Rotterdam and Haarlem, Netherlands
Rotterdam is a modern port city known for bold architecture, while Haarlem charms visitors with historic streets, canals, and museums. 1307
Rotterdam: Grotekerkplein 27, 3011 GC Rotterdam, Netherlands
Haarlem: Grote Markt 22, 2011 HL Haarlem, Netherlands
Date Picture Taken: May, 2026
Unlike many other cities in the Netherlands, Rotterdam has a modern character, with striking contemporary architecture, a dramatic skyline, and one of the world’s largest ports, making it an interesting contrast to the country’s traditional canal cities.
I arrived at the train station, which naturally became the starting point for my exploration of the city.
A view behind me
Near the city center, I passed the World Trade Center Rotterdam, a landmark building combining historic architecture with a distinctive modern tower rising above it.
I came to St. Lawrence Church (Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk), Rotterdam’s main medieval church and one of the few historic buildings in the city center to survive the destruction of World War II.
Next, I came to Rotterdam’s striking Market Hall (Markthal), a huge horseshoe-shaped building combining a food market, restaurants, apartments, and a colorful artwork covering its vast interior ceiling.
Next, I visited the Kijk-Kubus Museum-house, where I could step inside one of Rotterdam’s famous Cube Houses and see how architect Piet Blom transformed the unusual tilted cube into a surprisingly functional living space.
I continued to Oudehaven, Rotterdam’s historic Old Harbour, where old sailing ships and waterfront cafés sit beneath the city’s striking modern architecture, including the nearby Cube Houses.
This marked the end of my visit to Rotterdam. On my way back to Amsterdam, I stopped in Haarlem to spend some time exploring its historic city center.
On my way from Rotterdam back to Amsterdam, I stopped in Haarlem, a historic Dutch city only a short distance from Amsterdam. Unlike modern Rotterdam, Haarlem has a beautifully preserved old center filled with narrow streets, traditional brick buildings, canals, and picturesque squares.
At the heart of the city is Grote Markt, dominated by the impressive Grote or St. Bavokerk, the large Gothic church I saw earlier. Haarlem was also an important center of Dutch art and is closely associated with the great 17th-century painter Frans Hals.
Dominating Haarlem’s Grote Markt is the Grote or St. Bavokerk, a magnificent late-Gothic church whose soaring tower has been a landmark of the city for centuries.
Most of the present Gothic church was built during the 14th and 15th centuries, with its distinctive wooden, lead-covered tower rising high above the old city.
The church was originally Roman Catholic and dedicated to Saint Bavo, but after Haarlem came under Protestant control during the Reformation, it became a Protestant church in 1578.
The church is also closely connected with Haarlem’s history. The painter Frans Hals is buried here, along with many other residents whose gravestones cover much of the church floor.
Although Haarlem is much smaller and quieter than Amsterdam, its historic architecture and relaxed atmosphere made it an interesting contrast to Rotterdam and a worthwhile stop on my journey back to Amsterdam.
I came back to Grote Markt, Haarlem’s historic market square, with the magnificent St. Bavokerk once again dominating the center of the old city.
The Hiding Place — Near Grote Markt, I came across the Corrie ten Boom House, known as The Hiding Place. During World War II, the Ten Boom family secretly sheltered Jews and resistance members here, hiding them in a small concealed space behind a false wall. Today, the house is a museum telling the remarkable story of the family and their wartime resistance.
