Euromast

The Euromast was built for the Floriade of 1960 to a design by Huig Maaskant, a concrete shaft with a crow's nest platform at about a hundred metres holding a restaurant and a viewing deck, and it was then the tallest building in the Netherlands. In 1970 it was extended: a steel mast was added on top taking it to 185 metres, with the Euroscoop, a rotating glass cabin that climbs the mast slowly while turning, so passengers see the whole horizon on the way up. From the top the view runs over the whole port - Rotterdam handles more cargo than any other European harbour and the terminals run for thirty kilometres west - the Erasmus bridge, the reconstructed city and, in clear weather, the Zeeland deltas and the Belgian coast. There are two hotel suites in the tower, and abseiling and zip-lining down are offered in summer.

What you actually see

• A rotating cabin up the mast - the Euroscoop climbing and turning to 185 metres.
• Europe's largest port - the terminals running thirty kilometres west from the city.
• A 1960 concrete tower - Maaskant's Floriade structure, extended in 1970.
• Abseiling down - the descent offered in summer from the crow's nest.

When to go

All year; clear days. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The Euroscoop is an extra charge on top of entry and closes in wind. Views are useless in low cloud. Timed tickets at busy periods. Abseiling books ahead and has weight and age limits.

Nearby

Museumpark and the Depot Boijmans are a short walk; the Erasmus bridge is east.