Rotterdam – the Netherlands’ second largest city – is among the most innovative places in Europe. What it lacks in Golden Age ephemera and canal houses of its rival Amsterdam, it more than makes up for with pioneering design and a thriving creative scene. Come for old-world pubs and cloud-skimming cocktail bars, contemporary arts venues and panoramas of the city’s ever-evolving skyline. From the launch pad of your citizenM hotel, the best of the city is in your hands.

Best foodie destination – Markthal. This 2014 addition to the city’s architectural arsenal houses a huge indoor food market, which unfolds beneath the soaring arc of a brightly decorated apartment building. Not hungry? Come for tasty take-home souvenirs and for selfies with the spectacularly colourful ceiling. Bonus: the Markthal is literally across the street from citizenM Rotterdam hotel.

Iconic bridge – Erasmusbrug. Swoon at the Swan! No, not those pretty white birds – that’s the nickname for Rotterdam’s pièce de résistance: Erasmusbrug, the colossal, 800m-long white bridge stretching majestically across the Maas river. Walk it, photograph it, catch it opening for a passing ship (it's quite a sight).

Breathtaking architecture and art – the Kunsthal. Fans of architecture in general (and of Rem Koolhaas in particular) must visit this pioneering exhibition space – an awe-inspiring work of concrete, steel and glass sitting on the edges of the Museumpark. Inside, you'll find an eclectic range of art and photography exhibitions spread across three halls and two galleries. We are huge fans.