Delfshaven

Delfshaven sits on the right bank of the Nieuwe Maas and is one of the few corners of Rotterdam to survive the 1940 bombing intact. Founded in 1389 as Delft's seaport, its tranquil canals, historic warehouses and the Oude Kerk, also known as the Pilgrim Fathers Church, recall its past as a hub of herring fishing and jenever distilling. It was from here that the Pilgrims set sail on the Speedwell on their way to America. Today, antique shops, creative studios, jenever bars, local breweries and small restaurants line the old harbour. Beyond the postcard-perfect historic core, the wider Delfshaven borough is one of Rotterdam's most multicultural and dynamic areas. Districts such as Bospolder-Tussendijken are visibly gentrifying, with former industrial warehouses converted into creative workspaces and rising demand for renovated canal-side homes. Prices here remain more accessible than in the city's premium districts, making it a magnet for first-time buyers, creatives and investors betting on continued regeneration.

Delfshaven in Rotterdam, South Holland (Zuid-Holland), Netherlands