Things to do In Antwerp

Mixing history and hip, great art, architecture and a buzzy street life, Antwerp never ceases to surprise. Did you know, for instance, that it’s the most important diamond trading city in the world, that one of Europe’s oldest zoos is set in beautiful gardens just moments from the palatial Central railway station – or that chic Belgian designer clothes are turning Antwerp into a fashion capital? There’s even a fashion museum (MoMu) and a ‘fashion walk’.

In the historic centre, tall houses of terracotta brick and Dutch-style stepped gables line narrow, cobbled streets. Hidden courtyards and secret alleyways hark back to industrious days – in the 16th century, its ‘Golden Age’, Antwerp was bigger than Paris or London. The city owes its existence – and its chequered history – to the River Scheldt. There are great views from riverside walks and summer boat trips, and the massive Port stretches for miles.

Some of the world’s greatest painters lived and worked in Antwerp – Rubens, Van Dyck, Breughel, Jordaens – and art meets antiques in a host of small, intimate and quite wonderful museums. Churches, too, are filled with art treasures.

Candles flicker behind the wood-framed windows of cosy, character-full restaurants; café tables and wicker chairs spill out onto leafy squares. Eating is a pleasure here, and very good value. In Antwerp, the presentation of food, even if it’s just a cup of coffee, is a matter of pride. Then there’s the Belgian beer (one pub boasts over 280 varieties), the fabulous chocolate, and the people. The Dutch-speaking locals are as friendly as their city – always ready to help, and with an impressive command of English.

Cathedral of Our Lady

At the heart of the historic centre of Antwerp, cobbled lanes and squares, restaurants, cafés and little shops surround the cathedral, which is long, tall and gloriously light, Gothic in style but spanning many centuries. The highlights are Rubens’ huge, immensely powerful paintings, Raising of the Cross and Jesus’s Descent from the Cross.

Rubens House

Peter Paul Rubens built, lived, worked, entertained and died in this palazzo-style house, furnished to show his 17th-century lifestyle, including an extensive art collection, his studio, and a garden with plants of the period. Rubens’ portrait of Anthony Van Dyck as a boy is among the gems.

Rockox House

The 17th-century Flemish home of Mayor Nicholas Rockox, art collector and close friend of Rubens. Wonderfully atmospheric, it is richly furnished with antiques and works of art, including paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens and Brueghel. Essential viewing.

Grote Markt

Everyone gravitates to the Grote Markt, the city’s main square, where tall, step-gabled guildhalls, their golden symbols and pennants glittering in the sunlight, form a theatrical backdrop. The Renaissance architecture of the Town Hall (ask to see the interior wall murals) captures the eye, the flamboyant fountain has a story to tell and outdoor cafés are great for people-watching.

St Carolus Borromeus Church

Known as Rubens’ church, this masterpiece of Baroque is today famed for its music. Most of Rubens’ paintings were destroyed by fire in 1718, but the Maria Chapel, for which he designed the ceiling, survives in a still-lavish interior. Note: Rubens’ tomb is in the sumptuously decorated St James’ church. It lies behind the main altar in the Chapel of Our Lady there, beneath one of his own paintings.

Plantin-Moretus Museum

The Diamond District

Meyer van den Bergh Museum

The Begijnhof

Cogels-Osy area