A Gay Couple City Weekend Rotterdam – Rotterdam, a city of water, wind, art, architecture and a special atmosphere of independence. During our gay trip to the Dutch City of Rotterdam for a weekend, we explored the beautiful mix of architecture, water, and nature environment of the Major Port city of Europe in the province of South Holland. And there is so much to see in the second-biggest city of the Netherlands! Join us on our Dutch gay city tour around Rotterdam with our Gay Travel Rotterdam Guide and see the harbor city of Europe through a couple of men‘s eyes!
Starting with our gay-friendly accommodation, the 5-Star Mainport Hotel Rotterdam, we went on tour around the city center of Rotterdam. We crossed the world-famous Erasmus bridge over the Maas River. And we were going back by water taxi. Furthermore, we did a speed boat tour, tried extraordinary good food, got inspired during our visit to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, escaped a Rotterdam Escape Room, and a tried the lively gay nightlife.
Rotterdam – A Great City for a Dutch City Trip
The second-biggest city of the Netherlands does not need any comparison to Amsterdam or Den Hague to be the fabulous and livable city as we know it. Although there are differences, of course. Especially with numerous tourists “populating” the city center of Amsterdam, it feels a way more relaxed to explore even the well-known parts of Rotterdam like The Park, the Witte-de-Wittstraatand the harbor area. As a city, Rotterdam is connected to water. Its history of big ships, tough sailors, and hardworking people is visible and sensible in every part of the city. It was nice to explore Rotterdam during spring and to feel the difference to our Rotterdam Autumn City moments. Enjoy the port city of Europe on our Gay City Weekend in Rotterdam!
Gay-friendly Hotel Rotterdam
Staying right in the middle of the city port area, we enjoyed in proper style the special luxurious Hotel experience in the 5 star Mainport Hotel Rotterdam. Special about our Waterfront Spa Room: we had a private whirlpool right next to the big window front with a fantastic view over the Leuven Haven. Book Your Gay-friendly Stay at the Mainport Hotel >
Water Taxi Tour to Katendrecht
Very convenient: Right in front of the Hotel is a taxi stop. But not for cars! The fastest way around the traffic jams of Rotterdam is going by a water taxi from one side of the river to the other side. The network of water taxi boats is huge. So take your time to check if it might be handier to take a boat instead of a car. The prices depend on your destination. Btw., even if you have a day ticket for public transport that doesn’t count on water taxi rides, a trip by boat is always special, especially in Rotterdam, the port city of Europe! More Information about Water Taxis >
The Dutch Pinball Museum
Once you have arrived at the other side of the Nieuwe Maas River at the water taxi stop in front of Hotel New York, you find beautiful old factory buildings that give this area a real harbor feeling. Cross the bridge “Rijnhavenbrug”, go right at the end of the Paul Nijghkade and look left! This is the entrance to a crazy but cute and interesting place called the Dutch Pinball Museum. After paying the entrance fee, you are free to play all the Pinball machines, vintage ones from the 60ies and some very up-to-date machines for a special period. This is the place for a fun and nostalgic short stop in between full of balls, light and sound effects! More Information about the Dutch Pinball Museum >
Lunch at Fenix Food Factory
Getting hungry is not a problem here, not at all. Right next to the Pinball Museum as part of this old factory building, a hall full of independent small food stores with local, biological but also vegetarian food, offers its visitors a broad variety of snacks and meals. Take your seat at the Fenix Food Factory and feel the food-court-energy and the bustle of visitors, gourmets, and all the fascinating food. And don’t forget to try one of the delicious coffees over there. Enjoy! More Information about Fenix Food Factory >
Speed Boat Tour over Nieuwe Maas River
We took a water taxi back to the Leuven Haven. On the right-hand side of the taxi stop, you will find a yellow construction and benches. This is the waiting point for the RIB-Experience Rotterdam. Be aware: it will be a very, very fast High-Speed Harbour Tour. We had the “pleasure” to sit right in the front when the boat speeded up. Especially on a windy day, you will never forget the things that happen to your face while racing through Europe’s biggest harbor. Throughout the full-speed experience, we made several stops like a short stop in front of the big cruise ship Rotterdam. What water ride! More Information about a Speedboat Trip >
Gay Travel Guide Netherlands
The Netherlands are known for its bikes, tulips, cheese and wooden shoes. That’s about it. Well, not at all! The Netherlands are the first country in the world legalizing the same-sex marriage already in 2001. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Keukenhof and the Dutch Islands – Read all about the gay-friendly Netherlands!
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen
Rotterdam as a city of art and architecture offers a big variety of museums all over the city. This time, we decided to visit the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and the exhibition of Ugo Rondinone “Vocabulary of Solitude”. To be honest: it is a strange feeling entering an exhibition hall full of man-sized, colorful dressed but sad clowns in different positions. Take a walk around, sit next to them, and you might get the same feeling as we did. Clowns have to be funny, but they are also humans, sometimes sad, sometimes thoughtful. What is your impression? More Information about“Vocabulary of Solitude” >
Escape Room “The Asylum”
Yes, we got locked up in an Escape Room again! This time during our gay weekend trip to Rotterdam, it was “The Asylum” from Truescape that was going to wreck and stretch our brain for a way to get outside in less than 60 minutes. Of course, we didn’t go into this scary place alone, so we took some sweet and innocent colleague/actor-friends from ‘De Gelaarsde Poes’ as bait for all the ghosts we were up against. The Asylum was indeed very scary, but also a lot of fun (especially seeing your friends being too afraid to open a door or push a button). Again we made it out in time, so we dare you to visit this haunted hell and do the same. More information about “the Asylum” >
Rotterdam Gay Night Life
This part of in our Gay Travel Rotterdam Guide should not be missed. Rotterdam has some old fashion gay bars, but also a few bigger venues to offer. If you are into crazy Dutch karaoke, you should definitely spend some time at De Regenboog. More into a small dance while holding a pink cocktail? We would suggest starting at the Strano. Is the night ending, but not according to you, then you might want to check out Café Keerweer. Do you see yourself a bit more creative, cool and hipsterish then you might fit in with the crowds on Saturday at Ferry. The same called magazine has in Rotterdam its store/grand café which turns during the weekends into a club where you can dance at parties like Pappa Party, House of Boys and YMCA. Rotterdam also has its fair share of other monthly gay parties. Our blog-buddy LiveLikeTom made a nice list of the bigger popular gay parties so check it out when you’re in town!
Gay Travel Rotterdam: Our Gay Couple City Weekend in South Holland
With our Gay Travel Rotterdam article, our Dutch City Tour Winter/Spring 2016 comes slowly to an end. After exploring the history of the Oldest city of the Netherlands Nijmegen, our City Weekend Utrecht, the feeling of The Big-City Vibes in The Hague, the City Weekend in Groningen and the Industrial atmosphere in Eindhoven, it was time for Amsterdam. As Dutch tourists in our own home city, Amsterdam, we are curious and proud at the same time to show you how we see the Dutch capital. But don’t worry, we would love to see and explore all the other cities of the Netherlands. Inspire and invite us, and we might come to your hometown very soon. For now, see you next week in Amsterdam!
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Karl & Daan.