Vlaardingen

Vlaardingen, located 13 kilometers west of Rotterdam, is a city with a population of 72,000 inhabitants.

The city is the third largest seaport in the Netherlands and is mainly known as a herring city.

This region was already populated between 2900 and 2600 BC. It lived for many years by illegally collecting tolls from ships passing through the river Maas.

During the flood of 1163, the city’s growth stalled. During the Eighty Years’ War the city was burned to prevent the Spanish from capturing the city.

Later it became a shipyard area and an important port for herring fishing.

The port is itself a museum covering the entire fishing industry. If you are interested in ships and the sea, don’t miss a visit.

Other places to visit in are:

-Museum Vlaardingen. This museum is dedicated to the history and fishing of the town. The museum also has the historic sailing ship VL 92 Balder.

-Grote Kirk. Church from the 8th century.

-Masamuda. An educational archaeological site located in the polder of Vlaardingen Broek.

-De Krabbeplas. Recreational lake with beaches covering an area of 214 hectares.

How to get to Vlaardingen from Rotterdam

The city is easily accessible by car (via the A20 motorway), or by public transport.

From Rotterdam Central Station you can take a direct train. The journey takes about 20 minutes.

On this link you can visit the website of the local tourist information.

Discover other places in the proximity of Rotterdam