In this article, I am taking you to discover a very lively city, located in the Flemish part of Belgium: Antwerp. This Flemish city is known for its history, its great gourmet addresses, and also for its shopping spots, as it is the capital of the Belgian fashion avant-garde as well as the diamond trade. It is also the second-largest city in Belgium, and I must say that we truly loved discovering this city with the favorite photographer!
Antwerp has been a port city since the 12th century, reaching its peak in the 16th century. It later experienced a certain decline at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century with the rise of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The tourist advantage of visiting Antwerp for us French people is that even though Antwerp is a Flemish city, many people here speak French. And we found it very simple to make ourselves understood by the locals.
Table of Contents
Practical Information for visiting Antwerp
How to get to Antwerp from Paris?
From Paris, it is very simple to get to Antwerp. Just take a Thalys train from Gare du Nord to Antwerp (duration about 2 hours). And the great thing is that there are direct trains, no need to change. You will arrive in Antwerp at the Central Station, which is a tourist attraction in itself. It has been recognized as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. This “railway cathedral” offers travelers grandiose architecture dating back to the very beginning of the 20th century.
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The Antwerp CityCard
This CityCard provides access to the city’s museums and churches (I have indicated in the article the visits and activities we did with the card). Finally, it also gives you unlimited access to Antwerp’s public transport. This is very practical because even though the city center is very easy to walk around, some places (like the Fine Arts Museum, for example) are further out. If you come during the warmer months, the card also allows you to rent a bike for a day.
Short summary of what the card gives you access to:
- Free access to Antwerp museums and churches
- Free and unlimited access to the city’s public transport
- Discounts of 10% to 25% on various attractions
Antwerp City Card
Card for 24h at €29 / 48h at €40 or 72h at €48
What to see and do in Antwerp?
The city of Antwerp is quite large and is divided into 8 different neighborhoods, each with its own character and charm. The city is also crossed by the Scheldt river. In the old town, you will find picturesque, winding streets and numerous old facades. Do not miss, of course, the Grand-Place (Grote Markt) in Antwerp, which, as is often the case in Flanders, is very impressive. There you can admire the guild houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, which have been very well restored, as well as the City Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
For your information, all the cultural activities we did (museums, visiting the cathedral, but also the brewery) were included in the Antwerp City Card (which I told you about just above). It also allows you to use the city’s public transport for free!
City transport: Antwerp is a compact city and the city center can be visited on foot; however, if you wish to go further or avoid too much walking, the city has a tram and metro system to get around more quickly. The ideal is to buy a 10-trip transport card from the De Lijn transport company (if you haven’t purchased the Antwerp City Card).
My top tips for visiting Antwerp:
- On every last Wednesday of the month, several museums can be visited for free: Plantin-Moretus Museum, Snijders&Rockox House, Mayer van den Bergh Museum, the MAS, the Red Star Line Museum, the Rubens House, and the Letterenhuis.
Visitor Centre Visit Antwerp
Grote Markt 13, 2000 Antwerpen
or Central Station (level 0 next to the escalators)
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Take a Free Tour in Antwerp with Civitatis
Civitatis is a platform specialized in the online distribution of activities, excursions, and guided tours for the world’s main tourist destinations. A great tip is that it organizes Free Tours (free guided tours!) in several major cities around the world that do not have a fixed price. At the end of the tour, each person is free to give the guide an amount in cash based on their level of satisfaction. Discover all the secrets of one of the most historic cities in Belgium with this free walking tour in Antwerp, accompanied by an expert English-speaking guide. There is also a 2nd night Free Tour to discover the mysteries and legends of Antwerp!
Free tour in Antwerp by Civitatis
Duration: 2h (1h30 for the night tour)
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Visit the Plantin-Moretus Museum
This very cool museum is housed in an old printing house that has existed since the 16th century. It was also the home of the printer Christophe Plantin, a French bookbinder and leatherworker who came to Antwerp in the 16th century, at the time of the city’s golden age, and who then opened a printing house that would become one of the most important ever established in Belgium. In 1555, Christophe Plantin published his first book, and important writers and scientists soon flocked to his printing house, the Officina Plantiniana. The printing house grew into a multinational with branches in Frankfurt, Leiden, and Paris. After Plantin, books were still printed by his company for eight generations!
You should count on about 2 hours for a full visit to the museum, which is quite vast in the end. You will discover, in particular, how words and images were distributed at the time, and the visit is worth it as much for the building as for its fascinating museum trail.
Plantin-Moretus Museum
Vrijdagmarkt 22, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: €12 / €8 reduced / free for under 18s
Free with the Antwerp CityCard
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Visit the Mayer van den Bergh Museum
This small museum exhibits the highly diverse art collection that Fritz Mayer van den Bergh assembled at the end of the 19th century. The museum opened its doors in 1904, just three years after his sudden death following a horse-riding accident. This was thanks to the will of his mother, who posthumously realized her son’s dream by having this museum built next to the family home. To do this, she called upon the architect Jos Hertogs, who created a facade in the Flemish Renaissance style, based on a lost facade from the Saint-Walburge district of Antwerp.
Since 1951, the museum has been managed by the city of Antwerp and today holds a collection of approximately 3,100 works of art and nearly 2,500 coins and medals.
Mayer van den Bergh Museum
Lange Gasthuisstraat 19, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: €10 / €6 reduced / free for under 18s
Free with the Antwerp CityCard
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Visit the Maagdenhuis or “Maidens’ House” museum
The Maagdenhuis is a former orphanage for girls founded in 1552 and located in Antwerp on one of the city’s most important squares. It operated until 1882. The administration of the civil almshouses was subsequently established there, and the building has been owned by the C.P.A.S. (Public Centre for Social Welfare) since 1925 and now houses a museum. You can discover objects from the daily life of the orphans, as well as works of art, such as paintings.
The building’s facade is majestic, and it also houses an interior courtyard. It is also very interesting to discover this 16th-century complex that preserves the memory and heritage of this type of institution, which is also known as the “Maidens’ House”.
Maagdenhuis Museum
Lange Gasthuisstraat 33, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open every day except Tuesday and public holidays
Prices: €7 / €5 reduced
Free with the Antwerp CityCard
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Visit the Rubens House
This museum is housed in the home where Rubens lived for 25 years, and it is here that he produced the majority of his works. You can notably discover the master painter’s studio. This visit is therefore worth it as much for the house, which is a true urban palace with Italian inspiration (for which Rubens drew the plans himself), as for the collections it contains. It features furniture and numerous works of art that have been gathered there since 1946. The art collection offers not only paintings signed by Rubens but also works by his students or works with a clear connection to the master: portraits of his acquaintances or works by his friends. The visit also allows you to stroll, at the beginning or end of your visit, through the painter’s gardens.
The Rubens House
Wapper 9-11, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Info from February 2023: the museum is temporarily closed for renovations
Free with the Antwerp CityCard
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Discover Het Steen and The Antwerp Story
Het Steen is a medieval building (the oldest in the city) and it houses a visitor center and cruise terminal, as well as the The Antwerp Story attraction, which quickly presents, via an interactive route, the city’s various points of interest and identity in 11 rooms. This visit is a perfect introduction to Antwerp if it is your first time in the Flemish city (allow about 1h30 to visit The Antwerp Story). So don’t hesitate to do it at the beginning of your stay!
The Antwerp Story
Het Steen, Ernest Van Dijckkaai 9, 2000 Antwerpen
The Antwerp Story Prices: €7 / reduced €5 / free for under 5s / Free with the Antwerp CityCard
The good tip: you can go up to the panoramic terrace of the venue for free to have a beautiful view of the city of Antwerp
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Visit the Royal Museum of Antwerp
During our visit, this museum was unfortunately closed for major renovation work but reopened in September 2022. You can admire works by Flemish primitives to modern masters, and I think it is absolutely essential to include it in your program of visits to the city (I have noted it for my next visit to Antwerp). It is also one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
Leopold de Waelplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: €20 / €10 for under 26s / free for under 18s
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Go up to the panoramic roof of the Museum aan de Stroom
This curious building houses a museum (which was unfortunately already closed when we arrived that day around 5 pm), but we made up for it with the panoramic roof terrace of the place (which is accessible for free until 10 pm), which offers a magnificent view of the city! I recommend at least coming up to the very top (the 10th floor, to be exact) to enjoy a great vantage point over Antwerp. Not to mention that the building is also well worth a look for its contemporary architecture.
MAS Museum aan de Stroom
Hanzestedenplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp
This Gothic church (the largest in the historic Low Countries) dedicated to the Virgin Mary houses numerous works of art, including several paintings by Rubens (an Antwerp painter and founding father of Baroque art in the Low Countries, whom I already mentioned in this article), and therefore there is an entrance fee. Its construction was completed in 1521 after about 170 years of work. It also has a high northern lace tower that is 123 meters tall and overlooks the city.
Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerpen
Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Visit possible outside of religious services on weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, and Sunday and public holidays from 1 pm to 5 pm
Prices: €12 / reduced €10 / Free with the Antwerp CityCard
The good tip: guided tour without supplement offered every day by the reception group
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Visit the Saint Charles Borromeo Church
This church is the work of the Antwerp Jesuits at the time of the Counter-Reformation. It was built between 1615 and 1621, and Rubens contributed strongly to its splendor, in his capacity as co-architect and painter. The church also has a very beautiful collection of lace and textiles. I recommend you stop to take a look if you are in the area.
Saint Charles Borromeo Church
Hendrik Conscienceplein, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Free visit
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Go for a bike ride with Antwerpen by bike
Antwerpen by bike is a company that offers bike, scooter, or streetstepper rentals, but also guided tours (7 different ones) of the city. I found that it was a good way to get around the city and the best for reaching slightly remote neighborhoods like the port, for example. We, for our part, took a 2-hour guided tour to discover some neighborhoods around the city center that we hadn’t passed through yet.
We first went to the Belvedere Park, to have a beautiful view of the city from a slight distance. We then continued to the modern port, which was actually founded by Napoleon after his conquest of the city at the beginning of the 19th century. It is today the 2nd largest port in Europe! I also recommend going to see the New Port Authority House, which was built in the old fire station, based on the plans of architect Zaha Hadid, who gave it the shape of a ship.
We then continued our journey to discover the Antwerp Beguinage (I will tell you about it in more detail in the following paragraph). During this ride, we also went to discover the ‘New South’, a residential neighborhood in full expansion, and also the Courthouse, an architectural gesture in metal and glass by Richard Rogers (an architect who also designed the Centre Pompidou or the Millennium Dome in London).
The good tip: if you want to discover Antwerp by bike but on your own, you can also get the Urban Jungle Cycling Circuit (only in English though) for €5 at the Visit Antwerpen tourist office points.
Antwerpen by bike
Bike rental prices: €8 for 2h / €10 for 3h / €12.50 for the day / + €10 per additional day
Guided tour price: for 2h tour = €26.50 per person
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Discover the Antwerp Beguinage
I mentioned it just above, because we discovered this beguinage thanks to the bike tour we did with Antwerpen by bike. There were beguines here until the 60s, and today they are residential dwellings. For information, the Beguinage is open for free during the day and closed in the evening. In the middle, you can find a charming little public garden.
The beguinage was founded in the 13th century and it had up to 150 beguines at the end of the 18th century. It was deconsecrated following the French Revolution, then partially demolished in 1819 by the Antwerp municipality. What remained of the beguinage was then converted into housing, and that is what we can still see today.
Antwerp Beguinage
Rodestraat 39, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Free entrance during the day
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Stroll through the Botanical Garden
This small garden is certainly not very large, but it is filled with flowers, plants, and even contemporary art works. It was once the medicinal plant garden for the Saint-Elisabeth Hospital, located just nearby. Today, it has some 2,000 medicinal herbs and also possesses a greenhouse in which you can find a collection of cacti and exotic plants. An atmosphere of peace and a very special aura emanate from this garden, which made me really love our stroll through it (which we discovered, moreover, quite by chance).
Botanical Garden of Antwerp
Leopoldstraat 24, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
free admission during opening hours
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Visit the De Koninck Brewery
I recommend visiting this historic city brewery because it is very well done and the site itself is also very cool. Beer has been brewed here since 1833. Today you can discover the entire history of this brewery through a very well-made interactive tour, I must say. It’s an opportunity to learn more about Antwerp and its beer, but also about Belgian beers in general. During the visit, you can also taste the typical Antwerp beer: the Bolleke De Koninck, an amber beer served in a special glass.
On site, the venue also offers a shop where you can find all the brand’s products (collector’s glasses, bottle openers, magnets, clothes) and beers, as well as a bar/restaurant for drinking beer on site and for grabbing a bite to eat, as well as several gourmet shops (bakery, chocolate shop, butcher, cheese shop…).
Antwerp City Brewery
Mechelsesteenweg 291, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm) and late-night opening on Saturdays until 8 pm
duration of the visit: about 1h
Included in the visit: a tasting of the Triple d’Anvers (16cl) and the Bolleke De Koninck (16cl)
Prices: €16 / €14 reduced
Free with the Antwerp CityCard
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Discover the street art of Antwerp
As you know, I am very sensitive to street art and it is an aspect that I always love to discover in a city. In Antwerp, we used an application with the walls to see in the city: Street Art Cities. Below, here are some photos of urban art, taken by the favorite photographer during our wanderings.
My favorite addresses in Antwerp
As usual, you will find below my selection of good addresses in Antwerp (one hotel and several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with the favorite photographer. These addresses often offer to discover local products and some regional specialties to taste if you come to Flanders. If you want to find out more about Belgian gastronomy, don’t hesitate to take a look at my article on this subject.
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Where to have a healthy and local lunch in Antwerp? Native
This little address that offers local, seasonal, and natural fare is one of our favorites from the stay. The address is absolutely perfect if you are vegetarian or even vegan. The place is trendy and the service is laid back. We tested the lunch menu at €24.50, which is served for the whole table with a soup each + dishes to share. There are plenty of vegetables in the dishes offered, it’s simple but well-made, and above all, made with good products. Finally, the address also offers a small pleasant terrace for sunny days right in front of the establishment, which is very enjoyable. I highly recommend that you test this address during your stay in Antwerp.
Native
Muntstraat 8, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Where to have lunch/brunch in a coffee shop in Antwerp? Moss
This trendy brand has 4 different locations: Moss, the Epicerie du Cirque (a restaurant proposing contemporary Flemish cuisine), Racine, and the Palmier bar. Moss is the coffee shop part of the brand and offers food for breakfast or lunch. I recommend tasting the Eggs Benedict (€14) and the Green Goddess toast (€17.50) with guacamole, quinoa, poached eggs, and smoked salmon. For sweets, we had the French toast (€10.50) and the Blueberry waffle (€9.50). Regarding drinks, as the address is more of a coffee shop, I recommend having a drink with coffee, such as the latte (€3.90) or the flat white (€3.80). Here again, you can have lunch on the terrace on very nice wooden benches set up in front of the restaurant.
Moss, le Comptoir du Cirque
Volkstraat 11, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Where to grab a quick bite in Antwerp? Lunch at the LocalStore
This atypical restaurant/store address is perfect for grabbing a quick bite with ethical and local food. The place offers healthy dishes with many vegetarian and vegan options. You can also take a tour in the LocalStore shop to buy local products. To eat, you can sit inside the LocalStore or on the large, laid-back terrace that surrounds the place.
To taste: the address offers plenty of non-alcoholic drinks (€4) that are homemade (soda, iced tea…); Lebanese croques (between €11.20 and €12.90); a homemade chocolate tart for dessert (€6.20); also very good products in terms of coffee (double espresso Doppio at €3.20).
LocalStore
Everdijstraat 20 2000 Antwerpen
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Where to have a gourmet dinner in Antwerp? Graanmarkt 13
The Graanmarkt 13 restaurant is nestled in a venue that houses a concept store but also a restaurant that received a Green Star in the Michelin Guide in 2021 for its sustainable gastronomy based around seasonal vegetables! This trendy and gourmet address offers complex and refined dishes, with a desire to elevate the product. Chef Jan Keuppens is clearly specialized in preparing vegetables, and the address offers a selection of refined dishes to share. I recommend having one or two starters for two people + one dish (meat or fish) + one or two sides depending on your appetite, and finally one or two desserts to share. You should count in total around €60 to €85 per person for a meal at Graanmarkt 13 with drinks.
To test: we had a crush on the radishes with a rhubarb mousse, which were absolutely delicious; as an original starter, we also really liked the yellow beets with cottage cheese; the fish was also excellent; for dessert, we tested the cold sabayon with saffron and blood orange.
The little extra: the hidden interior terrace of the restaurant, where we dined that evening, which is full of charm.
Graanmarkt 13
Graanmarkt 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: starters between €12 and €22 / dishes between €16 and €48 / sides between €13 and €20 / desserts between €15 and €18
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Where to have a chic dinner in Antwerp? Chez Fiera
This restaurant and bar is set in the sumptuous setting of the former Schippersbeurs of Antwerp (the Boatmen’s Exchange), which was once an international meeting place. This address offers a magical setting, with a building dating from the end of the 19th century that is a jewel of neo-Gothic architecture with its delicate metal frame. It is truly the perfect place for a chic and romantic dinner in the city, in a breathtaking setting. In the kitchen, we find chefs Andy De Cremer and Davide Mazzoni, who offer dishes with international accents, each time linked to a different city.
To test: the house cocktails (prices between €13 and €19) which are very good. I particularly recommend the Feria Sour (€18), which is made with Elixir d’Anvers, a neon-yellow liqueur with digestive properties; the 4-course tasting menu to discover and let yourself be carried away by the chef’s cuisine.
Fiera
Lange Nieuwstraat 14, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: lunch menu at €39 in 2 stages or €49 in 3 stages / dinner menu in 4 stages at €69 or 5 stages €79
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Where to stay in Antwerp? Hôtel ‘t Sandt
This small boutique hotel is very well located in the center of Antwerp and it is truly charming. It offers 29 rooms and suites with rather atypical volumes. Our duplex room no. 101 “The Milestone,” for example, had a mezzanine bed and an impressive ceiling height. The common areas are decorated with taste, and you can find contemporary art works everywhere. It’s a very beautiful address for a short stay in Antwerp.
The hotel also has a very pretty interior courtyard with a terrace where it is pleasant to sit for breakfast during sunny days, for example, or just to have a coffee or tea during the day. Breakfast is served buffet-style and is of good quality, offering good products.
Hôtel’t Sandt
Zand 13/De Rubenszaal, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Prices: night starting from €195
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A 5-star hotel in Antwerp? The Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp
We didn’t test this hotel, but I heard a lot about it, so we took advantage of our quick visit to the city’s Botanical Garden (I talk about it in the first part of the article) to go take a quick look. The place is magnificent, and I think that even without staying there, it must be nice to go have a drink or eat there.
Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp
Leopoldstraat 26, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Practical Questions
It is very simple and fast! Just take a Thalys / Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord. The trip is direct and takes about 2 hours. You will arrive directly at the magnificent Antwerp Central Station (one of the most beautiful in the world), located right in the city center. It is the perfect destination for a weekend without a car.
Absolutely, it’s a real good deal for saving money. It includes free access to public transport and to the main tourist sites such as the Plantin-Moretus Museum, the Rubens House, or the Cathedral of Our Lady. It is available for 24h, 48h, or 72h.
For a charming stay, I recommend the Hotel ‘t Sandt. It is a boutique hotel that is very well located with a nice interior courtyard. If you are looking for pure luxury, the Botanic Sanctuary, a 5-star hotel installed in a former monastery, is an exceptional address.
Impossible to visit Antwerp without tasting the Bolleke De Koninck, the iconic amber beer of the city. You can even visit the historic brewery to learn more about its production. On the sweet side, chocolate is an absolute must!
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Thanks to VisitFlanders and VisitAntwerpen for organizing this trip to Antwerp in 2022.
To perfect your exploration of the Flemish part of Belgium, the logical and essential continuation of this journey is to organize a great weekend to visit Ghent, world-renowned for its majestic historic center, its gastronomic and cultural life, and its Castle of the Counts.
I hope that with all this I will have made you want to discover Antwerp and Flanders, and if you too have your favorite addresses and tips for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Find all my articles on Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia) below:
⇒ All my articles on Belgium
⇒ All my articles on Flanders
GENERAL INFO ON BELGIUM
⇒ Brussels, the capital
⇒ Belgian gastronomy
⇒ B&Bs in Belgium
MY ARTICLES ON FLANDERS
⇒ Bruges
⇒ Ghent
⇒ Leuven
⇒ The Belgian Coast and Ostend
MY ARTICLES ON WALLONIA
⇒ Gaume Province
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free; the photographer's authorization is required before any use
