Classic excursion: harbour cruise
Spido’s most popular tour is a 75-minute cruise of Europe’s largest port. This cruise sails along the Nieuwe Maas via the historic Veer and Leuve harbours on the city centre side and then across to the Rijn, Maas and Waal harbours. In addition to huge ocean-going vessels and bustling transhipment terminals, the tour also includes famous Rotterdam icons such as the bridges across the Maas, the Kop van Zuid and the Euromast. The longer tour takes 2.5 hours and also sails along Pernis and the oil ports to the Botlek.
Further away: the second Maasvlakte
The Dutch coastline looks very different since the opening of the second Maasvlakte in 2013. The figures are impressive: it took 7 million tons of stone and 20,000 concrete blocks to build this several kilometre-long sea wall. Around 240 million cubic metres of sand was sprayed – this is enough to fill Rotterdam’s stadium De Kuip to the brim 160 times. From the Erasmus Bridge, Spido sails via the Nieuwe Waterweg to this newest part of the Netherlands. Along the way you can disembark and visit the interactive information centre FutureLand.
Summer day trip: the Willemstad fortress
Willemstad is a small picturesque fortress town. The trip there is already a pleasure: departing from downtown Rotterdam, Spido sails across the Nieuwe Maas via the Botlek to the Oude Maas and then across the Haringvliet, while you sit back and enjoy a sumptuous lunch served onboard. Upon arrival in Willemstad you disembark for a guided walking tour through the historic inner harbour; visit the monumental city centre and the well preserved fortress walls. Then the boat returns to Rotterdam via Hollands Diep, the Dordtsche Kil and the Oude Maas.