Antwerp: 7 Must-Try Activities
When people think about Belgium, they probably think first of the cities of Brussels and Bruges. But Antwerp is absolutely worth a visit! Located in the north of the country, about an hour from Bruges by train, this town of more than 500,000 inhabitants on the Scheldt River has an historic downtown from the Middle Ages, a vibrant population, and gorgeous museums.
Fountain of Grabo with Antigone’s hand, in front of the townhall, on the Grand-Place.
Without further ado, here are my seven must-try activities in Antwerp:
1. Explore the historic downtown
Explore the historic downtown
Don’t hesitate to get lost in the small, paved streets of the old downtown of Antwerp, that’s how you find cool secret restaurants and less visited churches.
Observe the buildings, typical of a small middle-class merchant town from the Middle Ages, enjoy the lack of cars, and don’t forget to stop by the Grand-Place to admire the statue of Brabo, famous figure of the town who, according to the legend, killed Antigone and cut his hand, throwing it in the nearby Scheldt River. If you visit in the winter, there’s also a Christmas market on the same Place.
Make sure to also stop by the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, with its gothic structure and belfry listed in the World UNESCO Heritage List.
Visit the MAS
Before going inside the Museum Aan de Stroom, the “museum on the water”, walk around it: it’s beautiful!
It contains maritime, ethnographic, and anthropological collections. There is a lot about the history of Antwerp, but also a permanent collection of pre-Colombian American art. The museum tries to link the port of Antwerp with the rest of the world.
Most of all, before leaving, don’t forget to go all the way up to the terrace for a great view of the city, its port, and river.
Note that the museum is closed on Mondays, except Easter Monday and Whit Monday.
Stop by the Stadsfeestzaal on Meir Street
The pedestrian Meir Street is full of stores, shops, and restaurants, but even if you don’t like shopping, I would recommend walking it to see the locals and the admire its architecture.
Many facades of buildings are impressive, there are many beautiful statues along the way, and mostly, stop by the Stadsfeestzaal, a mall with a color theme: gold!
Finally, take Wapper Street to go visit Rubens House.
Discover the Rubens House
As the name indicates, Peter Paul Rubens, 17th century baroque painter, lived and worked here. His house has been turned into a museum, where you can see how he lived and painted.
You won’t only see his paintings, but also those of many of his contemporaries, such as Van Dyck, for Rubens was a collector. The museum contains gorgeous sculptures and paintings.
Don’t forget to step out into the beautiful garden!
Wander in Stadspark
This park is a breath of fresh air.
It’s not very big, but what a pleasure to stroll in the green space, see the birds, observe people talking and having a picnic, and to only see the silhouette of the surrounding buildings, hidden by trees, bringing things back to a more human scale.
Sit near the water and write postcards to your loved ones… or try a local delicacy!
Try The Local Foods
Antwerp has all the famous culinary specialties of Belgium: beers, chocolates, fries. The number of choices for beer can be overwhelming (some places boast as many beers as days in the year!) so don’t hesitate to ask for help when choosing one.
But there is an even more local treat you can try: “Antwerp Hands” are cookies shaped like the hand of the giant Antigonus, cut and thrown into the river by Brabo.
Go down into the SintAnna tunnel
The Saint Anna Tunnel, which opened in 1933, goes under the river Scheldt at a depth of 100 feet and is 625 yards long (that’s about 5 football fields!).
Taking it is a unique experience : it is reserved to pedestrians and cyclists, decorated with Art deco tiles. It features an elevator on each side, but I strongly recommend taking the wooden escalators at least once!
And once on the other side, you get a nice view of the city’s riverfront.