After Rotterdam was almost completely destroyed by Nazi bombs during World War II, the city set to work rebuilding something even greater than before. Today, the city’s skyline is full of sleek edges and glinting glass, yet there are still many historic areas to be explored if you know where to look. Check out the famous Cube Houses, a unique community of homes in cubes, perched at a 45-degree angle on top of hexagonal pylons. Make your way to the uber-modern Markthal, where the 11,000 square meter ceiling is covered in one huge artwork by Arno Coenen, dubbed “the Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam.”
If all the whimsical designs and modernist architecture in Rotterdam leave you feeling like you’ve missed out on old Dutch tradition, take a half-day trip to the village of Kinderdijk. Here, you’ll find 19 authentic windmills scattered across a gorgeous piece of Dutch countryside on the Lek and Noord Rivers. It’s easy to explore this site by foot or by bicycle, and there is no entrance fee.
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