Rotterdam is no longer content to play second fiddle to Amsterdam and in recent years has rejuvenated its city centre, regenerated much of its dockside and also hosted the European City of Culture in 2001. The city is twinned with Liverpool.
In May 1940, Rotterdam was bombed by the German Luftwaffe, and the heart of the city was almost completely destroyed. For 25 years after the war, the city was rebuilt, and from the 1980s onwards, an active architectural policy was established, creating daring and new styles of buildings and recreation facilities. Sparkling nightlife and a host of summer festivals celebrating the city's multicultural population and identity have followed.
It is Europe's largest port and is not only the hub of the Dutch economy, but now also emerging as a tourist destination in its own right. The renowned Erasmus Bridge, known as "the swan", has created a new connection between the city centre and the south bank.
One of Rotterdam's main attractions is Diergaarde Blijdorp, the extensive zoo that includes the impressive Oceanium, where visitors can walk through the huge shark tunnel surrounded by sharks and giant tortoises. A visit to Rotterdam would not be complete without a tour of the harbour on the Spido or a visit to the 185m-high Euromast.
One way of taking in the Rotterdam skyline is to sail on the Pannenkoekenboot. In a relaxed setting, eat as many pancakes as you want of all varieties; sweet, savoury, and all manner of foods available for garnishing.
The self-image of the city is that of a no-nonsense workers' city. In that sense, there is a healthy competition with Amsterdam, which is often viewed as the 'cultural' capital of the Netherlands. There is a popular saying: Amsterdam to party, Den Hague to live, Rotterdam to work.
