A City of History and Riches
When one thinks of Belgium, one thinks of Brussels. Brussels is the capital of Belgium, and the biggest city in the country with many activities to offer. But, if you want to escape the touristy crowd, head to the nearby city Antwerp, more commonly known as Antwerpen.
Antwerpen is a small metropolis city. By small, I mean really small. There are some cities that you can cover on foot in a single day, but this place can be covered on foot multiple times in a day, as long as you don’t start shopping in the gorgeous boutiques and stores on Meir Street.
Antwerpen has a modern and a historical vibe, is small yet magnificent, trendy and classical at the same time. The city was a major port in Europe, and has flourished due to the extensive trade that carried through its rivers over the years. The city is famous for its diamond work, fashion boutiques, and Belgium specialities like waffles, beer and chocolates!
ITINERARY
Antwerpen is great for a weekend getaway or perhaps even just as a day visit from a neighbouring country. It can be combined with other places like Ghent, or Bruges for a bigger holiday.
The city does not really need an itinerary, so choose a few from the following museums and places that look interesting to you, or if you are not in a mood to do much, head over to the next section.
Plantin-Moretus Museum
I am not a fan of museums, but this museum caught me by surprise. As soon as I entered here, I was intrigued by the whole art of printing and how it has evolved from the beginning. The museum showcases the life of Plantin & Moretus family, and their contributions to the printing business, to the religious publishings and to the city of antwerp. There are some hands on activities you can do and can easily spend 2-3 hours there.
Cathedral of our Lady
The high tower (123m) of this UNESCO World Heritage site will catch your eye from anywhere around, as it is tall and has a wonderful gothic architecture. If you wish to go inside, there is a small ticket and you can see the interiors, and its valuable art and sculpture collection. It even houses some paintings by Ruben.
A good time to do during summer, concerts are played in the tower every Sunday from 3pm to 4pm.
RubenHuis
RubenHuis is where the famous Ruben lived and worked. Who is Rubens? Peter Paul Rubens was one of the most influential artists of the Flemish Baroque tradition who is known for religious, mythological paintings depicting Christian history. The house is a museum of his famous works and life journey.
MAAS – Museum Aan De Stroom
The Museum by the river (in english), houses maritime subjects in its collection. It documents international trade through the city of Antwerp over the years, and connects the local culture, art, history to its rivers. It’s a fairly new addition to the city, having opened just in 2011.
ENJOY THE VIBE
Go to the rooftop of MAAS museum
The rooftop is open all day long, and is the best place to get excellent views of the whole city and the river Scheldt. Because the river is on the west, you can also capture sunset views from here. No entry tickets required for this.
Mier Street
Antwerp is known for its striking sense of fashion. It is a home to a lot of urbane designers, and definitely worth exploring. You can find great stores of all the brands, high-end or more regular ones, on mier street.
Sint-Annatunnel
There is a tunnel 31 meters below the river, that is open for pedestrians and cyclists. Take a walk and you will be impressed by the tunnel (knowing that it was constructed in 1933). On reaching the other side of the river, you can enjoy the city views, and see all the amazing buildings in one sight.
Waffles
No belgian trip can be completed without having the quintessential belgian waffles. If you prefer the soft Leige waffles, head to The Smallest Waffle Shop in the world, and you will not be dissapointed. If you are more of a crunchy brussel waffle fan, then head to Desire de Lille, a very old shop serving authentic Brussel Waffles and pancakes with a lot of variety of toppings.
Cartoon Walls
Belgium is home to some of the most popular cartoons. Alot of cartoonists took inspiration from the city and based their stories around this place. Be on the lookout of giant comic strips on the walls that will definitely take you down the childhood lane. It’s just the cutest city ever for walking around!
How to reach there
By Train
Antwerpen Central, the main station is despite being a beautiful building is also well connected with direct trains available from neighbouring countries like France, Netherlands, Germany and even London.
By Flight
Antwerp has a good connectivity with many airport. Two main are – Zaventem, 45 kilometres from Antwerp, or 30 minutes by car and Deurne Airport which is a 15-minute drive from Antwerp. Brussels and Eindhoven Airports are two other airports from which you can reach Antwerp easily.
By Road
There are bus options from nearby countries, or rent a car from Paris or Amsterdam even and reach there within 2-4 hours.