$333+ Cheap flights to Rotterdam, Netherlands

Before World War II, Rotterdam existed as a rather dreary industrial town, but when bombs dropped in the 1940s the city’s physical history was changed forever.

What is left of the city now only developed within the last 70 years. The entire city, along with its two-dimensional reputation, disappeared and 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.

Rotterdam, Netherlands climate

The cold sweeps in harshly in the wintertime, when the months between December and March bring wind, rain, and snow to the Netherlands. If you’re booking cheap Rotterdam flights during this time, then be sure to pack warm clothing because temperatures drop to the 30s and 40s and stay there. Once spring hits, April, May, and June warm up to around the 50s and 60s, with more sunny days and outdoor opportunities. Summer lasts through July and August, when the heat kicks in and you can really enjoy Rotterdam’s waterfront locale.

Best Time to Fly to Rotterdam, Netherlands

In order to really enjoy the waterfront its best to book flights to Rotterdam in the summer time, when the warm days and cool evenings are perfect for outdoor strolls. 

Peak Season:

By far, the most pleasant time of year to plan Rotterdam flights is during the summer time. Restaurants open patios for al fresco dining, and you can walk along the pier to see just how impressive the ports in this town truly are. 

Off-peak Season:

While winter in Rotterdam can be nasty with lots of cold wind and rain, many international travelers book cheap flights to Rotterdam in January to see the acclaimed Rotterdam International Film Festival.

Getting around Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rotterdam is a fairly easy city to get around. The RET metro system covers most of downtown Rotterdam with buses, trams and Metro. Buy your tickets onboard and pay based on how far you’ll be traveling. Most of Rotterdam’s sights are within walking distance anyway, so you may find you don’t need public transportation. If you do set out on foot, watch out for bikes, cars and above-ground metros. Biking is very popular and there are separate lanes and stop lights allocated for bikers. If you’re headed farther out of the city, buses run towards its outskirts and taxis can take you just about anywhere

Rotterdam, Netherlands Travel Information

Walk of Fame: One of the fastest growing attractions in Rotterdam, the Walk of Fame entices people to book Rotterdam flights to see international and national celebrities’ hand and footprints in the sidewalk. You’ll see many tourists posing for pictures by big names, and matching their fingertips to the concrete version of the celebrity of interest. A-listers like Cliff Richard, John Denver, Carlos Santana, Shirley Bassey, Everly Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Carl Lewis, Tina Turner, Gloria Estefan, Toto, and Johnny Cash have all made their mark – quite literally – on this memorable sidewalk. 

Oude Kerk: Once you’ve spent a few days in Rotterdam, it’s plainly obvious how modern and new the whole city is compared to its existence before the Second World War. For history buffs booking flights to Rotterdam in search of its courageous past, look no further than Oude Kerk – one of the only districts to survive the war. As you wander through it, you’ll notice the 18th century windmill that overlooks the water. This is the spot where Dutch pilgrims left Holland for America on July 22, 1620. Their boat, however, malfunctioned and they had to stop in England to join some other outbound travelers on the Mayflower. The rest is history.

Rotterdam Film Festival: Film junkies from all over the globe book flights to Rotterdam to see the massive collection of short films, documentaries, and features celebrated at the Rotterdam Film Festival every January. Competitive and non-competitive installations, performances, and special presentations make up the 600 final entries that are shown, and if you’re interested in a certain genre, then film packages are available as well. Even though the winter weather is less than spectacular, you’ll be able to experience high cultural and artistic expressions when you book flights to Rotterdam in January. 

Modern Architecture: As soon as you step off your Rotterdam flight, you’ll be enthralled by the newness of all the architecture. Even just outside of Central Station, you can see Nationale Nederlanden, the city’s highest skyscraper, and Down Coolsingel, the city’s World Trade Center. A little beyond, is a funny-looking cube-shaped building known as the Overblaak, and even further are the two ultra-chic (but not identical) bridges that cross the Nieuw Maas River. In the middle of the downtown square, enormous steel structures that look like jointed red desk lamps move around on their own, and add a little fun to night-time lighting.