Antwerp
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At a glance
- Country
- Belgium
- Region
- Antwerp Province, Flanders
- Population
- 530,000
- Best time to go
- April to September
- Main airport
- Brussels Airport (BRU)
- Coordinates
- 51.22°N, 4.40°E
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Overview
Antwerp is Belgium's great port city, confident and stylish, with a Golden Age old town on the Scheldt and a creative streak that runs from Rubens to its famous fashion academy.
It feels less polished for visitors than Bruges and more fun for it. Arrive through one of the world's grandest railway stations, spend the morning with old masters, and the evening over a bolleke of local De Koninck beer in a brown café.
Things to see
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Photo: Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 Antwerp Central Station
A cathedral of a railway station, with a vast domed hall of marble and gilt.
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Photo: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0 Cathedral of Our Lady
The tallest church tower in the Low Countries rises over four Rubens altarpieces, including the dramatic Descent from the Cross.
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Photo: , CC BY-SA 3.0 Rubenshuis
The painter's home and studio, with its Italianate portico and garden, in the heart of the shopping district.
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Photo: Klaus Graf, CC BY 2.5 Plantin-Moretus Museum
A Renaissance printing house with the world's oldest surviving printing presses, among UNESCO-listed libraries and courtyards.
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Photo: Zinneke, CC BY-SA 3.0 Museum aan de Stroom (MAS)
A stacked red-stone tower in the old docks, with free access to a rooftop panorama over the city and port.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Tim Stoops, CC BY-SA 4.0 Fashion and design shopping
Browse the boutiques of Belgian designers around Nationalestraat and Kammenstraat, home of the MoMu fashion museum.
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Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0 Explore Het Zuid
The southern district around the Royal Museum of Fine Arts is full of galleries, grand belle-époque streets and good restaurants.
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Photo: agracier - NO VIEWS, CC BY-SA 3.0 Drink a bolleke
Order the city's own amber ale in its round goblet at a traditional café near the Grote Markt.
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Photo: Quatrostein, CC BY-SA 3.0 Walk under the Scheldt
Take the 1930s Sint-Anna pedestrian tunnel, with its wooden escalators, to the left bank for a view back across the skyline.
Where to stay
Old Town
Cobbled streets around the cathedral and Grote Markt; the classic first-visit base.
Hotels in Old TownHet Zuid
Stylish and residential, with the best of the restaurants and galleries.
Hotels in Het ZuidEilandje
The regenerated docks near the MAS, modern and quiet with harbour views.
Hotels in EilandjeAround Central Station
Convenient for trains and day trips, and close to the diamond quarter.
Hotels in Around Central Station
Getting around
The centre is walkable, and trams cover longer distances. Bikes are easy to hire through the city's Velo scheme.
Direct trains run from Brussels Airport to Antwerp Central in around 35 minutes; trains from Brussels city take about 45 minutes.
When to go
April to September is mild and good for outdoor terraces and walks along the river. Winters are grey and damp, but the museums and cafés make Antwerp an easy year-round city.
Plan your trip to Antwerp
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.