Well ladies, weve been to Amsterdam, now its time for us to conquer another one of the biggest cities

in the Lowlands! So, please join me and the Sigma Kappa European Alumnae Chapter, November 6-8,

2015, as we celebrate our 18th annual weekend in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Then you can come see

for yourself why Madonna is interested in purchasing a penthouse in this hip, trendy and exciting city!

Although Rotterdams historical city center was almost

completely destroyed by bombing from the German forces

in May 1940, and another accidental bombing by the Allies

in March 1943, a very interesting new town and vibe has

since emerged. Rotterdam is currently home to more than

600,000 people, is the largest/busiest seaport in Europe, is

known for its impressive architecture, and is probably the

only city in Holland with a real skyline. You wont get the

typical Dutch feel that you get in Amsterdam, but you will

get an ultra-modern and (multi-)cultural city in return!

For us Dutchies, it is certainly not surprising that Rotterdam was cited in two note-worthy travel lists in

2014: The New York Times rated it #10 out of 52 places to go and Rough Guides ranked it #8 of 10 top

destinations around the world.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html?_r=0

http://www.roughguides.com/best-places/2014/top-10-cities/

Besides being an ideal city for a weekend getaway, Rotterdam has the added benefit that many of the

European low cost airlines fly to and from there:

http://www.rotterdamthehagueairport.nl/index.php

And, if you choose to fly to and from Amsterdam, the transit time from Schiphol Airport to Rotterdams

Central Train Station is a mere 27 minutes with an NS Intercity train (departing Schiphol twice per hour)!

http://www.ns.nl/reisplanner-v2/index.shtml

A little background Since the 9th century, Rotterdam has

been a bustling hub for international trade and shipping,

mainly due to its advantageous location near numerous

major waterways. The city, originally called Rotta, was

left uninhabitable by massive overflowing of the closely

situated river Rotte, and in 1260, a dam was cleverly

placed to protect it from future flooding. As a result, a new

settlement was established and hence the name Rotterdam

was born! Since then, the city has endured many more

floods and invasions (from Spanish, German, etc.), and has eventually came out as a one of the strongest

economic regions in Holland, where industry, shipping and trade are still the main focal points.

Today the city is known to locals and tourists alike for many things:

Bold and breathtaking bridges and architecture Just check out the super sleek Erasmusbrug (bridge

in the night skyline pictured above)! And if that isnt enough, the recently developed building De

Rotterdam (where Madonna is rumored to buy her new 3.5m high-rise spread) and the somewhat

unconventional museum De Kunsthal, both designed by

renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas (who has also

created widely acclaimed buildings in NYC, Seattle, Buenos

Aires, Mexico City, Beijing, etc.), are true architectural

delights. Furthermore, the Rotterdam Central Train Station

(pictured) was opened in March 2014 (by the Dutch king, no

less!) and has already been highly praised nationally and

internationally for its impressive faade and interior.

Museums, such as the aforementioned Kunsthal, but also

the Boijmans van Beuningen, hold world-class collections

(temporary and permanent). De Kunsthal (the interesting

museum entrance is pictured here) is known for its varied

and modern exhibition repertoire, displaying culture in the

widest sense of the word: classical and contemporary art,

design and, photography, from elitist to popular. The

museum is perhaps best known for being the scene of a

movie-like heist in October 2012 where seven important

pieces, including work from Monet, Gaugin, Matisse and Picasso, were stolen. While the Boijmans van

Beuningen Museum has a less spectacular track record, the collection will certainly take you on a

journey back through the expansive history of art, from the Early Middle Ages to the present day. From

Bosch, Rembrandt and Van Gogh to Dal and Dutch Design there is something for every art aficionado.

Shops! As we all know, a girlie weekend is not complete without

shopping, and there is an abundance of possibilities to do so in

Rotterdam! If you want to go slightly more upmarket (Boss, Hilfiger,

Michael Kors, etc.), you can head to De Kruiskade. If youre looking

for more mainstream chain stores, then De Lijnbaan is your place.

For something a bit funkier, the smaller boutiques on De Meent

are a great starting point. Added bonus: on De Meent you will also

find the restaurant De Dudok (named after a famous Dutch

architect that designed the building the restaurant is housed in as

well as many impressive buildings in my own town of Hilversum!):

known throughout the country for its delicious Dutch apple pie!

And, last but most certainly not least Food and drink!

Rotterdam is literally packed with great restaurants and

cafs. At the (semi-)historic Delfshaven, there are many

wonderful places to go for a delicious casual meal. At De

Oude Haven, you will find one caf after the next: perfect

for the EAC post-dinner shenanigans we all know and love!

Both the Delfshaven and De Oude Haven are located on

old harbors and have some of the Dutch charm one would

generally expect in the Netherlands. There are also many trendy restaurants and cafs located on the

banks of the citys waters, perfect for cocktails, snacks and people watching. The newest place in town is

De Markthal (photographed here in a panorama shot), or the Food Valhalla as it has been coined by

foodies of all ages and backgrounds across the country. De Markthal is a covered market hall (similar to

those found in major European cities such as Copenhagen, Newcastle, Budapest, etc.) with a plethora of

food stalls for shopping and eating. The newest food and drink sensation in the city since 2014!

One of my own personal favorites in Rotterdam is the Hotel

New York. This beautiful old-world hotel and restaurant

(nestled in the picture between tall modern buildings) is the

former headquarters of the original Holland-America cruise

line. It is a wonderful location for lunch or high tea, but also

has a really fab outdoor space, perfect for lounging on a nice

relaxing sunny day. This is a definite must-see when youre in

town! And for an extra fun experience: take the water-taxi

and head on over to Hotel New York for an uber traditional

Dutch treat of beer and bitterballs after (or even during!) an

exhausting day of shopping and sightseeing!

Rotterdam is also perfectly located for further sightseeing

of the Netherlands and surrounding areas. With quick

connections to Amsterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, but

also Antwerp, Brussels and Paris, the city is a great base

for exploration of the Lowlands and (Northern) France. A

fantastic day trip is a boat ride over to Kinderdijk, a

Dutch town which is famous for its row of typical windmills

(shown in the photo here at dawn). From November thru

March, boats only go on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

and it can be rather chilly, but it is definitely well worth it!

For more information on Rotterdam, please check out these great online resources:

https://en.rotterdam.info/visitors/

http://www.cityguiderotterdam.com/aktivitaten/shoppen/beste-laden/fachgeschafte/rotterdam-info/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Rotterdam

Additionally, the Wallpaper* City Guide Rotterdam (ISBN: 978-0-7148-6839-4) is also a really valuable

source for getting extra info on the city and preparing for your trip. Ive already purchased my copy!

I am currently putting together our weekend itinerary, but suffice it to say, you will get a real Dutch

experience with a modern twist in Rotterdam! I am trying to find the perfect restaurants and

accommodation for all of us, and will provide more details as soon as they become available. In the

meantime, if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me via Facebook or mail

me at tessavisser73@hotmail.com. I know November is still quite a way off, but Im already getting

excited about making plans for the weekend and I cannot wait to show my sisters around this part of my

amazing little country!

LISK, Tessa