Delft & Rotterdam Private Day Tour: Boat Ride & Blue Pottery

Walk through Rotterdam's rebuilt skyline, then drift past it from the water

A full-day private tour of Rotterdam and Delft with a live guide, covering the modern port city's iconic Markthal and Cube Houses, a 45-minute private boat ride on the Maas River, and Delft's Golden Age landmarks including the Prinsenhof and Royal Delft pottery factory. Lunch, all museum entries, and hotel pickup (if booked) are included; you choose the starting city and set the pace throughout the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rotterdam and Delft highlights

• Meet guide at Rotterdam Centraal Station
• See Groothandelsgebouw building
• Pass by football roundabout
• Visit Rotterdam City Hall
• View Timmerhuis building
• Explore Church of St. Lawrence
• Enter and explore Markthal
• Visit Cube Houses and enter one
• Walk to river Maas near red bridge
• Take private boat ride on river Maas
• Walk through Rotterdam Old Harbor area
• See Witte Huis building
• Go underground to Blaak train station
• Take train to Delft city center
• Walk from Delft Station into city
• Walk along oldest canal and former weapons Armory
• Pass Delft's old synagogue and canals
• Visit newest church in Delft city center
• Have lunch at Beestenmarkt square
• See New Church and learn about royal family
• Walk by old town hall of Delft
• Visit Old Church and learn about leaning tower
• See Prinsenhof former monastery
• View oldest house of Delft on Oude Delft canal
• Ride electric tuktuk to Royal Delft Museum
• Tour Royal Delft pottery factory and museum
• Return by tuktuk to Delft city or station
• End tour with optional evening plans or drop-off

The Experience

Your guide meets you at Rotterdam Centraal Station, where 170,000 people pass through daily. From there, the tour moves through the city's post-war reconstruction: the Groothandelsgebouw, a 1949 landmark that was Europe's largest building when it opened; the town hall, one of the few structures that survived the 1940 bombing; and the Markthal, an icon of modern Rotterdam where you'll taste Dutch cheese while looking up at one of the planet's largest artworks. You step inside one of the famous Cube Houses to see how residents actually live in them, then walk toward the river Maas.

The private boat ride is the centerpiece. You board a fast yellow water taxi for a 45-minute tour down the Maas, taking in Rotterdam's skyline from the water and glimpses of Europe's largest port. Afterward, you walk through the Old Harbour, where the city's port began in the 15th century and where you can see the Witte Huis—Europe's oldest skyscraper from 1898, still bearing German bullet holes from the war. A direct train then carries you 17 minutes to Delft.

In Delft, the guide walks you along the oldest canal, past the spot where Vermeer stood to paint his famous View of Delft, and through the Beestenmarkt square, where you stop for lunch with a drink included. You see the New Church, home to the royal family's grave, and the leaning Old Church where Johannes Vermeer is buried. The Prinsenhof, a former monastery where William of Orange was assassinated in 1584, sits opposite. The day ends at Royal Delft, the only original Delft Blue pottery factory still operating since 1653; you get an audio tour through the working factory and museum, then browse the shop and café. An electric tuktuk returns you to Delft or the station, depending on your choice.

What’s included

• Private guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French, German or Dutch.
• private 45-minute boat ride on the Maas River.
• admission to the Old Church and New Church in Delft.
• admission to Royal Delft Museum and Factory with audio tour.
• admission to a Cube House in Rotterdam.
• lunch in Delft with a drink.
• transfer between Rotterdam and Delft by train or car.
• hotel pickup and drop-off by car (if the option is booked).
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Discover Delft

Is this one for you?Choose the morning departure from Rotterdam if you want the modern city and its port before moving into Delft's quieter Golden Age streets; choose the Delft start if you prefer to end the day in Rotterdam's lively Old Harbour area. The private format means you set the pace and can linger at any stop—the guide adjusts to your interests, whether that's the wartime history, the pottery tradition, or the architecture itself.

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Top questions

Can I start the tour in Delft instead of Rotterdam?

Yes. The tour works in either direction, so you can begin in Delft and end in Rotterdam, or vice versa. You choose which city you'd like to start in when you book.

What exactly happens on the private boat ride?

You board a small yellow water taxi for a 45-minute tour on the Maas River. The boat takes you past Rotterdam's skyline and gives you views of the port from the water—it's the main way you see the city from a different angle.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Lunch is included in Delft at the Beestenmarkt square, with a drink. The operator can accommodate all dietary wishes, so mention any restrictions when you book.

Do I need to pay extra to enter the museums and churches?

No. Entry to the Old Church, New Church, Royal Delft Museum and Factory, and the Cube House are all included in the tour price.

What's Royal Delft, and how long do we spend there?

Royal Delft is the only surviving original Delft Blue pottery factory, operating continuously since 1653. You get an audio tour through the working factory and museum, then time to visit the shop and café before heading back to Delft or the station.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup and drop-off by car are included if you book the option with pickup; otherwise, you'll meet the guide at Rotterdam Centraal Station or another agreed location.