Rotterdam Hull Ferry

Rotterdam Guide

Rotterdam is the Netherlands second largest city and is one of the largest ports in the world. It is located in the province of South Holland in the west of the country, and to the south of Randstad. Since the city was founded in the 13th century it has grown into a major international centre for commerce. This has undoubtedly been assisted by the city's port which has a strategic location on the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on the North Sea and because of its road, air, rail and inland waterway connections. This had led the city often to be regarded as the "Gateway to Europe". The city has its own orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, a large congress and concert building named De Doelen, a couple of theatres and the Ahoy Rotterdam complex which is used for pop concerts, exhibitions and some sporting tournaments. In recognition of its cultural offerings Rotterdam was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2001.

The city's port is mainly a freight port although there is a passenger ferry service operating to the port of Hull in the UK with a crossing time of around 11 hours. Passenger facilities at the port include restaurants, cafes, bureau de change and disabled access.

Hull Guide

The city of Hull, or Kingston-Upon-Hull to give it its full name, is a port that lies at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary and has been a gateway to the heart of England since Roman times. The town was founded by King Edward I (1272 - 1307) who needed a secure port where his army could be supplied from, who were fighting the Scots at the time.

Hull's modern city is a large and busy city with many shops and facilities. There are a number of traffic free streets in the city which makes it a pleasant place to wander around and perhaps take in some of the open air entertainment that is on offer during the spring and summer. The glass covered Princes Quay is one of the country's most scenic shopping centres and rose from the water to sit above Prince's Dock. As one of the area’s largest shopping centres, it links the old and new parts of the town, leading to the heart of the city with sweeping views of the rejuvenated docklands.