It is almost time for winter in Rotterdam. Time to prepare, because we need to buy gifts and make beautiful memories. In this handy guide you will find the winter programme of Rotterdam Centre.
This winter there is an amazing atmosphere in the city centre. You can expect awesome performances, fun on the ice rink and extra long opening hours. Read all about it below. We wish you a warm welcome to wintry Rotterdam!
With the Christmas shopping just around the corner, extra shopping evenings in Rotterdam Centre are more than welcome! To give you some space in your agenda, the shops are open extra long around Christmas.
This means that on Tuesday 20 November, Wednesday 21 November and Thursday 22 November the shops will be open until 21.00! And the regular shopping evening on Fridays are of course still happening!
Please note that the shops are closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
When you think of winter, you think of ice. IJsvrij understands that, and is therefore providing us with a great skating rink right in the centre!
From December 15 to January 8, everyone is welcome at Plein 1940. Here you can enjoy a romantic winter paradise, with an ice skating rink, silent discos, hot chocolate and more!
Every Saturday and Sunday, from December 3 to January 8, it is very cosy in Rotterdam. But also during the Christmas holidays, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before Christmas. Then you can enjoy all kinds of fun performances in different places between 12:00 and 17:00.
Where? Among others in Central Plaza, on the Kruiskade, Lijnbaan, Binnenwegplein, Coolsingel, Koopgoot and Beursplein.
Closer to Jazz provides swinging jazz music in Rotterdam Centre. In the middle of the street and in the shops, shoppers are treated to jazz concerts. At selected times, three mini concerts by the top of the new generation of young Dutch jazz talent will take place.
Enjoy the a cappella (Christmas) choirs that delight shoppers with their angelic singing.
The varied programme includes various pop choirs such as S1Voice, O Jee, Sweet Pepper and LOS. But also singing groups such as Mixed Voices, Ratatouille, Voices in Harmony and Encore will enchant you. Or you are suddenly sung to by the Rotterdam boys' choir, the Carolgroup Close2Xmas or the Ukrainian ensemble Chervoni Korali.
To bring about that real winter fairytale feeling, a talented violinist will provide the shopping streets with some beautiful music. This way you will quickly get in the mood for the holidays!
As soon as the sun goes down, it gets even more cosy in Rotterdam Centre, as the lights go on on the beautiful light squares.
But where can you admire these dancing lights? You will find the first lights on the square between the Lijnbaan, the van Oldenbarneveltplaats and the Koopgoot. If you continue on the Lijnbaan, towards the Korte Lijnbaan and the Stadhuisplein, you will find the second light square.
The lights can be admired until 8 January as soon as it starts to get dark. They turn off automatically after midnight. Will you come and see them shine?
A gift voucher or a pair of socks can make someone very happy, but it is even more fun to really surprise the person in question. Fortunately, there are enough shops in Rotterdam Center to find something that really suits the recipient!
For example, walk into the Bijenkorf. You may be mistaken about how many nice products De Bijenkorf has. For example, take a look at the care department. Here they sell super fine products for the necessary self care. Do you have some money left? Then walk past the department with all the sweet. Because an exclusive Tony's Chocolonely or tasty whipped cream truffles really complete the gift.
Or visit KKEC, a typical store where you want to look at, touch or read everything you see. At KKEC they sell the nicest gifts, which don't have to be too expensive either. Think of crazy mugs, fun fill-in booklets or planners, funny games (for example about the Friends series), posters and much more.
In the mood for something sweet? Since it's almost time for the holidays again, that means: feast on delicious oliebollen (deep fried doughnut balls)! Discover where in Rotterdam Centre you can score these delicious treats with icing sugar.
For instance, visit Oliebollenkraam Goudseplein for a lot of delicacies and the famous oliebollen. This stall is in a convenient location, right next to the Albert Heijn. So you can take a few of the deep fried delicacies with you right after grocery shopping!
Nice to know: the oliebollen stall has been here for almost 30 years. In the past, the great-grandparents of the current owners stood for years on the Noordplein with their oliebollen stall. A real family business!
Sparkling lights, enchanting shop windows, swinging winter jazz and Christmas songs. Hot chocolate or mulled wine in cosy restaurants. You can discover all this in Rotterdam Centre. Check out the enchanting ones below and get into the Christmas spirit!
