Top 10 Best Things to Do in Antwerp
Antwerp is the second largest city of Belgium and by far the most beautiful one. This city definitely deserves to be on the list of 10 best places to visit in Europe! Selected as one of the new leading city trip destinations it is the perfect stop if you are exploring Europe for the first time. Amsterdam, Paris and London are only a short distance away but we are absolutely sure you will stick around in Antwerp!
Antwerp is very well known for diamonds, but the chance you’ ll be buying those are much smaller then the nr of food and beer you will eat and drink. Welcome to one of the smallest countries in the world where they serve the best craft beers and were locals rather take a bath filled with chocolate instead of water!
Most beautiful Central Station in the World
1. The Central Station
Planning your arrival to Antwerp but not sure how to get there, well the central station is a breathtaking building and really worth to take a closer look.
Often tipped by The Telegraph, Mashable and Newsweek as one of het most beautiful stations of the world. Antwerp people also call it railway Cathedral.
Built between 1895 and finished in 1903 in eclectic style inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The big stairs on the inside is for sure a favorite spot for Antwerp people to find each other.
So why not choose to travel in style and hop on that train all the way to Antwerp. Book your local guide so you can find your way to the best places to shop, eat and drink! Because we have heard Antwerp has a lot of famous food places.
Bites & Walks
Best food tour and guided walk
2. The Best Food Tour in Antwerp: Bites & Walks
This tour kicks of with the amazingly happy and sociable Nina, it’s like you know her for years! Your local friend brings an instant smile on your face! Nina is a true food and beer lover and a great storyteller! The combination is perfect to start your city trip as she will give you so many tips where to go and what to do. This city trip can’t go wrong. Listed best 5 things to do in Antwerp!
Food connects, it is a world language and it brings people together. Nina takes you on this really cool food journey, off the beaten track, meet the locals. You will taste seasonable Antwerp food from the best local merchants, sweet, savory, crispy, creamy … you name it … you ‘re about to taste all of it! She even included a Vegan Food Tour and brings you to numerous of vegan hotspots in Antwerp.
A place where chocolate is called the black gold and fries are sold on every corner of the street. Crispy light waffles topped with cream and the land where beer is served any time of the day. Nina guides several of tours during the week and weekend. Bites & Walks is tipped to be the best food tours in Antwerp.
MAS
Enjoy this amazing view of Antwerp
3. Enjoy the amazing view on the MAS
Antwerp has the 2nd biggest harbor of Europe after Rotterdam and there is no better place to experience this view from Museum aan de Stroom, translated that would mean Museum at the Stream. Situated at the north part of Antwerp this massive building connects people, art and their stories from around the world.
The museum counts several of areas spread over 10 different floors and it contains 500 000 changing pieces that are shown in different exposition spaces. We know, it's a lot but don’t worry if you don’t have enough time to check out every exhibition. Just go all the way up to the rooftop and enjoy a magnificent 360° view of Antwerp. That one is for free!
Museum of Beautiful Arts
Plantin Moretus Unesco Listed
The Cathedral of Antwerp
Hello Rubens!
4. Museum of Beautiful Arts
Almost open and we can’t wait to get in, this is gonna be the bomb! Braise yourself fort he reopening of the Museum of Beautiful Arts in Antwerp by 2021. The last renovation took place in 1977 but what they have done now you have never seen before. Building a new museum into the old museum, you will be blown away. The KMSKA lays in the South part of Antwerp an impressive area were you can enjoy beautiful walks and visit the best art galleries. Anyway, the building itself is a jewel built between 1884 and 1890.
The collection of the museum holds an impressive overview of the most important painters from the 16th and 17th centuries from the north part of Europe. Keep an eye on the opening because you do not want to miss out the works of geniuses such as Hans Memling, Jean Fouquet, Jacob Jordaens and Peter Paul Rubens.
5. Unesco World Heritage Plantin Moretus Museum
Welcome to Plantin-Moretus Museum. Home tot he oldest printing presses in the world.
This museum was the first museum to be recognized as Unesco world heritage in 2005, thanks to the complete documentation that has been treasured from the very beginning.
Walk into the printing house and the residence of the Plantin-Moretus family just like they did 400 years ago! It all started in the Golden Age, the 16the century, a time when painters such as Pieter Paul Rubens and Pieter Breugel the Elder met the Plantin family to discuss the printing of their drawings.
This book printing house was run by an exceptional family and many generations of Antwerp commons owe their careers to this.
So visiting this exceptional museum is a must do experience when visiting Antwerp!
6. The Cathedral
Antwerp residents are very proud people and that just shows in the way they name their Cathedral. Onze Lieve vrouw Kathedraal, Our Sweet Lady Cathedral, that’s how they name her … I mean they just love her. It’s impressive and she is a beauty.
This stunning and pure piece of gothic architecture was built between 1352 and 1521 and the largest in the Low Countries. Just looking at her is amazing but wait until you get in. Inside you will find the 4 masterpieces of Rubens painted by the artist between 1609 and 1626.
Admission is charged to enter this church but let that not hold you back. This one is listend on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage.
7. Say hi to Rubens!
You can not complete your city trip to Antwerp without visiting the home and atelier of one the worlds most talented painters ever: Pieter Paul Rubens. But not only was he in master in painting, the guy was a genius!
He led a large studio and educated many new artists, he designed his own house, travelled the world and spoke his languages. A true entrepreneur from the 16th century.