5 Amazing Instagrammable Spots in Rotterdam

There are many instagrammable spots in Rotterdam. During World War II it got completely destroyed, which meant that when reconstruction time came, they had a clean slate. This resulted in big modern skyscrapers and quaint cobblestone streets cohabitating in perfect harmony. That, and its laid-back atmosphere, create the perfect environment for the incredibly varied amount of instagrammable spots in Rotterdam. From cafés, to lakes and just plain quirky architecture, there’s something for every single shutter-bug out there. With that in mind, during my last visit to the lovely guys at the Hostel Room Rotterdam to celebrate their 10 years!!, I set on a quest to find five great instagrammable spots in Rotterdam as suggested by the locals (thanks guys for all the awesome tips!). Let’s see what I found.

This tour was kindly supported by Hostel Room Rotterdam and Rotterdam Partners. As always, my opinions are all my own.

Kralingse Plas

The Kralingse Plas lake in the district of Kralingen is a popular destination for watersports enthusiasts. It is also a nice place for an afternoon stroll and an ice cream at one of the many cafés along the shore. You can sit at one of the many benches for people watching or search for the windmills. Whatever you chose to do, you’ll find this to be a perfect instagrammable spot in Rotterdam.

You can easily reach Kralingse Plas by bike on a sunny day or by metro (Stop: Voorshoterlaan), if you’re just feeling a bit lazy.

NHow Hotel Rooftop Bar

If you’re more the fan of skylines, your perfect instagrammable spot in Rotterdam will be undoubtedly the rooftop bar at the NHow hotel. Just around the corner from Erasmus bridge and the increasingly popular foodie heaven Fenix Food Factory.

To get here you can either walk over the bridge or take a water bus. Another option is to combine the two and make the most of it!

If you post it on Instagram, you can tag them @nhowrotterdam and/or use #thisisnhow for a chance to be featured.

Fenix Food Factory

Talking about the Fenix Food Factory. It doesn’t only offer an exceptional culinary experience to share and a regular cultural calendar. It also is one of those hipster instagrammable spots in Rotterdam. Head out to the outside terrace with your cheese platter and your beer rack (both quite instagrammable themselves) for a stunning view over the Art-Deco-meets-Jugendstil Hotel New York. Set in the old headquarters of the Holland Amerika Lijn, that would take people on their transatlantic adventures in the new world. From here they sailed, filled with dreams, into the sunset.

Don’t forget to tag @fenixfood and/or use #fenixfoodfactory

Willemsburg Bridge

This bridge is like the little brother of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, or so do the Rotterdamers say! Kindred discussions aside, the majestic views of the Willemsburg from either side of the Maas are definitely worth a mention in this “instagrammable spots in Rotterdam” list!

To reach the Willemsburg bridge you can take the metro, but I highly recommend walking along the river instead. The buildings by the river are also quite photogenic. And since you’re already in the area, why not stop by the iconic Aloha bar at Tropicana Rotterdam? An abandoned tropical pool from the mighty 80s transformed into a cool bar.

Euromast

And last but not least, Rotterdam is home to the tallest observation tower in the Netherlands: the Euromast. A 186.6 m (606 ft) concrete giant designed by Hugh Maaskant in the late 50s. It features 2 observation platforms, a restaurant and the space tower (a rotating observation elevator). Hard to have a bad view from up there, don’t you think? In any case, try to save this one for a sunny day.
Special mention to the lovely guys at Rotterdam Partners, who kindly organised my visit to this colossus.

Bonus tip: for all of you who love architecture and urban photography, the area around Rotterdam Central is a must!

Hope you found this list useful, next time I visit my friends at the Hostel Room Rotterdam I’ll make a part II with even more wonderful photo-ops. Have you ever been to Rotterdam? Did you go to any of the instagrammable spots mentioned here? Do you know any others I didn’t mention? Is where you’re at as photogenic as Rotterdam? Let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you.