Thirty-six miles from the vivacious metropolis of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands host the largest port in Europe. Catering to the petrochemical industry, the Port of Rotterdam is the second largest in the world. Early Rotterdam served as a glorious living testament to the Golden Age of Holland until the city was bombed to submission during World War II. The result of Rotterdam's resurrection was a splendid modern city showcasing a spacious shopping mall and the busiest harbor in the world, Europoort.
Sporting an air of sophistication worlds, Rotterdam is away from it's nearest neighbors in appearance and elegance. Rotterdam doesn't sport the tiny tucked away streets, cruising canals, or hidden alleyways of a traditional Dutch city. Northern and Southern Rotterdam are separated by the Nieuwe Maas River.The city center is located on the Northern Bank of the Nieuwe Mass River.
Tourists travel to the still burgeoning city for a glittering nightlife, shopping, and attractions like the Tax Museum, the Reconstruction of Ship of the Line, the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, and the Euromast. An exciting selection summer festivals commemorate Rotterdam's thriving diversity; the Caribbean-influence Summer Carnival, July's North Sea Jazz Festival, the Valery Gergiev Festival in September, and the International Film Festival in January.
Rotterdam was championed as the "European Capital of Culture" in 2001. The city boasts it's own orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. The Renaissance city, also served by the Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts, has been coined the unofficial "Cultural Capital of the Netherlands."
