Haven Nes Live Cam

Rotterdam Harbour, known as Port of Rotterdam, is Europe’s largest port. Located in the city of Rotterdam, the port was once the busiest in the world and encompasses nearly 105 square kilometres. Aside from being a busy shipping port, Rotterdam Harbour also offers a number of fun things for travelers to see and do during their trip.

World Port Days - The Wereldhavendagen (World Port Days) is a major maritime event held every year in Rotterdam and is one of the most attended events in the Netherlands. This festive event gives attendees a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes at the port and its industrial area. A number of demonstrations, ship tours, exhibits, excursions, music and naval activities can be enjoyed. The World Port Days event typically takes place in early September.

FutureLand - FutureLand gives visitors a chance to see what it takes to construct a new port. Those who are interested in learning more about the Maasvlakte 2 can enter FutureLand for free. Through the Future Flight experience, visitors can take a virtual tour over Maasvlakte to see what the end results will look like in 2033. After exploring all that FutureLand has to offer, visitors can head on over to Eten+Drinken and enjoy a meal on the restaurant’s outdoor terrace.

Rotterdam Harbour Museums

A number of excellent museums can be found in the harbour that aim to educate visitors on the shipping process and the port’s rich history.

Maritime Museum(Leuvehaven): The Maritime Museum offers two main exhibits for visitors to enjoy.

Professor Splash –Professor Splash is an interactive exhibit designed for children aged 4-10. The exhibit takes a hands-on approach and allows kids to learn through play and discovery.

Mainport Live –Mainport live is a multimedia exhibit that allows visitors to explore the history of the port through the control room’s time navigator.

Port Museum(Leuvehaven): A working museum that teaches the history of Rotterdam Harbour. Guests can even take a trip aboard the River Mass during the summer months.

National Towage Museum (Maassluis): Tug boat enthusiasts will enjoy the National Towage Museum, which aims to educate visitors on how tug boats work and their history.

NationalMuseum of Dredging (Sliedrecht): Dredgers are on full display in this exciting museum. Guests can learn all about the process of dredging and how it has evolved throughout history. A number of drawings, artifacts, photographs, prints and objects are on display for all to enjoy.

Steam tug Furie (Maassluis): Many may remember steam tug Furie from the popular television show Hollands Glorie. The fully restored ship is now open to the public and is currently anchored in Maassluis.

Fisheries Museum (Vlaardingen): As the name suggests, the Fisheries Museum educates visitors on the history of the fishing industry. Exhibits include collections of paintings and models that illustrate the industry’s rich history and its importance in today’s modern day world.

Aside from the many museums and events in Rotterdam Harbour, travelers can also enjoy sailing around the port either through a local cruise company or their own private boat. Those who plan on sailing on their own boat will need to contact the Harbour master to find out more information on the harbour’s rules and regulations.

Parking in The Netherlands

Parking is well arranged in The Netherlands, even if you are visiting one of the larger cities. It might not be possible to park in the street where you want to go but there are always some parking garages spread out through the city. I suggest to park in one of those, as they are safe and easy to access. From there on you can continue on foot or by public transportation. Beforehand you could check which parking garage is closest to you destination so that you know which one to park your car in. Most parking garages (I even think all of them) have video surveillance systems to help making it extra safe. Altough it is pretty safe, I would not leave my smartphone on the dashboard of the car, for everyone to see;.)

So how do you find the parking garage you want to park in? If you beforehand know which one you are willing to park in, just follow the signs. Otherwise drive in the direction of your destination and you will surely see signs of nearby parking garages. In the past only the parkinggarage was indicated with it’s name and which direction it is… nowadays in the technology-age we also see how many spots are still available! Very usefull on busy days to easily find a parking location where there are still spots available. You can see an example in the picture above where there are still 260 spots available.