Bicycle Tour: Rotterdam, City of the Future

There is no list of Europe’s most progressive cities in which Rotterdam is not featured nowadays. Curious to discover the latest innovating projects for yourself? During the bicycle tour Rotterdam, City of the Future you will explore it all together with a professional UrbanGuide.

Within the Netherlands Rotterdam occupies a special place, since it is the only big city of which the whole center has been bombed and destroyed during the 1940 blitz. Thus, it became a place that had to rebuild and reinvent itself and over the years, gained a modern, raw and urban character. It is less known that Rotterdam has always been a town where the population was focusing on the future. Forced by the rapid grow of the harbors, the city developed itself continuously since the 1870’s. It quickly learned how to cope with the latest inventions and economics of each particular decade. Even now, despite of the devastating blitz, this image of the past is still visible within the cityscape.

During the bicycle tour Rotterdam, City of the Future, there will be a focus on various themes. Our enthusiastic architecture guides will tell you about the transformation of the city, both then and now. They will elaborate on challenges that places like Rotterdam have to face over the short and long term, such as urbanization, energy transition and climate change. The ambition to create a green, climate-proof, livable and affordable city is what Rotterdam is aiming for. Luckily this viable city, with its modern architectural tradition, is apt to take up these challenges. Together with a guide you’ll discover which sustainable solutions are being developed in Rotterdam at the moment, and how this mundane harbor-town, which is set in a densely populated river delta, will play a leading role in the future of urban living.

Along the route you’ll find several historical places that are currently being transformed, such as the former harbor areas, which will become tidal parks in the next few years. Moreover, you’ll get an insight in the latest developments, such as the transformation of the former tropical swimming pool Tropicana into BlueCity010 and the experiments that are being conducted with floating homes, farms on the water and making a green space of the many flat roofs that the city owns. UrbanGuides will be happy to let you meet the Rotterdam of yesterday, today and especially the city of tomorrow!