When some people book flights to Rotterdam, they might expect to endure the same ancient time warp that other European cities offer. A visit to Amsterdam brings back centuries of architecture, artwork, and infrastructure; a weekend in Paris conjures dreams of the Revolution; and a villa in Athens summons ideas of the ancient Greeks.
Rotterdam though, sparks none of the above. Its physical past has eerily been erased, and what is there now has only developed within the last 70 years. Before World War II, Rotterdam existed as a dreary industrial town, good only for its ports. When bombs dropped here in the 1940’s though, all that changed. The entire city disappeared, along with its two-dimensional reputation. What happened after that put Rotterdam on the map for much more that its port. New, modern architecture sprung up in every corner of the city, from apartment buildings to courthouses, to business parks, museums, restaurants, and even tourist areas. Sleek, straight lines, bold colors, and inventive new angles became the new face of the city.
Today, travelers flock from every corner of the globe booking flights to Rotterdam to see the new and improved metropolis. Gone are the winding little Dutch streets, quaint villages, and small-town structures. Now, efficiency and modernity have replaced the city with a clean slate, a new personality, and a fresh new outlook. Book flights to Rotterdam to see a city reborn.