Winter is in full swing. With the sun rarely making an appearance, this time of year can sometimes feel tough. But winter also stands for warmth, togetherness, conviviality, delicious food and fun activities.
Rotterdam offers plenty to make these dark days cosy. We have put together a route for a fun winter day in Rotterdam! We visit cafes, shops and specialty stores and end the day with two perfect winter activities.
The route naturally starts with something warm: a cup of coffee, delicious chai latte or ginger tea to take with you. Or drink it on the spot. You might also fancy breakfast or lunch, depending on what time you start.
You will find Served in the heart of Rotterdam Centre, a stone's throw from the Koopgoot. Served is located in a beautiful spot on the Coolsingel, is open seven days a week, serves delicious sandwiches and is the place for a nice cup of coffee. This makes it a good starting point for this winter route! As soon as you have your drink, we'll continue.
From Served on the Coolsingel you walk around the corner to the Meent. Here you will find the specialty store Simon Lévelt, a paradise for lovers of real, top-quality tea and coffee. Only specialty coffee ends up in the range. That is why the coffee is inspected no fewer than eight times by Q graders for various quality characteristics.
In addition to coffee and tea, Simon Lévelt also offers a wide range of Monin syrup, all kinds of treats, handy kitchen appliances such as milk frothers and espresso machines, and beautifully put together gift packages. So if you are a real tea lover or coffee lover, you have come to the right place. Perfect to replenish your stock for these cold days. And also if you are looking for a nice gift for someone special, this is the right spot!
Do you really want to relax and give yourself a glow-up? Then schedule an appointment with Rob Peetoom in advance and complete your winter outing.
Rob Peetoom has been in the hairdressing business since 1969. This well-known hairdresser's shop is located in several (international) cities, and in Rotterdam you will find Rob Peetoom on the Meent. The spacious salon, spread over two floors, offers more than just a new coupe. You can also go there for styling, make-up, eyebrow treatments and facials. Perfect to pamper yourself and get through the day fresh!
Nothing is as cosy as reading a book on a cold, wintery day. For our next destination we go back to the Coolsingel for a visit to Boekhandel Donner. This store has been a household name in our city for more than a century. The building itself is worth a visit, because it is located in the old ABN AMRO building, a beautiful monumental building.
You can browse around the store for hours. In addition to their immense book collection, they also sell puzzles and games, beautiful notebooks and stationery, agendas and much more.
From the Donner we walk further to the Binnenwegplein. Are you hungry? You will encounter plenty of tasty treats along the way. Get something sweet at Waffel, a sandwich at Tosti House, a panini at Trattoria Panini or fries at Bram Ladage.
We then walk on to UNIQLO. Here it's all about handy, timeless basics in various shapes and sizes. They sell good quality products for a reasonable price. A good store to stock up on new winter clothing!
When you walk out of Uniqlo, walk straight to Sissy-Boy. This flagship store of 1,130 square metres is located on the corner of Binnenwegplein and Karel Doormanstraat.
In the store they sell beautiful things for the home. Think of crockery, towels, cushions and vases, but also food and drinks such as tea and larger home accessories such as rugs. They also sell sofas and armchairs at Sissy-Boy and you can view samples of their fabrics at this branch. This is how you put together your dream sofa yourself! A great shop to find things to give your interior a new cosy look.
After all that shopping, it's time for a fun activity. And nothing is more fun than a pub quiz! Add a beer and you have a great evening.
In Rotterdam, pub quizzes are organized on different days and different locations. This is possible, for example, at Baek, Stadscafe Weena, Café Stalles, De Gele Kanarie and Rotown. Click on the names to check the days and times and schedule a visit!
Do you still have energy and time left, or would you rather do something completely different than a pub quiz? Another fun winter activity is of course ice skating! You are welcome at Schaatsbaan Rotterdam until March 1, 2025. Here you can enjoy silent discos, curling, group packages, children's events and educational skating lessons!
That was it again! Hopefully you will have a nice winter day in Rotterdam!