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    Antwerp

    Belgium

    Antwerp

    City

    Antwerp is the port and art city on the Scheldt, approximately 40 kilometres north of Brussels.

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    9. Antwerp
    Antwerp is the port and art city on the Scheldt, approximately 40 kilometres north of Brussels. Here you'll encounter Rubens in the Cathedral, one of Europe's most beautiful train stations, and a museum tower with panoramic views over the port.In the 16th century, Antwerp was one of Europe's leading trade centres; this is evidenced by the Old Town and the Plantin-Moretus Printing Museum. Today, the fashion scene, diamond trade, and one of Europe's largest ports characterise the city.
    With around 565,000 inhabitants, Antwerp is Belgium's most populous municipality, home to people from approximately 180 nations. The Old Town, between the Cathedral, Grote Markt, and Scheldt, is best explored on foot. The density of Flemish Baroque art is remarkable: you'll encounter Rubens in the Cathedral and the KMSKA. To the north lies the former port district Eilandje with the MAS, and to the south, the museum quarter Het Zuid, centered around the KMSKA. Antwerp-Centraal station is a magnificent sight that's worth a visit.

    Sights in Antwerp

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Cathedral of Our Lady
    Church

    1Cathedral of Our Lady

    Construction of the Gothic cathedral began in 1352. Its 123-meter tower is the tallest church spire in Benelux and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Belfries. Inside, among other works, hang The Raising of the Cross, The Descent from the Cross, and The Assumption of Mary by Rubens; admission is charged for visits.
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    Rubenshuis
    Museum

    2Rubenshuis

    Rubens' historic house is closed for renovation and will reopen no earlier than 2030. You can already visit the garden, library, and the Rubens Experience visitor center with videos and interactive stations.
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    MAS | Museum aan de Stroom
    Museum

    3MAS | Museum aan de Stroom

    The 60-meter-high museum tower by Neutelings Riedijk has stood in Eilandje's port district since 2011. The exhibitions are open from Tuesday to Sunday; the boulevard and panoramic roof are freely accessible, offering expansive views over the city and port. The entire complex is closed on Mondays.
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    Museum Plantin-Moretus
    Museum

    4Museum Plantin-Moretus

    The printing house of the Plantin and Moretus families operated from 1576 to 1867 in the same location and is today a UNESCO World Heritage site. Due to renovation and reorganization of its collection, the museum has been closed since August 3, 2026; it will reopen for its 150th museum anniversary on the weekend of December 5 and 6, 2026.
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    Restaurants in Antwerp

    1

    't Zilte

    Restaurant by Viki Geunes on the top floor of the MAS, again awarded three Michelin Stars in 2026. Make your reservation early.
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    2

    The Jane

    Nick Bril's two-Michelin-star restaurant, since 2026 in the converted Montevideo warehouse complex on the Eilandje.
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    3

    Blossom

    Restaurant by chefs Nebo Schamp and Brend Geudens in the Borgerhout district, first awarded a Michelin star in 2026.
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    Antwerp's Specialties

    Bolleke De Koninck

    Amber Pale Ale from the De Koninck City Brewery, which has been brewing on Mechelsesteenweg since 1833. It gets its name from the bulbous glass in which it is served.

    Antwerpse handjes

    Hand-shaped butter biscuits, designed in 1934 by confectioner Jos Hakker. Since 1982, also available as pralines.

    Elixir d'Anvers

    Herbal liqueur, launched in 1863 by François-Xavier de Beukelaer and still distilled today in Antwerp following a secret recipe.

    Rubens, Printmaking and Port City

    The City of RubensPeter Paul Rubens lived and worked in Antwerp; his house and studio are now a museum. The historic house is closed for renovation and will reopen in 2030 at the earliest; the garden, the Rubens Experience visitor centre, and the library are open. Four major works by Rubens hang in the Cathedral of Our Lady, including The Raising of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross.Trading Power and LegendThe legend of the giant Antigoon, who chopped off the hands of sailors on the Scheldt until the Roman Brabo defeated him, is said to explain the city's name. This is commemorated by the Antwerpse handjes, hand-shaped biscuits and chocolates. The Museum Plantin-Moretus preserves the only surviving printing and publishing house from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2005.

    Nightlife

    1

    Café Den Engel

    Brown Café on the Grote Markt, housed in a 14th-century building, known for Bolleke De Koninck on tap.
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    2

    Quentin Matsys

    Considered Antwerp's oldest cafe, it dates back to a 1565 inn, with stained-glass windows and beer steins on the shelves.
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    Getting There and Around in Antwerp

    Getting ThereFrom Brussels, the train journey to Antwerpen-Centraal takes 40 to around 50 minutes, with several connections per hour. Additionally, from September 2026, an ICE train will run twice daily from Cologne via Liège, Leuven, and Brussels Airport to Antwerp.Getting AroundFrom the station, you can walk to the Old Town, as most sights are close to each other. Antwerp has a Low Emission Zone (LEZ): Foreign vehicles may only enter after prior free online registration. Electric and hydrogen vehicles are always permitted.

    Accommodations in Antwerp

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    Nearby

    Province of Antwerp

    Belgium's northernmost province borders the Netherlands, reaching from Antwerp to the heath and forest landscape of Kempen. Besides Antwerp, with the Rubens House and Plantin-Moretus Museum, Mechelen is also worth a visit, with its cathedral and the Grand Beguinage.
    Mechelen

    Mechelen

    Mechelen is halfway between Brussels and Antwerp and can be reached from both cities in about 20 minutes by train. You come for the tower of St. Rumbold's Cathedral, one of Belgium's oldest breweries, and a poignant Holocaust memorial.In the first half of the 16th century, Mechelen was the capital of the Netherlands under Margaret of Austria. Palaces and churches date from this Burgundian golden age, and the Old Town remains manageable and largely car-free to this day.
    Brussels

    Brussels

    Brussels is the capital of Belgium and home to key EU institutions, also one of Europe's great cultural cities. Around the Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998, are guildhouses, 19th-century covered shopping arcades, and countless brasseries; in addition, there's the Atomium, Victor Horta's Art Nouveau houses, and the Magritte Museum.
    Region Brussels-Capital

    Region Brussels-Capital

    The Capital Region comprises Brussels and its 19 municipalities, and is a bilingual enclave in the heart of Flanders. Home to central EU institutions and NATO headquarters, Brussels is also one of Europe's great cultural cities, boasting the Grand-Place and Victor Horta's townhouses.
    Lions

    Lions

    Leuven (German: Löwen) is located approximately 25 kilometres east of Brussels and has been home to one of Europe's oldest universities since 1425. You come here for the Late Gothic Town Hall, the UNESCO-protected Great Beguinage, and an Old Town shaped by student life.More than 50,000 students from KU Leuven ensure the cafés on Oude Markt are bustling late into the night. The city is also home to the headquarters of brewing giant AB InBev, where Stella Artois is brewed. The compact city centre is easily explored on foot.