Belgium is the neighboring country of the Netherlands, so I have visited Belgium many, many times. One of my favorite cities is Antwerp. This is by no means an exhaustive city guide, but a highlight of some of my favorite activities in Antwerp and they will keep you entertained for a full weekend 😉
Central station
Antwerp has one of the most beautiful train stations in the world and if you don’t arrive in Antwerp by train, you should definitely go, just to check out the design. The station is built with the Pantheon in Rome in mind, so you can imagine how spectacular it is. I love the views of the clock that you get from the train platforms, but the arrival hall has amazing marble patterns as well. The station also has an old school restaurant, which is nice if you have a stopover in Antwerp.
Next to the central station you will find the Antwerp zoo, we visited the zoo during Christmas of 2018 and were able to watch the China Lights exhibition, which was the perfect spontaneous activity. I could not find whether the zoo would host the festival again in 2019.
Shopping
Of these cities Antwerp is the best for shopping. The main shopping street of Antwerp (Meir) has all the big brands and is pretty similar to other large cities, however Antwerp has a few really good streets for shopping. The area of “Korte Gashuisstraat” is one of my favorite areas in Antwerp. You will find & Other Stories and COS here, amongst others. You can also go for fries at “Frites Atelier” by chef Sergio Herman, whose fancy restaurant The Jane in Antwerp is always booked months in advance. The Korte Gashuisstraat is only a short walk to the Schuttershofstraat, where you will find stores such as IKKS and ba&sh, if you have more money to spend. If you are looking for jewelry, you should go to the “Gouden straatjes” (Nationalestraat), where you will find affordable and original jewelry. This is a less touristy area of Antwerp, which still has cute alleyways and it is also a good location for lunch. Antwerp is the city of diamonds, and has a diamond neighborhood near the central station. I bought my wedding ring here!
MAS
The Mas is the “Museum aan de Stroom”. It is located in a very special building in the neighborhood “Het Eilandje”. You can enter the museum for free and check out the amazing views from the rooftop and enjoy the architecture of the building itself. Of course the museum also has exhibitions, but you have to pay for those (€ 10 and reduced prices for kids and elderly etc). The museum has some art, but it is more of a general museum. Check out the website if you want to know more about the exhibitions. “Het Eilandje” is a really up and coming neighborhood in Antwerp, and definitely fun for an afternoon of wandering around. The neighborhood is located closely to the harbor and still hosts a dock with yachts. There are super cool warehouse buildings located in this area, some of which have turned into housing. “Het Eilandje” is very busy with young people at night as there are a lot of casual dining restaurants, such as burger restaurants, where you can eat cheaply in a cool environment.
MOMU
Several famous fashion designers are born or educated in Antwerp, such as Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester and Dries van Noten. So it is only logical that Antwerps has its own fashion museum: the MOMU. Unfortunately the museum is closed for whole of 2019, but in 2020 the renovated and improved museum will open again. Some parts of the collection pop up in other museums, check the website for the current exhibitions.
Christmas markets
The central square of Antwerp (Grote Markt) turns into a big Christmas market around Christmas time. You can find traditional guildhalls here, which are completely kept in 16-17th century style. This makes for a beautiful backdrop for the atmospheric Christmas markets. De Grote Markt definitely is a must visit outside of Christmas time as well.
Beer, cheese & chocolate
When I think of Belgium I think of beer & cheese-croquettes. Belgium is known for its craft beers with funny names and boasts a lot of beer cafes where you can try these delicious beers. Brasserie Appelmans is a fancy beer café & restaurant right in the middle of the city center. They also have delicious cheese croquettes, one of my favorite Belgian dishes. You will also find a lot of cholatiers in Antwerp, as this is a Belgian specialty as well.
City beaches & tunnel of the Schelde
When you are visiting during the spring & summer months it could be interesting to visit a city beach. I visited the beach of Sint-Anneke at the left bank of the Schelde. You can reach this beach by the pedestrian-bicycle tunnel underneath the Schelde river. This Sint-Annatunnel is 572 meters and has been in use since 1931! From the leftbank you get great views of the old town of Antwerp. Please be aware that you are not allowed to swim in the Schelde, because of the shipping activity. Sint-Anneke has an open air swimming pool if you want to cool down. “Het Eilandje” has a city beach as well, if you want to stay closer to the city. Bocadero is a beach bar with Caribbean vibes.
City Brewery
In Antwerp you can visit the City Brewery of Bolletje de Koninck. You can participate in a modern tour of the brewery. A tour costs € 14 (some discounts are available) and you also receive a beer to taste. The bar at the end of the tour is quite atmosheric, especially if you’re with a group and you will definitely want to taste some more beers. The brewery is closed on mondays, check the website for more information. Opposite the Brewery you will find restaurant “De Pelgrim”, a cool bicycle shop and some specialty stores, which are worth checking out.
Cycling & walking tours
Over the years I have done several cycling & walking tours of Antwerp, I found these to be really fun ways to get to know more neighborhoods and the history of Antwerp. By searching on google you will find several companies which offer tours. Especially by bike it is much easier to see a lot of sights in one day, so if you are short on time, that is what I would recommend doing. There are some really specialized walking tours as well, for example a food or street art tour.