Rotterdam

In a city with many admirable aspects, one local quality stands head and shoulders above the others: its embrace of innovation. This is most clearly manifested in Rotterdam's portfolio of 20th-century and contemporary architecture, which is among the most notable and exciting in the world. The best way to appreciate this urban fabric is by visiting during the city's recently inaugurated Architecture Month, when exhibitions, guided tours, seminars and other architecturally flavoured events draw practitioners and afficionados from across the globe.

When it comes to masterpieces, Rotterdam's premier museum has more than its fair share. The permanent collection includes major paintings by Bosch, Cranach, Bacon, Brueghel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Picasso, Miró and many others – so many, in fact, that the museum will open a new open-access storage annexe in 2019 to allow more of its works to be exhibited. Designed by cutting-edge Rotterdam-based architecture firm MVRDV, this storage depot promises to be as notable as the artworks it will safeguard.

Rotterdammers are particularly partial to outdoor festivals and events, and their city stages plenty of these to keep them happy. The major cultural shindig of the year is in July, when the world-renowned North Sea Jazz Festival ensures that hot city nights are tempered by cool jazz. This is one of many festivals and events in the warmer months – including Europe's biggest outdoor cinema and Rotterdam Architecture Month – but there are events to lure you to town in every month of the year.

Picture this: a massive horseshoe-shaped market hall that has dramatic glass facades on two sides and an indoor frame clad in an 11,000-sq-m artwork depicting a cornucopia of super-sized, vividly coloured fresh produce. Framed with a structure housing apartments that are among the most sought-after in the city, this mind-boggling architectural achievement has made Rotterdam's markthal (market hall) one of the city's must-see buildings and must-go destinations, popular for shopping, eating, drinking and marvelling at the ingenuity and technical expertise of the city's design and construction industries.

In summertime, the living here sure is easy, with an array of cafe, restaurant and bar terraces offering their patrons the chance to enjoy a drink or meal while soaking up a few rays. Some are by the water's edge (take a bow, Aloha) or in leafy parks (Parqiet); others are perched on rooftops (Suicide Club, Op Het Dak) or balconies (nhow Bar). But most colonise streets and courtyards, allowing crowds to form impromptu street parties that continue into the wee hours.

Cross the Rijnhaven pedestrian bridge from Wilhelminaplein to visit this hipster food market occupying an old shipping warehouse in what was formerly the city's main red-light district. Being tattooed and vegan isn't compulsory (although if you are, you'll fit right in), but an appreciation of artisan produce is recommended. There are plenty of opportunities to eat and drink on the spot – maybe a coffee from Stielman Koffiebranders roastery, a craft beer from Kaapse Brouwers or one of the crispy caramel biscuits known as stroopwafels from Stroop Rotterdam.

Forget Gloria Jean's and Starbucks – Rotterdam has cafes that are far better options for caffeination. An ever-growing number of local coffee roasters are supplying beans to businesses around town, and baristas are perfecting their coffee-making techniques, be it espresso, aeropress or filter. But coffee isn't the only thing offered in Rotterdam's cafes: expect contemporary rifts on traditional cafe dishes such as tosties (toasted sandwiches) and pancakes, as well as global favourites such as açaí bowls and smashed avocado. All this makes cafe hopping as satisfying as it is affordable.

When it comes to embracing the cutting edge, Rotterdam is no slouch. There are a host of galleries and museums in the city centre where contemporary visual art is exhibited, and where the work of artists from across the globe is showcased. As well as the major cultural institutions in town – Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, the Kunsthal and the Nederlands Fotomuseum – smaller outfits including the Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art and TENT are reliable choices if you're the type of person who appreciates the shock of the new.

One of a limited number of 20th-century buildings on the World Heritage List (and one of an even-more-limited number of industrial buildings on the list), this modernist temple to steel, glass and advanced work practices is a must-see for architecture buffs. Built between 1925 and 1931 and described by legendary Swiss architect Le Corbusier as 'the most beautiful spectacle of the modern age', the factory now houses businesses working in the creative sector and can be visited by weekend-only architect-led guided tours.

Locals here are partial to beer, but many are equally fond of a gin and tonic. The historic town of Schiedam, now effectively incorporated into Rotterdam's western suburbs, is very proud of its long history of jenever (traditional Dutch gin) making, and offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the local industry, which still successfully operates, at the National Jenevermuseum Schiedam and on gin tours operated by the local tourist office. A tasting of the local product is an important part of both experiences.