The unsung Netherlands city that’s perfect for families with toddlers

”Big traaaaain!” my excited two-year-old bellows as she spies the Eurostar from the platform at St Pancras International. Compared to the clunking Metropolitan Tube line that runs near our house, this sleek, high-speed alternative must seem like a true luxury.

And I’m glad she’s thrilled, because I’d been worried about how to keep this ball of energy entertained for the next three hours. Travelling with a toddler is not for the weak, but I am a firm believer that if we’re going to have bad sleep and tantrums, then we might as well have a change of scenery while doing it. So here we are, embarking on a journey spanning four countries for a trip to Rotterdam.

Much like my travel plans, the Netherlands’ second city has a lot of ambition. Flattened during the 1940 Nazi bombings, it had to be almost completely rebuilt. So while it lacks the charm of the traditional buildings and cobbled streets of its more famous sister, Amsterdam, it feels like a more exciting and contemporary destination.

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Its modernity means it's easy to get around. As flat as a pancake, navigating it on foot with a buggy is a doddle. But beware of the speedy cyclists – while there are dedicated cycle lanes everywhere, they whiz by at speed and are not in the mood to stop.

Once the biggest port in the world, and still the largest in Europe, Rotterdam’s population grew around its maritime industry, attracting migrants from around the world. Even now, it is home to around 180 nationalities, and half its population have a non-Dutch background. This diversity is reflected everywhere, from its quirky and hugely varied architecture to its myriad food offerings.

Nowhere is it more celebrated, though, than its museums. But would they be enough to keep both adults and children entertained? I needn’t have worried.

Here’s how I perfected a three-day trip to the Netherlands’ second city with a toddler.

What to do

The city’s newest offering, Fenix, is dedicated to telling the stories of the migrants who not only passed through but stayed to help make the city what it is today. An interactive maze of donated suitcases tells the stories of their owners, which range from wealthy businessmen to refugees – some rejected from the country dozens of times before finally being granted permission to stay.

Although she was too young to enjoy the content, my daughter loved scanning the tickets to hear the stories and wandering through the labyrinth of life-size photographs in the Family of Migrants exhibit.

In line with Rotterdam’s proud maritime history, the water is still the best way to get a view of the city. Water taxis criss-cross the River Nieuwe Maas – or for a longer ride, kids and adults alike will love the Pancake Boat. Sit back and enjoy a 90-minute tour of the city’s harbour while you indulge in bottomless sweet and savoury pancakes with all the toppings. There’s even a below deck ball pit for little ones to enjoy.

The highlight of our trip was, unsurprisingly, the Maritime Museum. The Plons! Future of the Sea interactive exhibition was a particular hit with our daughter, who spent the morning playing with other children in the kitchen of a pirate ship, designing her own fish at the colouring station and chasing sea life across the huge interactive digital wall mural. But it has plenty for adults too; my engineer husband was in his element trying his hand at working on an oil rig, operating a virtual crane and guiding a helicopter to land on the sea platform.

For the best city views, head to the roof of the striking Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility, it showcases fashion, pottery, furniture and framed paintings, including Van Gogh’s restored, Poplars near Nuenen.

Our toddler enjoyed peering through the glass of the carefully maintained storage lockers to catch a glimpse of the items waiting their turn to go on display. If you’re more organised that us, you can book a place on one of the 10-minute tours for a chance to go inside with a guide.

For a step back in time, amble around the quaint Oude Haven (Old Harbour). Here, you can imagine immigrants, full of excitement for a fresh start, stepping off the ships to start their new life in the city. The iconic Witte Huis, once Europe’s first skyscraper, stands tall at one end, while bars and restaurants line the opposite side of the dock, and residents of the famous Cube Houses, designed by architect Piet Blom, enjoy a treetop-like view from their top floors. Step inside the Kijk-Kubus museum for a taste of what it’s like to live inside. It’s tight on space and full of stairs, so park your buggy outside.

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Where to eat

Thanks to its hugely diverse population, there is no shortage of food choices in Rotterdam.

Food halls are in abundance in the city, and the huge Markethal is one not to miss. There are over 100 stalls on offer, serving everything from cheese and deli meats to fresh herring and chips in a lofty building, set under a roof decorated with a huge food and nature-inspired mural.

Little V offers delicious Vietnamese cuisine in a authentically decorated and romantic setting. Start with the bao buns and don’t miss the crispy pork and shrimp pancake, accompanied by one of their cooling iced teas. Ask for a table near the small children's play area, complete with books and a wooden kitchen to keep your little one entertained – and buy yourself some peace while you eat. The toilets also have built-in toddler seats, which was an added bonus.

Bazar’s colourful interior and buzzy atmosphere draw in the crowds, and its generous portions of Middle Eastern and North African fare won’t disappoint. Huge plates of humus, pitta, hearty stews and meat and fish kebabs are piled high, and even the children’s portion could satisfy an adult.

If you just can't agree on what to eat, Station Bergweg means you don't have to. This quirky food court in a former train station, serves up everything from pizza and pinchos to sushi and slow-cooked meats. Try Three Sixty's holly brisket, indulge in a flower-adorned cocktail at Arc, and finish with a creamy Basque cheesecake from Burnt.

We stayed at Hotel New York, and its large restaurant, with an equally large menu, caters for all tastes. It serves delicious cocktails in the basement bar; and if oysters are your thing, it has them on ice. The large fish selection, offering shrimp and crab by the gram, draws the crowds, and its serve-yourself breakfast will help set you up for the day. With views overlooking the water on three of its four walls, this restaurant is a lovely place to start the day. It also has plenty of highchairs and a decent children's menu.

Our two-year-old’s little legs covered a lot of miles over the three days, and we barely scratched the surface of all there is to do in Rotterdam. But the ease of getting around and the acceptance of children wherever we went left us with a new found confidence to try more city breaks with her – and a desire to return to explore more of the Netherlands.

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Where to stay

Perhaps the most iconic hotel in Rotterdam, the Hotel New York stands tall at the end of a peninsula, giving panoramic views of the city centre across the water. The former headquarters of the Holland-America Line cruises has a grandeur of a bygone era, with wood panelling and a decorative wrought iron staircase at its centre. Its rooms are decked out with steamer trunks and ship lights, and for kids, cots and toddler duvets are added to rooms, as well as changing mats.

How to get there

Eurostar offers services five days a week from London St Pancras International. It's an easy three hour and 16 minute journey to Rotterdam Central, with stops in Lille and Brussels along the way.

Once there, you can travel via the Metro, tram or bus, with tickets and journey planning available through the RET app. Every Metro station and public building we visited had lifts, making them very buggy-friendly.

Natalie was a guest of Rotterdam Partners and Eurostar