The city was known for having the world's largest harbour, but lost the title in 2004 to Shanghai. It is the second largest city in The Netherlands after Amsterdam, which lies approximately 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the north.The city's street scenery is characterized by the large presence of people from North Africa, Turkey and the former Dutch colonies of Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles and Indonesia. The people tend to live together harmoniously, despite recent tensions between the native Dutch and Muslim population in The Netherlands.It may feel difficult to get in touch with the heart of Rotterdam; its natural centre was bombed away during WW2, forcing the city to renew itself completely. The result is a lot of modern architecture (for the architect freaks amongst us a must see!), but also a city that does not really have a heart or a centre. It might be a good idea to discover this city with a local guide. One may also find that visiting this city in spring or summer time is more enjoyable than in winter time, as Holland is a very rainy place and Rotterdam is a city that especially gains a lot of charm when the sun is shining. When well prepared, Rotterdam is a place one can experience The Netherlands and Europe's mainland like one could never experience it any other place! Since virtually everybody in the Netherlands (especially large urban areas like Rotterdam) speaks at least passable English, getting around should be very easy too. http://wikitravel.org/en/Rotterdam