Introduction
You don't have to travel far to find sports activities and facilities here, Rotterdam'ers are very outdoors people. There are all sorts of clubs and venues for different age groups and skill. There isn't much for the younger child however, but from ages 4-6 opportunities open up. Included here is a brief list of main sports options available in Rotterdam. Football, hockey and tennis are the principle sports of choice, golf is a very wet business and wellies with sprigs are advised, rugby clubs are around but not so frequent. Websites on sports and leisure facilities abound but the majority of information is in Dutch.
Fitness clubs
Club facilities around Rotterdam are very good, there are also women only gyms. Your main choices are:
David Lloyd Sports & Health
website - www.davidlloyd.nl - centres in Capelle a/d Ijssel, Blijdorp and Rotterdam Centrum
The two facilities in Capelle and Blijdorp are very good family gyms. Along side usual gym facilities of weights and training, they offer swimming, tennis, squash, childcare (membership charge), judo for kids, swimming lessons, Pilates and more.
Health City
website - www.healthfitclub.nl, Kralingen
A smaller gym offering LesMills body classes, spinning, weights and new kinetic classes. Also have a swimming pool, cafe, hair salon, beauty salon and small creche (free).
Fitness First
website - www2.fitnessfirst.nl, Rotterdam centrum
Very good facilities and handy central location on Boompjes, along Maas River. Usual sports equipment, personal training, cafe and childcare facilities. No swimming pool.
Football
Football is very popular here and clubs do generally have waiting lists. Rotterdam has nine stadiums with international class facilities, where you can see top matches played. (Jeugdafdeling aanwezig - youth division trainer)
Local clubs for amateur leagues:
Delfshaven
RKSV Activitas
Spanseweg 3, 3028HW, Delfshaven
(no jeugdafdeling)
Kralingen / Crooswijk
RVV Swift-boys
Prinsenlaan 900, 3062CT, Kralingen
(no jeugdafdeling)
Hillegersberg / Schiebroek (4)
RKSV Leonidas
website - www.leonidasvoetbal.nl
Erasmuspad 9, 3052KP, Hillegersberg
(offers jeugdafdeling)
Schiebroek '94
Hazelaarweg 40, 3053PM, Schiebroek
(no jeugdafdeling)
SMV Hillegersberg
Van Ballegooysingel 97, 3055PB, Hillegersberg
(no jeugdafdeling)
Sparta AV
Bok de Korverweg 1, 3056PD, Hillegersberg
(no jeugdafdeling)
Ommoord
SVOmmoord
website - www.svommoord.nl
Heidiekruid 5, 3068RT, Ommoord
(offers jeugdafdeling)
Pernis
Excelsior Pernis
Pastoriedijk 375, 3195HE, Pernis
(no jeugdafdeling)
Rugby
Although not as popular as football or hockey, rugby is played in Rotterdam in both Dutch and expat communities.
Local clubs:
Rotterdamse Rugby Club
website - www.rugbyrotterdam.nl
Sportpark Duivensteyn, Duivenpad 12, 3055VE, Rotterdam
Cubs to Senior divisions
Climbing walls
For a climbing fix there are two venues in Rotterdam. The Indoor Climbing website lists all the climbing walls and facilities around the country. website - http://www.indoorclimbing.com/netherlands.html
Steep Part Klimcentrum
website - http://www.steeppart.nl/
Prinsenlaan 910, 3062CT, Prinsenlaan
010 - 2869794
Monte Cervino
website - Monte Cervino
Hoeksekade 141c, 2661JL, Bergschenhoek
010-5221092 / 010-5221959
Tennis
Tennis lessons and entry to clubs are available to all ages and proficiency levels. Coaching for children starts from age five. There are many clubs around the Rotterdam region, here is a selection of clubs with academies:
Kralingen
TV Victoria
website - www.sv-victoria.nl
Kralingseweg 226, 3062 CG, Kralingen
Overschie
TennisPark Overschie
website - www.tcoverschie.nl
Torenlaan 100, 3043 BV, Overschie
Blieswijk
Sport & Recreatiecentrum Rottemeren
website - www.rottemeren.nl
Kooilaan 1a, 2665 KR, Bleiswijk
Capelle a/d Ijssel
Capelse Tennisclub
s'Gravenweg 182, 2902LG, Capelle a/d Ijssel
Indoorgravel CV
website - www.indoorgravel.nl
Brahmsstraat 163, 2901JG, Capelle a/d Ijssel
Squash
Barendrecht
Squash Centrum Barendrecht
website: www.squashbarendrecht.nl
Boorhaavelaan 1, 2992KB
Blijdorp
Sporting Connection
Energieweg 9, 3041 JC, Blijdorp
Kralingen
S.V. Victoria
Kralingseweg 226, 3062 CG, Kralingen
Zwem en Sportcentrum
Gerdesiaweg 408, 3061RA, Kralingen
Ommoord
S.C. Ommoord
Barbarakruid 22, 3068SB, Ommoord
Schiebroek
De Wilgenkring
Phone: 010 285 5855
Melanchtonweg 70, 3052KV
Golf
You will be able to play golf in Rotterdam and the rest of the country but there is a process involved, you can't just join a club and start playing. It is a formal process to join and a bit laborious. In a nutshell, you need a valid licence to play golf here.
If you haven't been a member of a club prior to moving to Holland, you will need to take a test to gain your certificate (golf proficiency pass) to play or join any club. If you did have a membership, you need to bring a letter from this club attesting to your membership and specifying your handicap.
Read this page for the ins and outs of joining and playing in Holland; Golf page.
This link for golf clubs in the Zuid Holland region; Golf.nl
For a listing of all courses around Rotterdam and Netherlands go to GolfEurope.com
Gymnastics for children
Gymnastics is a popular activity for children of all ages in the Netherlands. You won't find facilities like the American/Australian/UK format, but you will find traditional gymnastic classes that are age specific. They are all well run with good facilities. Some are geared to be competitive but some are geared to get children confident and moving.
If you do want the American style child movement/gym classes, you will have to travel to Amsterdam or Utrecht. The Little Gym is an American franchise not available in Rotterdam - business opportunity here!
For detailed listing of gymnastic halls available around the region there are a number of search options. Key words are gymnastiek, sporthallen (sporthal), gymzalen (gymzaal), gymnastiekvereniging.
See the following websites for full listings also:
Gemeente Sports listing site - www.rotterdamsportstad.nl
Pilates
Pilates is a growing sport in Rotterdam and there are only a few studios. You will also find classes at some gyms or fitness centres.
Ommoord / Rotterdam Centrum
Ground Control Pilates / Yoga-Pilates
website - www.yoga-pilates.nl (in Dutch)
Ground Control Pilates: Oost West Centrum @ Groene Passage, Mariniersweg 9, Rotterdam centrum
Yoga-Pilates: Fridtjof Nansenschool, Nansenplaats, Ommoord
Rotterdam centrum
Rotterdam Pilates
website - www.pilatesrotterdam.nl (in English)
Rijnhoutplein 2,3014TZ, Rotterdam centrum
The Pilates Studio
website - www.pilates.nl (in English)
s'Gravendijkwal 58a, 3014EE, Rotterdam centrum
PilatesPoint Rotterdam
website: www.pilatespointrotterdam.com (in Dutch)
Rooftop Sports, Hoogstraat 74, 3011PT, Rotterdam centrum
Kop van Zuid, Rotterdam
Isabelle Plomp Studio (yoga / pilates)
website - www.yoga-nl.nu/isabelle (in Dutch)
Oranjeboomstraat 66, 3071BB, Kop van Zuid
Also offers pregnancy yoga and baby massage also
Ridderkerk
Upstairs Health Club
website - www.upstairshealthclub.nl (in Dutch)
Kerkweg 219b, 2985AS, Ridderkerk
A fitness club that offer Pilates as part of membership
Yoga
Yoga is more widely practiced around Rotterdam and classes are easier to find. Here are some suggestions and links to find suitable venues (in Dutch).
Search links
Yogafinder
website - www.yogafinder.com/yoga.cfm?yogacity=Rotterdam
Iyengar Yoga Resources
The whole of Netherlands with Rotterdam links
website - www.iyengar-yoga.com/Yoga_Centers/Europe/Netherlands
Yoga online
You can even do an online yoga class
Yoga Class
website - http://yogaclass.com
Studios
Yoga Studio Charles Hond
website - www.yogastudio.nl
Integrale Yoga
website - www.integraleyoganederland.nl
Maas Yoga
Classes taught in English
website - www.maasyoga.nl
Yoga for children
Raga Yoga
website - www.raga-yoga.nl
Integrale Yoga
website - www.integraleyoganederland.nl
Yoga Studio Charles Hond
website - www.yogastudio.nl
