Even though I visited many times, every new visit makes me like the city more. There are just so many things to do in Antwerp that you can keep on coming back. Charming crooked 17th century merchant houses determine the face of the old city centre with hip eateries and bars dotting the area. A bit further out red lights seduce lonely men to enter the brothels in the raunchy red light district. The contrast couldn’t be bigger. And this city is two-faced in many ways.
The architecture in the heart of town is beautifully polished while sharp and modern in the new harbor. Ultra trendy boutique shops make this a shopping Valhalla but in the same street you will probably also be able to find an old brown cafe that serves beer with sliced sausage and beer nuts.
Antwerp is called the city of diamonds because it owns much of its riches to the diamond industry. It’s the capital of the Flemish part of Belgium. If you would ask a random Belgian which city in its country you would have to visit if you could only visit one, the answer will almost certainly be Antwerp. Not only because of its beauty but also because there are just so many things to do in Antwerp, the second largest city of Belgium. I couldn’t agree more.
– Things to do in Antwerp –
Antwerp by Bike tour
The best way to familiarize yourself with a new city is always to do a walking or biking tour as soon as possible on your visit. This way you’ll quickly find out all the highlights and hot spots in town and you provide yourself with a base and a little background knowledge to make further independent exploration way more enjoyable. Antwerp has got sights both in the city centre and a bit further out of town so in this case I view a bike tour as the better option. I decided to go with Antwerp by Bike, and I am glad I did.
Antwerp by Bike works exclusively with local guides from Antwerp who can tell you all about town from their personal experience. What makes Antwerp by Bike stand-out from the competition is their street steppers. Basically these are stand up bikes where you have to do steps instead of peddling move forward. Its different and fun and is actually quite a good work-out as well. The let you try out the street stepper before the tour starts and if you don’t feel confident you can still opt for a normal bicycle on the spot.
Railway station
One of the things to do in Antwerp that cannot be skipped is a visit to the railway station. It is by far the prettiest railway station in the country if not in the whole of Europe. Its still very much in use so you can just pop in for free and wander around with your jaw continuously dropping closer to the ground.
Museum Aan de Stroom
Entrance: free/ EUR 10
Seeing the interior of the MAS, the abbreviation for ‘Museum Aan de Stroom’ (roughly translates into museum at the river) itself justifies the visit. And the entrance is free! Escalators snake around the building all the way up to the 10th floor. The outer boulevard is a collection of surreal modern arts and photography and the views become better with every floor you climb. At the top the viewpoint gives you the best views over the city, all for free. The interior of the tower houses exhibitions that explain how Antwerp has interacted with the rest of world through the ages. For these exhibitions you pay the EUR 10 entrance fee.
Pro-tip: visit on every last Wednesday of the month and the exhibitions are also free.
Ruben’s Huis
Entrance: EUR 10 (EUR 8 for students which is basically anyone under 30 who asks nicely)
One of the most famous and successful Flemish masters ever lived was Ruben’s and his former house is turned in a museum showing his best works. Even for someone that dislikes classical arts in general, someone like me, will find this place interesting to walk around for an hour and a half. The old building is a living museum itself, even without the paintings. The courtyard is under construction at the moment which is actually a good thing because they allow you climb the scaffolding which enables you to see the exterior sculptures eye-to-eye. Something which will not ever be possible again once the restorations are finished.
De Koninck Brewery
Entrance: EUR 12 (EUR 10 for students)
Obviously there are also other things to do in Antwerp besides seeing old buildings and paintings. A visit to a Belgium city is not complete without sampling the local Belgian beers and De Koninck made a big effort in building their visitor center. A visit to De Koninck Brewery is great. The brewing process and history of the brewery is explained with lots of music, sounds, movies and interactive displays. It also includes 2 drinks, one at the entrance, which you can take with you while you stroll through the brewery, and one at the end.
Red light district
Just to peak around of course. Little known fact is that Amsterdam is not the only Western European city with a big red light district. Antwerp’s Red light district is huge and definitely one of the things to do in Antwerp on a visit. Villa Tinto, the biggest brothel in the neighbourhood, alone has 51 windows with their best produce on display. The Red light district is boxed in between the MAS and the old centre so it doesn’t require a detour. Oh and its free. That is walking around in the area, not taking advantage of the serviced offered;). No I will not include a picture of the red light district here. Pervert.
– Eating, drinking and sleeping recommendations –
Antwerp is filled and I mean filled with hip eateries, cool hangouts and fancy cocktail bars. If you are looking a nice place for a bite or a drink you just have to wander around in the city centre for a bit and you’re guaranteed to stumble upon something you like. A few recommendations.
Eating
Native
Native is a small bio bistro that serves locally produces organic food in a small hip diner. They have a nice outside terrace and a cool wooden interior and the cook does its best to come up with innovative dishes and food pairings. The concept here is that you order 2 or 3 small dishes or as many as you want if you’re sharing. Not too unfriendly for your wallet as well.
Backyard
Backyard is located in the dead center of town and is especially good for lunch. As the name suggests, it has an interior backyard but the terrace overlooking the Grote Markt, the market square, is the better spot to pick.
Drinking
For drinking in particular you are spoilt for choice. Whether you want to go clubbing (Cargo or Café D’Anvers), sampling Belgian beers or having cocktails on a terrace. Antwerp is there to provide.
Bar Paniek
Bar Paniek is a cool place at the edge of the port at the Northern rim of the city centre. Its located in a former industrial factory building and has a simple drinks menu, good music and fair prices.
Zomerbarren
Come summer and the so called ‘Zomerbarren’ pop up everywhere around town in Antwerp. These summer bars are only open between late April until late September but are great places to hang out. Many of them are funded by the local government and offer something extra. An arts display, work shops, a beach, you name it.
Sleeping
We found out that Booking.com will consistently give you the best rates on hotels. To make finding the perfect spot a little easier we made a selection for Antwerp. Click the link below to find the best places to stay in Antwerp.
Pulcinella Youth Hostel
On my last visit to Antwerp I stayed at the Pulcinella Youth Hostel which is an excellent pick. The modern ‘flash packers’ looks and feels like a boutique hotel but at half the price. They have spacey doubles and comfortable dorms. The place is spotless and the breakfast they serve is better than most. Pulcinella is located at the heart of town and the hostel is ran in an environmentally conscious way.
– Practical information –
When
Antwerp is located close to Belgium’s northern border and the climate is very similar to that of the Netherlands. From May to September you have a good chance of long sunny (or semi-sunny) days with pleasant temperatures. Then again, if you’re unlucky you can find yourself in the pouring rain the whole day, even in mid-July. Winters are usually cool and wet but not extremely cold. Sad rainy days are very common from November to March.
Budget
| Daily Budget | EUR 100 ( 115 USD) |
| Street eats/ Fast food | EUR 5 (6 USD) |
| Meal in a restaurant | EUR 20-50 (25-60 USD) |
| Dorm | EUR 20-30 (25-35 USD) |
| Double in a 3-star hotel | EUR 80-150 (90-165 USD) |
While Antwerp is not as expensive as cities like Paris or Amsterdam it is certainly not cheap. The cheapest street meal you can get it probably a kebab, which sets you back about EUR 5 including a can of coke. Train travel for everyone under 26 is cheap if you travel with a Go-pass (EUR 6.50 for a single journey wherever in Belgium no matter the distance) and a student card (of whichever kind) will most often give you a decent discount on museums, cinemas and anything related to art.
Pro-tip: Supermarkets in Belgium are very cheap compared to the United States or even other European countries. The best way to save money is by booking a hostel (or AirBnB with a full-fletched kitchen) and cook your own meals.
In & Out
Airport
Antwerp does have an international airport but it doesn’t service much destinations. From the airport you can take bus 51, 52, 53 to the nearby railway station Antwerp-Berchem which take you there in 10 minutes. From the railway station you can connect to Antwerp Central Station in 5 minutes.
If you want to fly into Antwerp the best way to do so is fly on Zaventem Airport, Brussels main international airport. Underneath the departure hall 1 there is a railway station which connects directly to Antwerp and takes you there in about an hour.
Railway station
The best way to get into town is by train, as you can immediately see one of the best sights the city has got to offer. There is a direct Thalys line to Amsterdam which takes little more than an hour but is way more expensive than the conventional line which takes double the time and includes a stop over. The thalys also connects Antwerp to Brussels and Paris. Any other city in Belgium can be reached with a Go-pass for only EUR 6.50.
From the railway station to the centre is about a 15 minute walk. If you don’t have maps.me or an offline map downloaded on google maps, you can simply follow the signs or the masses of people strutting into the old city centre.
Bus terminal
Nowadays the cheapest way to get from one European city to another is by Flixbus or GoEuro bus. You can get to most major European cities for under EUR 30. The bus terminal is located right next to central station within walking distance from the old city centre.