Most of the city was destroyed by WWII bombs and, rather than rebuilding in traditional style like many Dutch cities, Rotterdam has been radically modernised.

Rising Rotterdam
Wrecking balls and scaffolding are as much a part of this city as the kinked pylon of the Erasmus Bridge, which towers over the River Maas, and the water taxis and freight barges that ply its murky waters. The mix of buildings that survived the bombing, and modern residential and office blocks like Renzo Piano's ''leaning'' KPN tower, combine to make Rotterdam a magnet for building buffs.(Read more about Rotterdam's architecture...)

Centre
The city centre offers characteristic buildings dating back to about 1900 alongside minimalist new build in various guises: simple buildings with shared staircases, spacious villas and modern apartments.

Kralingen
If you’re young, single or ‘dinky’ (two incomes, no children), the neighbourhood of Kralingen is likely to appeal. Fifteen minutes east of the centre, Kralingen’s multi-million-euro mansions stand cheek by jowl with student digs and council housing. Near a lake and woods, the area has a very international feel and a huge variety of affordable to upmarket housing.

Kop van Zuid
Also favoured by young expats, Kop van Zuid (‘Head of South’) is the trendy extension of the city centre on the southern bank of the Nieuw Maas; great for executives wanting to get to work quickly in the mornings. Like London’s Docklands, it’s a mix of renovated old warehouses and smaller, newer housing and apartments. Upmarket urban prices apply.

Hillegersberg

Rotterdam’s jewel is Hillegersberg, a leafy suburb on the north-east of the city. The area escaped wartime bombing, leaving the old village centre and elegant residential streets intact. Homes in Hillegersberg are expensive but enduringly popular, sought after by the Dutch and expats alike. It is home to several of the international schools. Hillegersberg is only 10 minutes from the city centre, thanks to the excellent bus and tram network, or 20 minutes by car. Conversely, a few minutes on your bike brings you out of the city to meadows or the Rotte river. Hillegersberg is located around two fair-sized lakes, where there is endless boating and sailing in the summer, and skating in the winter.

Other suburbs

Schiebroek (west of Hillegersberg), and the newer Prinsenland and Ommoord (in the north-east) are becoming favoured expat sites. For those looking to rent rather than buy, it is relatively easy to fi nd family accommodation at reasonable prices in Ommoord.

Rotterdam city facts:

Population: 605,543 (Centre for Research and
Statistics)

International residents: ‘Non-Western foreigners’: 37 percent ‘Western foreigners’: 11 percent

International schools: Rotterdam International Secondary School: www.wolfert.nl/riss
American International School of Rotterdam: www.aisr.nl
De Blijberg (primary school with international department): www.blijberg.nl

Links: www.rotterdam.nl (some information in English) www.yourrotterdam.com (guide to
moving to and settling in Rotterdam) www.rotterdamdailyphoto.blogspot.com
(photographic impressions of Rotterdam)

In the following video, an advisor at ABN AMRO guides you through the necessary steps to arrange a mortgage in the Netherlands.