Use It
We�ve been hearing whispers from Rotterdam … whispers of a funky, happening city, a hot, bubbling melting pot of cultures and influences. Maybe it�s the fact that Rotterdam is below sea level, and there�s something in the air � but it�s obvious that Rotterdam�s vibrancy and character is perfect for the independent traveller.Rotterdam has the biggest harbour in the world, but what really stands out here is the so-sharp-it-hurts skyline. Having undergone one of the most successful urban regeneration projects of the modern era, Rotterdam is to design and architecture what Paris is to fashion. You�ll see it in many cool neighbourhoods, the famous Erasmus Bridge and the quirky Cube Apartments across the water.
But Rotterdam�s progressive design and taste for the cutting edge also extends to everyday life � you�ll see it in the array of funky shops hidden in Rotterdam�s streets, you�ll taste it in the food you chomp down of an afternoon and in the blend of music that arrives in your eardrums of a night time.
But to really understand what bubbles beneath Rotterdam�s modern metropolis surface, you�ll need to tap into some insider knowledge. You�ll find this font of information at the Rotterdam Use-it centre, just outside of Central station. The Rotterdam Use-it crew are all pros in Rotterdam�s underground culture, and also publish the annual budget guide to Rotterdam, �Simply the Best�. This guide recently slid across our desks in all of its jam-packed 80-page glory, and reminded us of afternoons wandering around Rotterdam�s sleek urban streets.
In its handy pocket-size pages, you�ll find everything you�d need to know about Rotterdam � and some things you won�t! But hey, it does for some good page flipping all the same. There�s info on Rotterdam�s streets and neighbourhoods, highlights and things to do, where to spend all your euros, what festivals are on, and where to groove away your nights on the town. Hidden among these pages are real cultural insights and quirky notes, and at the back, the gritty practical info and map that you�d be lost without.
If you�ve already dog-eared those pages on your way to Rotterdam, try popping into the Use-it Center … it�s only a step out of the Central Station and manned by the fabulous Use-it Crew.
