The former headquarters of the Holland-America Line, the shipping company that carried hundreds of thousands of European emigrants to New York from this very building. Constructed in 1901 in an exuberant Art Nouveau style — towers, turrets, and a grand riverside facade — it was the last piece of Europe that generations of emigrants saw before boarding their ships.
The building is now a hotel and restaurant, beautifully restored and full of original details: stained glass, wooden panelling, and old shipping company signage. The restaurant and café are open to non-guests, and the waterfront terrace has sweeping views of the Nieuwe Maas river and the city skyline. Located on the Kop van Zuid, across the Erasmus Bridge from the centre. Even if you don't eat or stay, the building is worth the walk — it is one of the most atmospheric spots in Rotterdam and a tangible reminder of the city's role as Europe's gateway to the New World.