Rotterdam © Gastev

Unlike many historic cities in the Netherlands, which sport Renaissance buildings and ancient Gothic churches, Rotterdam is a gleaming cluster of high-rise buildings, some of which are marvels of 20th-century architecture.

After many parts of the city were destroyed in World War II, much was demolished in order to rebuild. In fact, only three buildings in Rotterdam's centre survive: the art deco City Hall, the iconic White House, and the St Lawrence Church. Another enclave of historic Rotterdam is the Delft Harbour area, luckily missed by German bombs.

The result of all this construction is a city with its own unique personality when compared to the rest of the Netherlands. Rotterdam is made up of spacious streets with slick shopping malls and public parks dotting the efficiently-designed city centre. You can view it all from the iconic Euromast Space Tower, a 605 foot (184m) tower with a revolving sit-down elevator.

Rotterdam hasn't forgotten its history though, and there are a number of museums where you can catch glimpses of its illustrious past, including those dedicated to natural history, maritime history, photography, art, architecture, World War II, and the Netherlands' rail system.

Rotterdam is a multicultural city, with larger immigrant populations than most of the Netherlands, and this is evident in the diversity of restaurants and neighbourhoods within the city.