Rotterdam

Rotterdam was flattened by bombing in 1940 and rebuilt from scratch, which is why it looks nothing like a typical Dutch canal city. The architecture is aggressively modern: the Cube Houses (tilted yellow boxes on stalks), the Markthal (a horseshoe-shaped market hall with a painted ceiling), and the Erasmus Bridge are all within walking distance of each other. The cruise terminal is centrally located, and trams connect to anything not in walking range. The Delfshaven neighbourhood, one of the few areas that survived the bombing, has old brick buildings and a small harbour where the Pilgrims departed for America in 1620. The Kunsthal and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (temporarily closed for renovation, but its depot is open) cover modern and old masters respectively. Bitterballen (fried meat croquettes) and stroopwafels are the default street snacks. The currency is the euro, and bicycle traffic is heavy, so watch the bike lanes when crossing streets.