Rotterdam Marítime museum - visiting with kids

Maritime museum

If you're in Rotterdam with kids, and in a rainy day you don't know what to do with them.... Maritime Museum is a good option.

 

You can easily trigger them telling they will find a nice playground area there.
They can go fishing from a "pirate boat", they can sailon a sailboat, work in a harbour, extinguish a fire on a boat, repair a ship engine, and finally, when they will be too tired, they can get some rest on a hammock.




Before you get to the playground at the second floor (or deck...) you cannot miss the immense  plastic of Rotterdam city and it's huge port.

And if kids are patient enough, you can even understand a bit about its history.

 

 

Maritime museum

Maritime Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and on Sundays and public holidays from 11am to 5pm

And now until September 2014, every Sunday you can get on one of the historic ships of the Harbour and create a unique trip through the harbor of Rotterdam. Check their website for more details.

We have not done this trip yet.
Maybe a good idea for something to do with kids in Rotterdam in a bit more sunny sunday.

Tot ziens

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Rotterdam with kids

No ideas on what to do and where to go with kids in Rotterdam?

Plaswijck park could be perfect solution for a day out with them.
It is in the north part of Rotterdam (here how to get there).

It is an amazing place that mine kids adore.
The park is really thought to be at kid's size, with respect for adults at the same time. It has many different playing areas, both outside and indoor. The thing that impressed me is that even when the park is really crowded, you never really have the feeling of being overwhelmed by people. But this is maybe linked to the fact that I come from Rome, a very big city, where whatever you decide to do, there will be other thousand people there with you, and you always feel a bit stifled by others.

One of the first thing kids will get crazy about are 2 huge slides at the entrance of the park.
To slide down they have to climb a big wooden tower.
If it is nice weather - belive it or not, sometimes it is good weather here as well! - you can sit on nice tables while watching your kids sliding down.

One of the other crazy thing you have there is an amazing trampoline: kids start jumping up and down and then the only issue is having them getting off from it!


Plaswijck - outdoor trampoline

he other thing that drives my kids crazy is the car area: they can "drive" small pedal cars and going around a small city, where there is also the petrol pump.

There's a nice carousel kids will also love.

And when kids are tired of jumping up and down, you can always take them for a tour of the park in the small train.

Before leaving you have to visit Plaswijk zoo!  There are also some cangaroos.

If you want to get some relax, assuming your kids are old enough to sit quietly for more than 2 minutes, you can always opt for a tour on the pedal swans on the lake.
Be careful because with good season there's also a slide for boats: kids may ask to go there :)

And what if it is bad weather?
You still have the option of the indoor area.
First time we went there my older son said excited "there are thousand games here!".
They can easily spend hours there.

And everything is so well thougth that you can also stay hours there without getting bored!

If you want to spend the whole day there, it would be easy to do it. There's also a restaurant, with many - Dutch - alternative for kids, but you can also choose to have your own food in one of the many tables outside.

You can buy online tickets http://www.plaswijckpark.nl/bestellen
If you live closeby, could be useful to consider the annual family subscritpion: if you go there a couple of time, it will be already worth while.

Now we're looking forward to the good season: there is an amazing pool as well, and we still have to try it!

Will you join us?

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Rest and relax in Rotterdam.

Elysium wellness centre

Have you got a crazy week?

Do you need some rest and relax?

You have to visit the spa Elysium.

It is a top class spa in the north of Rotterdam, 5 minutes from Hillegersberg, close to Rotterdam airport.

There are several different swimming pools, hot and cold, many bathing areas and Jacuzzi.

There are over 25 saunas. Not really sure about the difference between one and the other... but anyway you can choose among many of them, and they are all beautiful.

As an alternative to sauna you can also experience the Arabic hammam.

There is also an outside saltwater pool - I didn't dare to visit it last Sunday.

There's a nice bar and restaurant.

To conclude the relaxing day you can also have different kind of massage and treatments.

Overall extremely positive experience….

If you manage to survive to the cultural chock of having everyone going around completely naked!! :)

Not really the most common thing around Italy.

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WHAT ABOUT FOOD

WHAT ABOUT FOOD

In Rotterdam

Did you ever heard of Restaurant Week? Is a trend very popular in NYC, and I happily discovered that even The Netherlands are feeding the foodies.

The concept is very simple: for a week (usually more than a week in reality) the restaurants are offering their 3 courses menu with 60% off.

If you are fast enough you can even get the chance to book some Michelin starred restaurant, where you can eat a real gourmet meal for something like 50 Euros per person.

I’ve already tried one in Rotterdam last week: Quartier Du Port, the restaurant of the Quartier du Port hotel on Van Vollenhovenstraat 48-50.

The atmosphere is nice and warm, food was good (even if honestly I am not sure worth the full price menu) and well presented.

We definitely had a good time!

My next try will be a 2 Michelin star restaurant: FG, and I will share my opinion on that one next week.

For now, give a look to the link below, you will find the Restaurant Week program and the link to the Quartier du Port.

Enjoy!!

http://www.restaurantweek.nl/lang/en/cities/overview

http://www.quartierduport.nl/index_en#.UycfrPl5Nyw

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