. I was born and raised in The Hague — a city by the sea, tucked behind the dunes and deeply woven into who I am. I still miss it to this day. Fortunately, the Netherlands is wonderfully small, so I return often: for the sea air, the familiar streets and that comforting feeling of coming home.

But this is not a guide to The Hague — that will have to wait for another day. Today, we are going to Rotterdam.

And if you ask me to choose between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, I simply cannot. They are too different to compare, and each has a character all of its own. Amsterdam is intimate, historic and beautifully shaped by its canals, narrow houses and centuries of mercantile charm. Rotterdam feels rawer, more worldly and more willing to reinvent itself — a true port city with a skyline that is constantly evolving.

It also looks unlike almost any other Dutch city because of its history. On 14 May 1940, German bombs devastated much of the city centre, and the fires that followed caused further destruction. Rotterdam was rebuilt in the decades afterwards, and that history is still visible in its broad streets, bold architecture, high-rises and constant appetite for reinvention. The city is not without history; its history simply lives in the contrast between what survived, what was rebuilt and what is still being imagined.

Amsterdam invites you to follow the rhythm of its canals. Rotterdam asks you to look up at the skyline, cross the river, notice the harbour and embrace a little more space. Amsterdam can feel intimate and romantic; Rotterdam is often bolder, more direct and more cosmopolitan. Both, however, are warm, creative cities filled with excellent food, culture and women with somewhere to go.

So no, I will not be choosing between them. I love them both — just as I love so many Dutch cities for their own particular character. Next time, we will take The Hague. But for now, let’s begin with Rotterdam.

Rotterdam has a different kind of pull. It doesn’t charm you with a postcard-perfect old town or whisper its way into your heart. It arrives with light, lines, water, movement and that wonderfully modern feeling that something is always about to happen.

I find myself drawn back to Rotterdam whenever I want a change of pace. Sometimes for a lunch by the river, sometimes for an exhibition, sometimes simply to walk around and look at the architecture. The city feels confident, creative and entirely unafraid to be itself.

For many of my readers, Rotterdam is still a city to discover. So, if you are wondering where to stay, what to see, where to eat and how to enjoy the city the way a stylish, grown woman does, here is your complete, sassy and elegant guide.