Swimming, sailing, walking or relaxing in Rotterdam's main recreational area!
The Kralingen Lake is an peaceful oasis in Rotterdam where you can time out after a busy day in the city. This is what a lot of people from Rotterdam do, because Lake Kralingen is the biggest recreational area of Rotterdam. Alongside the lake you will see people jogging of taking a stroll, on the lake you will see people sailing and around the lake you can see people relaxing or visiting a terrace.
Lake Kralingen is situated in the Kralingen district in the north-east of Rotterdam. The square shape of the lake is the result of dredging the marshland in order to produce peat, a fuel that was used for cooking and heating in earlier times. Lake Kralingen is surrounded on three sides by the Kralingen Park and on the east side are two historic windmills that are worth a visit. These two windmills are still in use today for grinding spices and tobacco.
Lake Kralingen is the favorite spot of recreational visitors, sun lovers and sports fishermen. There are quite a few water sports clubs here. If you just want a relaxed day out, Lake Kralingen is a great place to hang around. The recreational area offers excellent cafe terraces where you can enjoy a drink or something to eat. The Kralingen Park is the place to be for skaters, joggers and cyclists. Inn summer this park is the ideal location for a barbecue in the open air. Lake Kralingen offers a very diverse panorama in both summer and winter. On the west bank of Lake Kralingen, you’ll find the Langepad walking trail and a sandy beach. It is flanked by a lot of tall poplars. This is also where the widest poplar of Rotterdam stands, which has a radius of 4.85 meters! It’s an impressive sight.
The south of Lake Kralingen offers you a beautiful outlook on the skyline of Rotterdam. You can clearly see the high office buildings such as Delftse Poort. In the east you can see Plaszoom, a walking trail with two monumental windmills The Star and The Lilly. Between those windmills, the recently completely renovated Bar-Restaurant De Tuin (The Garden) is located. Also Restaurant De Schone Lei and the Boathouse Kralingen are excellent spots to have a bite to eat.
If you want to stay closer to Rotterdam city centre, there are of course some other parks in Rotterdam, such as the park near the Euromast (but with a lot less water!). Another alternative is Lake Hillegersberg in the leafy Rotterdam district of Hillegersberg with plenty of fine eateries.
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