15 Best Things to Do in Nong Khiaw, Laos (2024)
April 28, 2024
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Before visiting a city, do you also spend loads of time figuring out the best places to go to? If you have plans to visit Rotterdam, there is no need to do that anymore! I compiled a list of all the best places to go to in Rotterdam if you’re a conscious and mindful traveler like me. In this list, I mainly included restaurants, bars, and shops. I didn’t include museums or other places of interest because that is sort of another topic and you can easily find that information elsewhere. Without further ado, let’s dive into this hotspots Rotterdam guide!
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and is known for its innovative architecture, the largest port in Europe, and its hip and lively atmosphere. Rotterdam is absolutely worth visiting and you will not be bored traveling to this corner of the Netherlands.
The city’s thriving cultural scene, multi-ethnic diversity, and avant-garde mentality will surely blow you away and ignite a fire inside of you that will spark your inspiration.
Aside from the excellent museums, cool music venues, and amazing architecture, Rotterdam also had a vibrant eco scene which results in some great local initiatives that you can find literally around every corner. Whether it’s a low waste restaurant, a neat thrift shop or an awesome eco-friendly store, I scoured the streets of Rotterdam for you to provide you with a list of the best Rotterdam hotspots for conscious travelers.
Rotterdam is easy to get around on foot and if you think walking around is taking up too much of your time, renting a bike in Rotterdam is an excellent alternative.
Hotspots Rotterdam: Foodhallen
The following 15 spots are the ones I thought you really shouldn’t miss as a conscious traveler. Of course, there are a lot more great places to explore but if you are short on time this list provides you with the best things I found in the city. If you don’t agree with me, please let me know in the comments below, and I’m open to including more great places in case I missed one. Here we go!
Aloha is a low-waste food bar located in the “Tropicana” building, a former tropical pool, at the Maas. At Aloha, everything is about circularity and sustainability. The products they use are all sourced from local farmers of which amazing small plate dishes are created for the guests.
After that, they store or preserve the residual waste that’s left to create even more new and exciting recipes. This can go from a coffee bean iced tea to mayonnaise from leftover espresso shots and even their self-brewed seaberry beer.
Rotterdam hotspots: Aloha
Also recommended are the experimental cocktails on the menu. The mix of ingredients is something quite bizarre, to say the least, but they blend terrifically. Not sure how long it will be on the menu since that’s ever-changing due to seasonality, but the spring break cocktail (with Kombucha!) and the “Geendenpaté brioche” (faux-grass brioche) are simply delicious.
Website: Aloha
Where: Directions
“De Groene Passage” is the one-stop-shop for conscious travelers. At “De Groene Passage” you can find an array of different eco-friendly shops all cozily put together in one space for your convenience. “Gimsel” is an organic supermarket where you can find everything you need to prepare a nice meal at your Airbnb. They also sell eco-friendly cosmetics and have a fresh bakery.
For some shopping, there is “De Wereldwinkel” where you can buy fairtrade products, and “Van Binnen”, a conscious living concept store, where you can buy things like towels and bedding from natural fabrics to furniture and yoga attributes.
Eco-friendly Rotterdam hotspots: De Groene Passage
Tired of all that (eco-friendly) shopping? Have a nice vegetarian lunch at Spirit. Spirit is a vegetarian lunch buffet restaurant inside “De Groene Passage”. The fifty dishes in the buffet are all made with organically sourced produce and change with the seasons. It’s a pay-per-weight concept. Remember to leave some space for dessert!
Website: De Groene Passage
Where: Directions
Vegan hotspot Rotterdam: Happy food and health.
Happy food and Health is a fully vegan restaurant in Rotterdam, located at the Nieuwe Binnenweg, one of the trendiest streets in Rotterdam. At happy food and health, you can find the most wonderful vegan food, whether you visit for dinner or lunch.
The magic formula here is: homemade. Every dish on their menu is homemade and based on family recipes. They offer different kinds of faux meat, which they all make themselves from scratch only with the use of organic ingredients. Aside from being fully vegan and organic, the restaurant is also gluten-free.
Happy food and health is the perfect place to unwind. The interior is comfy and intimate with a million different plants and a beautiful bar. Calm and dreamy music in the background adds to the experience and the kindness of the owner is beyond expectations. Easily the best vegan restaurant to be found in Rotterdam!
Website: Happy food and health
Where: Directions
“Spullen voor in je huis” (literally translated: “Stuff to put in your house”) is a cozy second-hand furniture shop at the Stadhoudersweg in the north of the city. The north is one of the up-and-coming neighborhoods of Rotterdam and is very fun to walk around with tree-lined canals that date back from the pre-war era.
Beautiful hotspot in Rotterdam: spullen voor in je huis/breakfast in Rotterdam
At Spullen voor in je huis you can find many cool flower pots, rotan furniture and vintage chairs. They also sell a nice array of beautiful plants.
Inside the store, you can also find the breakfast spot “Breakfasts in Rotterdam”. Here you can indulge in a lovely chia bowl or some cinnamon toast before you make your way to thrifters paradise.
Websites: Spullen voor in je huis & Breakfast in Rotterdam
Where: Directions
Vegan hotspot in Rotterdam: Backyard
Backyard is located in the middle of the bustling “Koopgoot” in Rotterdam. It’s a good option if you want to have a wonderful vegan food adventure before or after visiting the famous yellow cube houses by architect Piet Blom which are not that far away.
Backyard is 100% vegan and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have an excellent menu and I can tell you it will be hard to pick just one dish! For breakfast they offer waffles, overnights oats, and smoothie bowls, and for lunch or dinner, you can pick a nice pulled mushroom burger, kapsalon or “humshuka” (a mix between shakshuka and hummus).
The staff here is also genuinely friendly which adds to a lively and feel-good atmosphere.
Website: Backyard
Where: Directions
Fenix food factory is a must-do when you visit Rotterdam! The area of Katendrecht where it’s at is superb and chances are that you will have to walk the Erasmus Bridge to get there, which is a great stroll to get to know the city and have some amazing views over the harbor.
The factory consists of a few food vendors, a book shop, and a bar. The best part about the factory is the wonderful outdoor seating with a view of the harbor and the seating area upstairs that’s an amazing space to gaze over the harbor or work a bit with your laptop.
Artisan hotspot in Rotterdam: Fenix food factory
The food vendors here are artisans and that’s what makes this venue interesting. It’s the place to be if you are looking for freshly baked bread or artisan Dutch cheese. There’s also a deli to go with freshly made soups, sandwiches, salads, and Dutch stamppot (a kind of stew mostly made from potatoes).
Website: Fenix Food Factory
Where: Directions
Yoga and health Rotterdam hotspot: Kula
Do you fancy combining a yoga class with a phenomenal breakfast, lunch or dinner? Look no further! Kula in Rotterdam is the place to be. Located in the Coolhaven of Rotterdam, Kula is a place to unwind, while enjoying a hearty lunch and being swept away by the stunning interior that makes you feel like you are in a bar in Bali.
The all-day cafe is vegetarian with lots of options on the menu like chia pudding, yin & yang aubergine, and a warming pumpkin soup. If you are thinking about participating in one of the many yoga classes there is an online booking system in which you can reserve your place in advance. They offer a trial class that is free for first-time visitors!
Website: Kula
Where: Directions
Hotspot in Rotterdam for the circular economy: Blue City
Blue city is a city within a city, an international hotspot for circular economy and a platform for local circular entrepreneurs. It is located in the old “Tropicana pool”, the same building as the Aloha food bar. Their goal is to provide sustainable start-ups with access to talent, knowledge, and circular resources so they can grow their idea from intent to real business.
Blue city is an interesting spot for travelers because of its extensive agenda with activities concerning circularity in which anyone can participate. They organize tours, readings and workshops, and even a music festival at the start of April.
Website: Blue City
Where: Directions
Natur-el is a fair fashion store located in the Zwaanhals, one of the most fun streets in Rotterdam. Aside from fair, all the clothes that are for sale at Natur-el are made from organic fabrics, from linen to hemp and even bamboo.
You don’t have to worry about greenwashing when you come to Natur-el. Every product they sell has been carefully investigated so you can be sure no harm has been done to either the environment and that the people manufacturing the clothes have been paid a living wage.
Hotspots Rotterdam: Natur-el
They also try to keep their supply chain as short as possible and buy from European companies wherever possible. With a store that encompasses 150 square meters, they present the largest collection of fair fashion in the Netherlands. Brands you can find here are Armed Angels, Ekyog, El Naturalista, Lanius and Komodo.
Website: Natur-el
Where: Directions
→ Also read: Is Rotterdam Safe to Visit in 2024?
Vegan hotspots Rotterdam: Gare du Nord
Another exceptional vegan food experience, also due to its unusual set-up, is Gare du Nord. Located in the north of the city you can find this vegan zero-waste restaurant in an old train carriage.
Because of its low waste policy, they only offer one fixed menu but don’t let that put you off. The food is delicious and you will leave this place fully pleased! I particularly loved this restaurant because it was offering dishes that were mainly Dutch but made vegan with a twist.
Gare Du Nord is a part of the ZOHO movement, a collective of artists, urban planners, designers, and food pioneers. They want to take care of the environment they live in by setting up innovative projects around sustainability and circularity in the area.
Gare du Nord is the best place to visit in Rotterdam if you are looking for an exceptional slow travel vegan food experience! I recommend you book ahead.
Website: Gare du Nord
Where: Directions
Pleur is a concept store/vintage shop located at the Bergselaan in the north of Rotterdam. It’s a bit far outside the city center but don’t let that turn you off. The North of Rotterdam is a great place to stroll around with lots of green spaces and cozy canals.
Hotspots Rotterdam: Pleur.
At Pleur, you can find a large range of eco-friendly products like bamboo toothbrushes, eco-friendly wrapping papers, water bottles and soaps. Downstairs, they present a nice assortment of vintage clothes. You can really dig some treasures here!
If you get tired from all that (eco-friendly) shopping, order a coffee and some toast at the counter. Yes, this store also doubles as a coffee bar! Snuggle up with your coffee on the vintage sofa while marveling at your vintage or eco-friendly finds.
Website: Pleur
Where: Directions
Eco hotspots Rotterdam: WAAR
WAAR is a Dutch chain store that focuses on selling eco-friendly gifts and products. You can find the outlet in Rotterdam at the hip and trendy Oude Binnenweg.
At WAAR you can find the most incredible gifts, gadgets, homewares, and cosmetics. Whether you’re looking for a vegan cookbook, eco-friendly plants, organic soy sauce, or a recycled handbag, you will surely find it at WAAR.
The WAAR shops also have been built and furnished with sustainability in mind. They use sustainably certified wood and ecological paint and use energy-saving lamps throughout their properties. Even the gifts are wrapped in recycled paper!
Website: WAAR
Where: Directions
Vegan hotspots Rotterdam: Sue
Sue is a vegan breakfast and lunch spot and bakery in Rotterdam. This place is excellent for all of you out there who like to enjoy breakfast and cakes but without nasty refined sugar. Aside from being free of refined sugar, everything on the menu is also lactose-free, gluten-free, and 100% vegan. Amazing, right?
On the menu you can find buckwheat pancakes, bahn mi with tempé, a silken tofu bowl, and jackfruit “chicken”. It’s an incredible place to have breakfast but it could even be better if they were able to open a little earlier. Opening hours right now are 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. If you are an early bird like I am then 10 A.M. is a little late to enjoy breakfast.
Nonetheless, the quality here is amazing. Sue has two locations in Rotterdam. The breakfast and lunch bar is located at the Karel Doornmanslaan in the city center. The sue bakery is located near “De Groene Passage”.
Website: Sue
Where: Directions
De Zwaanhals: the place for the best vintage hotspots in Rotterdam.
De Zwaanhals is not a store or a restaurant but one of the best streets in Rotterdam to go for vintage treasure hunting. The street is packed with thrift shops and vintage stores and will keep you busy for a few hours, browsing through all the beautiful purses, boots, and dresses.
Be sure not to miss Volle Kast, Vague Vintage, Betje Krul vintage and Lily Scarlet. You can also find the sustainable fashion store Natur-el in the Zwaanhals so be sure to pass by there too!
Where: Directions
Mystiek is a spiritual store located in the center of Rotterdam at the Schiedamse Vest near the hip and trendy Witte de Withstraat. You come to Mystiek to do some spiritual fun shopping as the owners like to call it themselves.
At Mystiek you can find some great products like incense, candles, Buddha statues, dream catchers, and lots of great books about veganism, spirituality, and a healthy lifestyle. They also sell a large range of yoga equipment.
Spiritual hotspot Rotterdam: Mystiek.
The store is really beautiful and is surely a treasure for anyone who is into a healthy lifestyle. It is possible though that you will find it a bit “too spiritual”. They also do readings and you can make an appointment to get in touch with deceased loved ones. I don’t believe in those kinds of things, but the store is really worth going to!
Website: Mystiek
Where: Directions
It’s not easy to find sustainable accommodation options in the center of Rotterdam, Some hotels seem to make an effort and quite a few large chain hotels have a Green key certificate but at Travelers & Dreamers we like to spend our money locally.
As you travel to Rotterdam, staying at a “wikkelboat” is a unique and fun experience. Wikkelboats are tiny houseboats that are sustainably constructed at the banks of the canals near the center of Rotterdam. You’ll have to walk a bit to the center (or better rent a bicycle!) but staying at a wikkelboat is absolutely worth it!
I’ll list of few of them below!
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this guide about the best Rotterdam hotspots for conscious travelers. If you know another amazing hotspot in Rotterdam for eco-friendly travelers let me know in the comment below or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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