ROTTERDAM - It didn’t take long after arriving in this most modern of European cities yesterday to drop off my bags at the chic Mainport Hotel and walk over to the city’s newest and biggest attraction, the fabulous Markthal.
Markthal Rotterdam, as it is officially known, opened to great fanfare on October 1, 2014 when it became Holland’s first covered market. I first visited the Markthal in late 2014 and found it to be the nicest marketplace I’ve ever seen - even better than Toronto’s St. Lawrence market, which the Markthal replaced as my No. 1 in the world.
Markthal Rotterdam’s stunning basket design is an amazing bit of architecture and continues to draw record crowds - mainly because this is where you’ll find the freshest food in the city.
However, I got an extra bonus when I arrived Tuesday because the outdoor market, which dates back centuries, was in full swing outside the Markthal. Vendors were selling everything from flowers to flashlights and all at reasonable prices. “The outdoor market is much cheaper than Markthal Rotterdam,” one vendor told me, “that is why it was important to keep the outdoor market (a few days of the week) because not everyone can afford the prices they charge in there,” he said pointing to the stunning Markthal Rotterdam entrance.
That said, I enjoyed both and if you can be in town when both are open, it’s a great thrill.
I spent my time in Markthal Rotterdam gobbling down the freshest seafood dishes I’ve ever enjoyed and treating myself to lots of Dutch treats.
After my visit to Markthal Rotterdam, my New Year’s resolution will be to lose the weight I’ve gained on this Christmas trip to Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
If you’d like to know more about Rotterdam, go to http://en.rotterdampartners.nl/