15 In Europe/ Netherlands/ Rotterdam

Dakendagen Rooftop Days Skyline Views in Rotterdam

Dakendagen Rotterdam Rooftop Days at the World Port Center

The Dakendagen event in Rotterdam is a yearly event in June where you get to explore and experience skyline views from up to 40 rooftops that the public usually do not have access to. Every year there are new rooftops being added to the list, expanding the event to include live music and yoga classes. The city of Rotterdam has space on rooftops, ready for use and initiatives to use them more on a daily basis too.  Since we had a busy weekend planned with other events we only took part in one tour from the Dakendagen event in Rotterdam for 2018. Unfortunately for us was on Saturday when it was misty, cloudy and the occasional rain drops.

Dakendagen World Trade Center

We started at my all-time favourite view of the city, which can be found at the top of the World Trade Centre (WTC) located on the busy main street Coolsingel. With this rooftop you can get a full 360 views of the city easily spotting Delft and The Hague in the distance on a good day. Once on the roof you are on the 25th floor.

I visited the WTC rooftop last year for the first time when we were more lucky with the weather, but a second time was a must to see the new developments in the city and enjoy the views once more. Some of the highlights of the city I enjoy viewing is the Erasmus bridge, the Markthal, Cubic Houses, the Laurenskerk and towards Rotterdam Central station.

Dakendagen Rotterdam Rooftop Days at top of WTCTimmermanshuis and stadhuis in Rotterdam during Dakendagen rooftop days

Laurenskerk, Library and Markthal views from the World Trade Center during Dakendagen 2018

Dakendagen World Port Center

From this viewpoint we headed to our next roof at the World Port Center, a new building for Dakendagen 2018. We picked this tour as we had never been to a rooftop on the south side of the river before, so this was our chance!  By the time we had arrived on our bikes, it was raining a little harder but were still allowed up to view as it would of only been cancelled with strong winds.

Checking in with our identification and waiting for the rest of our group, it wasn’t long until we were in the lift heading to the top floor. Not a rooftop for those scared of heights, as the flooring was made up of metal bars where you could look right through! The view we had was pretty amazing, even with the misty and rain clouds we could see quite a lot. The cruise terminal was busy with boarding the last passengers of the MS Rotterdam below us, docked next to the amazing Erasmusbrug. It would have been awesome to watch the cruise ship leave from above but our tour time slot was an hour too early!

Dakendagen Rotterdam Rooftop Days looking down at MS Rotterdam and the Erasmusbrug

 

Walking further around the roof, we could also see clearly the water taxis and Hotel New York at the end of the area Kop van Zuid. You could really see clearly the text written on the ground too, where many ships docked and departed to New York during WW2.

Hotel New York and Water Taxi's during Dakendagen Tour in Rotterdam

Water Taxi during the Dakendagen RotterdamAnd lastly a fantastic view of the rest of Kop van Zuid, looking directly over the Cruise Terminal and KPN headquarters to the Deloitte building. We easily spent our 30 minutes on this rooftop spying on tourists and locals below us as well as pointing out things we could see in the distance.

Kop Van Zuid during Dakendagen 2018

Dakendagen Rotterdam Rooftop Days cars below the WPC

Euromast during Dakendagen 2018 in Rotterdam

Throwback to Dakendagen 2017

Showing only these beautiful but cloudy photos made us look back to 2017 where we wanted to share some sunshine photos with you too. Take a look below at some other rooftops we visited last year with a different tour choice.

View from Dakendagen event in Rotterdam from 2017

Me at the top of WTC building in Rotterdam

View from Dakendagen event in Rotterdam from 2017 View from Dakendagen event in Rotterdam from 2017

Spot us waving in the reflection from the World Port Center rooftop

Spot us waving in the reflection from the World Port Center rooftop

Read more of our Rotterdam posts! 

Rotterdam in Summer

Rotterdam Markthal

Rotterdam in Winter

Spring Photoblog of Rotterdam

The Famous Cubic Houses

Rotterdam Museum ’40-’45 NU

Rotterdam Open Monument Day

Rotterdam Rooftop Days

Rotterdam Helicopter Tour

World Harbour Days Festival

Discover the prettiest neighborhood Kralingen

I love this event as I really love living in this city seeing the skylines from different angle. Furthermore my love of photography has been growing since I took a photography class in Jan 2018 and learnt so much at my first travel blogging conference at Traverse 18, so this event was more exciting than ever to put my skills to practice!

Tips:

  • Don’t take a large bag as you will be walking and climbing stairs (when there’s no lift) all day
  • Take water with you – always good no matter what the weather!
  • You must book your tickets in advance (some tours sell out fast so keep a look out for the advertisements)
  • Cycling between each rooftop is easiest, but also doable with public transport or walking

Pin for later:

Dakendagen Rooftop Days in Rotterdam is the perfect event to see the city from above Dakendagen Rooftop Days in Rotterdam is the perfect event to see the city from above Dakendagen Rooftop Days in Rotterdam is the perfect event to see the city from above

Did you visit the Rooftop Days weekend event in Rotterdam this year? What did you think? Did you love it as much as us? Let us know in the comments!

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15 Comments

  • Reply
    Julie Boyd
    11th July 2018 at 7:57 pm

    This looks like a fun was to see Rotterdam from varying perspectives! Thanks for the tips, especially about preparing to take stairs all day.

  • Reply
    Kimberly Erin
    11th July 2018 at 8:09 pm

    Oh my gosh that is a super interesting concept for the city! I haven’t herd of anything like that but I think its a great idea, what cool perspectives

  • Reply
    Suzy
    12th July 2018 at 12:45 am

    Wow that is so cool! What a unique idea. I always find the most interesting views are from above in a city, you get such a different experience than on ground level! Some really great tips here too, great read!

  • Reply
    This Wanderlust Heart
    12th July 2018 at 4:22 am

    This is such an interesting way to see Rotterdam! I really love rooftop views but I bet it can be quite exhausting to be climbing stairs all day!

    • Reply
      Togetherintransit
      16th July 2018 at 10:44 am

      Yes it was a bit tiring! But luckily there were a few lifts to use too 🙂

  • Reply
    NieNie
    12th July 2018 at 7:15 am

    Great tips! This looks like a fun city to visit. I swear I’ve seen that bridge before, maybe it was in a movie. Anyways, looks like they have some amazing architecture.

  • Reply
    Meghan Ramsey
    12th July 2018 at 2:31 pm

    I love love love a good view! This is such a cool concept and sounds like a great event. The tips are super helpful too!

    • Reply
      Togetherintransit
      16th July 2018 at 10:46 am

      Thank you for replying Meghan! It’s a cool concept for sure, I hope other cities start doing this as it’s so fun for tourists as well as the locals to see more of their own city!

  • Reply
    Kareemah Ashiru
    12th July 2018 at 6:11 pm

    This is a really cool idea! And I particularly loved the view where you guys could see your reflection from the glass building!

    • Reply
      Togetherintransit
      16th July 2018 at 10:46 am

      Thank you Kareemah! That photo turned out better than we expected hehe 🙂

  • Reply
    Chirasree Banerjee
    12th July 2018 at 6:45 pm

    The Dakendagen event in Rotterdam is such a beautiful concept! If I return to Europe, I would love to do this at least once. Through your photographs, I enjoyed those stunning views. Thank you for this lovely share. I am glad I came across your blog.

  • Reply
    Namra
    13th July 2018 at 12:29 am

    What a cool concept! It’s a great way to get to know your own city as well, I can imagine. I would argue you were in a way lucky with the weather, the pictures with the fog look so mysterious and have a nice atmosphere. I’m a fan of fog and mist 😂

    • Reply
      Togetherintransit
      16th July 2018 at 10:48 am

      Thank you Namra! True true, the fog does give the city such a different mysterious look – a positive way to look at it 😀

  • Reply
    Kristin
    13th July 2018 at 1:26 am

    What a cool event! I do love a good rooftop view (particularly when there’s a bar haha). And I would of course be people watching like you!

  • Reply
    Moriah
    2nd April 2019 at 8:49 pm

    This is soo cool! I had no idea it even existed.

    I love those views of the cars. It’s crazy how toylike everything looks from above.

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