Antwerp Travel Guide

Introduction

Antwerp, Belgium's second-largest city with a city population of approximately 565,000 (over 1.2 million in the metropolitan area), stands proudly on the east bank of the Scheldt river. This historic port city combines medieval charm with modern vitality, featuring one of Europe's largest ports and serving as a global hub for the diamond trade. The city centre, a polygon framed by boulevards and the river, showcases beautifully restored buildings, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site City Hall and the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady. With a population representing 170 nationalities, Antwerp ranks as the world's second most multicultural city. Its Golden Age in the 16th century left an indelible mark on its architecture and cultural heritage, particularly visible in the stunning Grote Markt and the historic diamond district.

The port of Antwerp is the most inland seaport and the second-largest port in Europe, after Rotterdam. It plays a crucial role in Belgian trade, with a significant portion of the country's exports passing through it. Antwerp is also renowned for its chemical industry, hosting major international companies. Half of the world's top 20 chemical companies have operations in Antwerp.

Antwerp is the world's leading center for trading, cutting, and polishing diamonds. Approximately 80% of the world's rough diamonds and about 50% of the polished diamonds are traded in the city. However, the diamond industry is facing challenges due to global competition and recent sanctions.

Beyond its industrial significance, Antwerp has been recognized as a fashion design city since the 1990s. With 29 theatres, 6 concert halls, and 35 museums, Antwerp boasts one of the highest densities of cultural venues per capita in Europe.

Antwerp boasts a vibrant culinary scene with several Michelin-starred restaurants, including the three-starred Zilte, two-starred establishments like The Jane and Hertog Jan at Botanic, and numerous one-starred venues solidifying its position as a top gastronomic destination in Belgium. As of 2025, Antwerp boasted 17 Michelin stars, the second highest per capita of any city in Europe after Paris. Antwerp hosted the 2024 Michelin Guide ceremony, further cementing its culinary reputation.

Interesting Facts about Antwerp

• Antwerp is renowned as the "Diamond Capital of the World," with between 80% and 90% of the world's rough diamonds and 50% of cut diamonds being traded there annually.
• The city is home to one of Europe's oldest zoos, founded in 1843, which houses over 6,000 animals.
• Antwerp boasts the world's largest coffee storage site, holding over 300,000 tonnes of coffee.
• The Boerentoren, built in 1932, is the oldest skyscraper in Europe.
• Antwerp was the site of the world's first printed newspaper, published nearly 400 years ago.
• The city features a unique underground network of canals and tunnels known as De Ruien.
• Antwerp's Port is the second-largest in Europe, after Rotterdam, and is a major economic hub.
• The city is famous for its vibrant fashion scene and historical heritage.
• Antwerp is connected by three tunnels under the River Scheldt, including the Kennedy Tunnel.
• The city hosts the beautiful Hof van Liere, a Brabantine Gothic-style building that serves as part of Antwerp University.

History

Antwerp was already inhabited in Gallo-Roman times. A first fortification was built in the 7th century, but it was destroyed by the Vikings in the 9th century.

In the 10th century, Antwerp became a margraviate (a border county) of the Holy Roman Empire, the Schedlt River marking the border with the County of Flanders, which was then a fief of the Kingdom of France. In the 12th century, the Margraviate of Antwerp merged with the County of Leuven to form the Duchy of Brabant.

This terrible blow did not prevent Antwerp from flourishing again in the 17th century, with painters like Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens, the sculptor families Quellin and Verbrugghen or printers like Moretus.

The Scheldt, which gives access to the sea 60km away, remained closed between 1650 and the 19th century, and Antwerp's prosperity declined. Napoleon saw the Port of Antwerp as "a pistol pointed at the heart of England" and undertook its modernizaton. The French period (1792-1815) was not all good for Antwerp, and was accompanied by cultural plunder and destruction. The anti-clericalism of the French revolutionaries even threatened the cathedral - but the buildings remained intact.

The Northern and Southern Netherlands were shortly reunified between 1815 and 1830. The Scheldt was not reopened until 1863 though, but from that time on, Antwerp was set to become again the great city it had been. It evolved into the world's third largest port, until Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian cities slowly relayed it to the tenth position at present.

In 1920, Antwerp hosted the sixth Summer Olympic Games. In 1993, Antwerp was nominated Cultural Capital of Europe.

Attractions

Grote Markt

Antwerp's Grote Markt (town square) is a jewel of 16th century architecture. The houses of the Guilds are richly decorated with golden statues, like in Brussels's Grote Markt.

The Stadhuis (town hall) was completed in 1564 in Renaissance style, with a touch of Flemish Gothic so as not to contrast too sharply with the surrounding buildings.

In the middle of the square stands a 1887 statue of Brabo, the legendary slayer of the giant.

'Hofstraat', a street situated near the Town Square, is the place where the 'Old Stock Exchange' stood unitil 1533.

Our Lady's Cathedral

Contrarily to most churches in Belgium, or even Europe, this cathedral charges an admission fee (2 €). Visitors are welcome between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturdays and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays and public holidays.

The Steen

Antwerp's castle is known as Het Steen (lit. "The Stone"), so called because at the time it was built in the 13th century most buildings were still made of wood.

The castle was revamped in 1520 under Charles V of Habsburg by the architects Keldermans and De Waghemakere.

The statue in front of the castle's gate was once endowed of a conspicuous virile member, but the prude Jesuits disposed of it in the 17th century.

In 1890, The Steen became the museum of archeology and in 1952 an annex was added to house the museum of Antwerp maritime history, which in 2011 moved to the nearby Museum Aan de Stroom. Here you'll also find a war memorial to the Canadian soldiers in WWII.

Other sights around the Grote Markt

The Museum Plantin-Moretus traces back the history of printing and publishing since the middle of the 16th century. Christophe Plantin (1520-1589) was a French humanist who moved to Antwerp in 1549 and set up a printing establishment there, which eventually became the largest such business in the Low Countries. After his death, the company was taken over by his son-in-law, Jan Moretus. The museum has an exceptional collection of typographical material, including the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world. Its remarkable library possesses some very rare books, including a Bible in five languages (Biblia Polyglotta) and an anatomical book by Andreas Vesalius. The museum is located on Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market), 200m south of the town hall.

In the opposite direction, 100m north of the town hall is the Vleeshuis (Butcher's Hall, open 10am-5pm, closed Mondays). Headquarter of the butcher's guild since the 14th century, it used to be the only place to sell meat in the city in medieval times.

Further north, off the Veemarkt is Sint-Jacobskerk (St. James' Church). This is where Antwerp's noblemen and rich bourgeois were buried. The church was built between 1491 and 1656. It has no less than 23 tomb-chapels, one of which is the resting place of Peter Paul Rubens. The master made the painting "Our Lady Surrounded by Saints" with the intention to be placed on his tomb. It has been speculated that it could be a family portrait, with Rubens impersonating St George.

From there, take the Minderbroedersrui street southward until Keizerstraat, where Rockoxhuis (Rockox House, open 10am-5pm, closed Mondays) is located. Nicolaas Rockox (1560-1640) was the mayor of Antwerp for 8 years between 1603 and 1625. His house has an small collection of paintings by Brueghel, Matsijs, Van Dyck, Jordaens, as well as his personal friend Rubens. Pieter Brueghel the Younger's Proverbs, in room 6, is particularly famous.

South-west of Rockoxhuis, you will reach the splendid Baroque-style Sint-Carolus-Borromeuskerk (St. Charles Borromeo' Church), on Hendrick Conscienceplein. It was built by the Jesuits in 1621, and for the most part designed by Rubens. The great master also made 39 ceiling paintings, which were unfortunately destroyed by a fire in 1718.

The Meir

The Meir is lined with Rococo-style buildings. Two of them, designed by architect Van Baurscheit, particularly stand out: the Osterrieth House and the Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), which was used, among others, by Napoleon and is the former Royal Residence of the Belgian Kings in Antwerp.

Famous brands and designers' boutiques can be found principally along Schuttershofstraat and Hopland, which run parallel to the Meir to the south. The two shopping streets are connected by a long square known as Wapper. This is on Wapper than stand the Koninklijk Paleis and Rubens' House.