Antwerp Holidays

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth

Like the whole of Belgium, Antwerp is world renowned for its chocolates. Walk down any shopping thoroughfare and it will be hard to draw your eyes away from the ornate displays of sweet temptation.

If you want a uniquely local twist on the national obsession, try some Antwerpse Handjes, chocolate biscuits shaped like hands. This tradition comes from the legend of a soldier who cut off the hands of a giant who was menacing the city's inhabitants.

Find a Girl Her Best Friend

Antwerp has fought with Amsterdam for dominance in the diamond trade for centuries, but now it is safe to say the Belgian city has won the war. When it comes to cut diamonds, no place in the world sells more. To process all the precious stones that pass through the country, Antwerp has four diamond bourses. In the space of a few blocks around Hoveniersstraat, more than 1,000 diamond dealers ply their trade.

Sample the Local Brew

In many places in Antwerp, the beer list will have more entries than the wine list. Light beers, dark beers, somewhere-in-between beers, wheat beers, fruit beers, and even high-gravity beers made by Trappist monks are available in one of the city's seemingly countless pubs.

These welcoming taverns can be found on almost every corner, but be careful: the strength of the beers and the fact that there is no official closing time could be a dangerous combination.

Step into a Fairytale

The beating heart of Antwerp, the Grote Markt is a market square of almost fairytale beauty. Claim a chair outside one of the many cafes and pubs to admire the view. Dotting the square are several of the city's most important buildings: the Stadhuis or town hall, the Lakenhalle or cloth hall, and Schepenhuis or Alderman's house.

The Gothic buildings are crammed so close together they seem to rely on each other to hold themselves up. The square is most beautiful in the evening, when the light from the buildings is reflected on the cobblestones.

Rubens House Museum

Truly a Renaissance man, Peter Paul Rubens was among the finest painters of his generation as well as an advisor to kings and avid accumulator of other artists’ works. His impeccable taste is on display at the Rubens House Museum. Rubens lived in the building and died there in 1640.

After subsequent architectural changes, it was restored to its early 17th-century glory. Inside you can see Rubens's works in the same spot where he created them, as well as the paintings of other members of the Antwerp school.

Plantin Moretus Museum

In 16th-century Europe there was no machine more powerful than the printing press. In a continent torn apart by religious struggle, Antwerp evaded the grasp of the censors of Europe's largest nations. Printers Christoffel Plantin and Jan Moretus made the most of this neutrality, publishing works from both Protestants and Catholics.

The museum, in their former printworks, houses the oldest printing presses in the world and provides a fascinating insight into this first method of mass communication.

MoMu Fashion Museum

Housed in the ModieNatie, the MoMu Museum breathes fashion. The 19th-century building was first used as a home for fashion house 'New England'. These days it houses not only MoMu but also two other fashion institutes. The Mode Museum, as it’s called, traces the city's fashion heritage while keeping up to date with a series of contemporary exhibitions.

Cathedral of Our Lady

Dominating the Antwerp skyline is the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, or Cathedral of Our Lady. It boasts the tallest spire in Belgium and the Low Countries and, like Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, remains unfinished.

The first building stone was laid in the 14th century, and since then the holy site has survived a conflagration and attacks during the Reformation and French Revolution.

Built in the Gothic style, it houses the work of Rubens along with the star attraction, an enchanting stained glass depicting the Last Supper.

Tip * Booking your Tours, Transfers & Airport Parking before you go will save your money & time and ensure a stress free start to your holiday

Buses and Trams

Easy to use, reliable, and offering excellent coverage, Antwerp's public transport network does the city proud. There are 12 tramlines criss-crossing central Antwerp, the most useful for tourists being the 15 (or light brown line if you work better with colours) and the 2, coloured dark green. Both of these connect the main square, Groenplaats with Antwerp Central Station. You can buy single tickets or cards for use over longer periods.

Each time you board a tram or bus you need to put your ticket in the little yellow machine as proof of your journey. No one will check you, but there are periodic raids, so be sure to validate your ticket.

Taxis

Taxis in Antwerp are easy to find, relatively inexpensive, and metered. Don’t hail a taxi in the street; it’s better to pick one up by heading to a rank outside any of the major tourist attractions, train stations, or commercial hubs. Alternatively ask your hotel in Antwerp to arrange one on your behalf.

Bicycle

Antwerp is a cycle-friendly city and on two wheels is one of the best ways to explore the city. There are plenty of areas and lanes dedicated to bikes.

Trains

If you feel like exploring more of Belgium using Antwerp as your base, it could not be easier. The rail network provides regular services to a host of other European cities. Brussels and Ghent are merely 45 minutes away. Trains to France and Holland also run from Antwerp Central Station.

If you want more freedom, check deals for a car hire in Antwerp.

With its elegant facade and central location, the Hilton hotel is the perfect base from which to explore Antwerp’s attractions. A short hop from the airport, the hotel is in Groenplaats, a main square in the city, packed with cafes and bars. The Hilton itself is housed in the impressive 19th-century Grand Bazaar and is located near plenty of fantastic architecture. Within easy reach is the Cathedral of Our Lady.

The oldest hotel in the city, the Century Hotel is far from dated on the inside. The building was modernised in 2009 to meet the standards of travellers on a budget who do not want to compromise on comfort and convenience. With flat-screen TVs and WIFI throughout, the Century Hotel is also ideal for business travellers. If you feel like unwinding after a long day, head for the well-stocked bar or the Curnonsky Restaurant.

If arriving by train, you could not find a more convenient place to stay than the Radisson Blu Astrid Hotel. The 247-room hotel faces the wonderfully ornate Antwerp Central Station, the city's principle rail terminal. It is also in the heart of Antwerp's bustling diamond district and offers a sauna and a swimming pool to help tired travellers relax.

For a touch of luxury that befits its location in the diamond district, check in at De Wette Lelie hotel. The hotel prides itself on the personal touch, with ten suites beautifully decorated and even a hotel garden, perfect for relaxing with a book.

The wonderfully quirky Zuiderterras (Ernest Van Dijckkaai 37) is perched on the side of the River Scheldt and from the outside looks like the funnel on a cross-channel ferry. Inside, the bright, open dining room affords fantastic views, and the terrace is ideal for a lazy lunch on a sunny day. The cuisine is modern, with fresh salads and wonderful fish the main draws.

If you are the kind of person who dives straight for the wine list before even glancing at the menu, then Hecker (Kloosterstraat 13) is the place for you. In this fun and funky restaurant you can choose to ignore the menu completely. Simply choose your wine and your work is done. The chef will weigh up your choice and pick the perfect culinary accompaniment. Despite its fame among the city's trendsetters, Hecker is refreshingly unpretentious and situated in the charming Kloosterstraat, the centre of the city's antique trade.

A relaxed brunch at Chez Fred (Kloosterstraat 83) is the perfect fuel for a day spent wandering the antique shops and bric-a-brac stalls of the Kloosterstraat. For lunch or dinner, the comforting beef stew, or stoofvlees, is a favourite.

For authentic Flemish food and a great beer selection, head for De Groote Witte Arend (Reyndersstraat 18). The courtyard of this former mansion is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal on a summer's evening. A hearty serving of Flemish mash potatoes or stoemp should help soak up the alcohol content of the large number of heady brews on offer.

Vaccinations and Hygiene

There are no compulsory vaccinations for a trip to Antwerp, although you should always ensure you are up to date with your boosters for common diseases (tetanus, diphtheria etc.). Young children sometimes require their boosters earlier than adults, so check with your GP in advance of your departure date.

If you are bitten by a suspect animal seek treatment for rabies immediately.

The tap water is fine to drink, though bottled mineral water is easy to find and may taste better.

The health infrastructure of Belgium is excellent, and Antwerp has plenty of top-grade hospitals and health centres. Before you go, ask at your local post office or GP for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

To call emergency medical services dial 100; for police call 101.

Safety

There are no particular safety concerns in Antwerp, though some parts of the city, like the central train station, should be avoided at night (ask at your hotel if you are unsure).

Like in any city you are advised to be watchful of your belongings, especially on public transport and around popular tourist sites. If your hotel room has a safe, lock up some money and all important documents before you head out.

If you are using a bicycle, make sure you lock it up securely as bike thefts have been reported in the city.