Yep, you can legally smoke weed in Amsterdam. And while that’s pretty great, it can mean the city attracts a certain kind of weekend warrior. Rotterdam has all the trippy fun of the more famous ‘Dam, without the crowds of tanked up Brits.

There’s futuristic architecture, classic windmills and parties in converted warehouses.

But can Rotterdam compete with the capital where it really counts?

Weed

“Ehmm, one coffee and a *cough-twenty-bag-of-marijuana-please-and-thankyou-cough*.“

Chill bro, weed’s as legal in Rotterdam as in its more famous cousin.

The Reef and Nemo make for a trippy underwater-themed coffeeshop crawl, while Trefpunt will flog you a space cake for about €5. Munch it down and then head to beautiful Kralingse Bos park for some green with your green.

Architecture

Amsterdam's got it covered when it comes to oldy-worldy quaint (with a side dose of modernist sleeze), but Rotterdam’s architecture is like Grand Designs on speed.

Rotty got absolutely rinsed in WW2, but ever since it’s been rebuilt into Europe’s most futuristic city.

Centraal Station, the Market Hall and the Cube Houses will blow your mind.

Butt Plugs

You're probably thinking "hang on what about butt plugs?"

In Amsterdam, you can visit the Red Light District and walk with a limp for the rest of your trip. Or you can check out the world’s best (and probably only) sculpture of a gnome holding a butt plug in Rotterdam.

Artist Paul McCarthy crafted this beauty to represent Santa Claus holding a Xmas tree. But art is in the eye of the beholder, and the people christened it The Butt Plug Gnome.

The naughty sculpture has been shifted all around Rotterdam, but has now settled at Eendrachtsplein. Have your picture taken with him and enjoy explaining that photo to your nan.

Sum Up:

Rotterdam's got more weed, wacky architecture and butt-plugs than your little body can handle. Head there for a slice of zany Netherlands, without the very real chance of bumping into dickhead-Steve-from-work-on-a-stag-do.