnel. If you ever feel like walking 1.2 kilometres to the other side of the city for no reason, this tunnel could be your friend!

9. Ze Hielden Koers park: for historical remembrance

This is one of my favourite places to relax in summer. Next to the Merchant Memorial for the fallen sailors of WWII, the city built a little park with many colourful flowers and plants.

The park’s official name is “Ze Hielden Koers” park, meaning “they kept course.”

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The park is easy to find, right next to Erasmusbrug. It’s an amazing place to bring some drinks, friends, or dates and sit on a bench whilst watching the sunset reflecting in the buildings.

Make sure you go to the restroom before going to the park; the nearest one is quite a walk away.

10. Heemraadssingel: take a romantic stroll in Rotterdam

The Heemraadssingel is a 1.5-kilometre-long park in Delfshaven built around 1900. The stroll offers little bridges, different kinds of trees, birds, and lots of bird poo.

On both sides of the singel, you can find historic houses and artwork. If you can read Dutch, you’ll enjoy the explanation texts that were stuck on little electric houses along the water.

The Heemraadssingel is only one of the many singels in Rotterdam. Some other singels are Noordsingel and Provinierssingel. You can enter the walk from the south side at metro station Coolhaven or the north side at Beukelsdijk.

11. Rotterdam’s town hall garden: for quiet reflection

Would we be right if we said that you probably hadn’t discovered this cosy garden yet? The town hall at Coolsingel, built between 1914 and 1920, has two entrances on both sides of the building to enter the garden.

It’s a public space and free to enter. The garden is pretty small, but hey, it is not about size. It is about the kind of sandwich you bring. Amazingly, this kind of silence is hidden right in the city’s centre.

12. Vessel 11: dinner on the docks

Did you know that all small harbours and docks in the centre of Rotterdam are named after what they used to import and export? For example, Veerhaven (feather), Bierhaven (beer), and Wijnhaven (wine).

Vessel 11 is a British red lightship floating in Wijnhaven, and was turned into a bar and restaurant with English food.

You can sit outside on the deck in summer, but if it is colder, just cosy up inside in the living room and order a home-brewed ale, lager, stout or IPA. The bar rents out little floating hot tubs, so you can float around the canals in your swimsuit whilst drinking an IPA.

13. Dakpark: An amiable of epic tunes in Rotterdam

Last but certainly not least, we’ll take you to the western part of town. The M4H area is full of old renovated buildings that store artists, musicians, and creative and innovative concepts.

One of the bigger projects here is the roof park on top of a big shopping centre. It’s a great place to relax if you happen to be in the neighbourhood.

Bring your children because in summer they turn on the water fountains! It has a rooftop restaurant, so you can always find restrooms and grab some beers.

14. Keilecafe in Rotterdam: a pop-up that stayed

We’re still in the M4H area for this last stop. Keilecafe started as a temporary pop-up bar, but when we noticed the bar was still there in mid-winter, we knew it would stay as a sort of permanent festival.

Drink, eat, dance, talk, or yoga away at one of the smallest permanent festivals in Rotterdam.

What’s your favourite place in Rotterdam? Did you find some new spots on the list? Let us know in the comments below!