Days are getting colder and shorter, leaves are falling, sweaters, hats and gloves everywhere: winter is coming to Rotterdam. This does not mean it is time to stay inside with a cup of hot chocolate, as there are plenty of things to do in the winter season! EM recommends some special winter activities you shouldn’t miss.
1. Snert tram
Normally, we wouldn’t put travelling with public transport in our top-10 of fun things to do, but this particular tram really is something special. The Snert tram is a tour of Rotterdam by tram, in which they also serve you a bowl of hot snert, which is a special Dutch delicacy. Snert is a thick pea soup with bacon and sausage in it, typically eaten on cold winter days. The Snert tram is decorated with little lights, plants and curtains, turning it into an old-fashioned living room on wheels. For the price of €15, you get a 1,5 hour tour of Rotterdam, and of course a hot bowl of snert. Unfortunately, the website is only in Dutch.
2. Winterplein
Every year, Winterplein Rotterdam organizes an indoor ice skating rink with lots of food and drink stalls and a view of the Maas river. The precise starting date and location of this year’s Winterplein isn’t certain yet, but will soon be available online. For a small fee of €4,50 and an additional €5,- for renting skates, you can skate all day long, with a great view of the river and lots of food and drink stalls, selling hot chocolate, snert or poffertjes (small Dutch pancakes with butter and powdered sugar). Again, the website is Dutch only.
3. Winter Efteling
If you have some time and money to spend, you shouldn’t miss out on the Winter Efteling! The Efteling is a fairy tale theme park that turns into a winter wonderland from November 10th and onwards. The whole park is decorated with Christmas lights, fire baskets and fake snow, and you can entertain yourself with tons of rides and other attractions. The Efteling is in the south of the country, and it takes about an hour to get there by public transport. A ticket for the Efteling will cost you €32,-, but it really is good value for your money. IS
