Rotterdam Architecture – Private tours
What do buildings tell about the city and its inhabitants
A bit of history
Rotterdam used to be a city like many in the Netherlands. A crowded old city centre around a central church. Then things changed.. The harbour grew. After World War Two the city centre was (re)built, hosting a slew of architectural innovations. When the harbour activities moved from the city centre to the North Sea, historic port areas where redeveloped.
For a long time, people didn’t understand why Rotterdam was the perfect place to live. But we, Rotterdam natives, we knew all along. We like to share that pride and love with our guests. The skyline, the sense of space, the power of change and our get-things-done-attitude. Wit a little bit of nostalgia, but most of all continuing the construction of our ‘City of Many Cities’.
During our private Architecture walks you will experience Rotterdam’s long history and post-war reconstruction, like the Groothandelsgebouw next to our new Central Station – the building where architect Maaskant used stone to respond to the dark days of fascism that had just endedhere are architectural pearls from every decade, like the tilted Cube Houses, the public library and the Markthal. The list goes on!
Walking or cycling along the architectural highlights of the city centre and the south bank area (Kop van Zuid – “Manhattan along the Maas”) we thell the stories about why these buildings were built, why they look the way they look, and what they tell about the people who live here.
We’re passionate guides and we know a lot about the history of Rotterdam, everything that’s happening today, and our dreams about the city’s future.
Duration and areas
The Rotterdam Architecture Walks are bespoke guided tours with a duration between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the areas you want to visit. We often start at Rotterdam Central Station, continue south to Cith Hall and the central shopping area, ending at the Markthal or alternatively crossing the iconic Erasmus Bridge to visit the high-rise buildings of Kop van Zuid, across the river. Prefer a different route? Want to travel by subway or boat? Let us know. Together we’ll come up with the tour you’re looking for.
Prices
The price of our private tours depends on the tour duration and number of guests. For groups of 1 to 20 persons, the prices are (VAT included)
1 hour: € 77
1,5 uur: € 99
2 uur: € 119
The 21st to 25th guests pay € 3,50 per person extra; for 26 and more guests we add an additional guide.
These prices are exclusive of optional costs for public transportation or bycycle rental (we can arrange bicycles for € 6,05 per person).
Bookings
Ready to book your private tour through Rotterdam? Book your private tour here.
We look forward to meet you in Rotterdam during this tour or one of our
Other tours:
City Centre
A new Central Station, tilted Cube Houses, the Markthal with its impressive ceiling painting, Europe’s first sky scraper and much more
Delfshaven
A picturesque historic area in Rotterdam. Once a harbour for the city of Delft, later the departure point of the Pigrim Fathers