Antwerp holidays

How to reach Antwerp

• Flight time: There are no direct flights to Antwerp. Flights to Brussels, the closest airport, take around 1 hour 10 minutes from London.

• Transfer time: From Brussels Airport, the train journey to Antwerp Central Station is around 30 minutes. Regular trains depart from the airport’s underground station, running every 15–20 minutes.

• Price: A single train ticket from Brussels Airport to Antwerp costs about €11. A taxi will set you back roughly €90.

Best time to visit Antwerp

Think about what you want to do during your Antwerp holidays. While the weather is more pleasant during the spring and summer, winter has its own attractions.

• March to May: Spring is lovely in Antwerp, with temperatures gradually rising from 8°C in March to around 17°C in May. It’s an excellent time to explore the city’s parks and gardens too. Rainfall ranges between 50–60mm, and expect about 6–8 hours of sunshine.

• June to August: The summer months bring the best weather, with temperatures reaching 20–25°C. Events like the Antwerp Summer Festival create a superb atmosphere, although accommodation prices rise with the tourist crowds. Expect 5–10mm of rain and 8–10 hours of daily sunshine.

• September to November: Early autumn offers milder weather, with temperatures dropping from around 20°C in September to 10°C by November. It’s a great time for city walks though rainfall does increase, averaging 55–85mm.

• December to February: Come December Antwerp’s Christmas markets transform the city. Winters are pretty mild, with temperatures averaging 3–8°C, rainfall averages around 90mm and sunshine is limited to 4–5 hours.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: The main language is Dutch (Flemish), though French and English are widely understood, especially in tourist areas.

• Local habits and customs: It’s nearly impossible to make a faux pas among the Belgians – they’re a relaxed bunch who take life at a leisurely pace. Leave a 10 percent tip in restaurants, and greet acquaintances with three kisses, not two.

• Health and safety: Antwerp is generally safe, but keep an eye on personal belongings in busy areas. Emergency numbers are 112 for all services, including police and medical assistance.

• Currency: Belgium uses the Euro (€). ATMs are widely available, and most places accept credit cards. Cash is still useful for smaller purchases and markets.

• Getting around: A first-rate tram and bus system serves the city and its suburbs from two main hubs, Groenplaats and Centraal Station. A standard single fare within the city centre costs €2.50 (valid for 1hr); a 24-hour unlimited day pass costs €7.50, €15 for three days. Advance tickets are sold everywhere, but most conveniently at tram stations with multilingual ticket machines.

• Electricity and plug types: Belgium uses a standard 230V with two-pin plugs, so UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Antwerp is on Central European Time, one hour ahead of GMT.

• Required travel documentation: UK travellers only need a passport valid for their stay in Belgium for up to 90 days.

Best things to do in Antwerp

Belgium’s second-largest city is one of Europe’s biggest ports and the international centre of the diamond trade; it’s also the place to go for superb nightlife, cutting-edge fashion and all things related to the painter Rubens.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• MAS (Museum aan de Stroom): Get yourself up to the tenth-floor viewing terrace from where you can spy – just to the east – Zaha Hadid’s jaw-dropping 2016 silver roof extension to the Havenhuis (Harbour House).

The best districts

• Het Zuid: The district hit the skids in the 1960s, with many of its grand French-style mansions left to decay, but it’s bounced back to become one of Antwerp’s more fashionable residential quarters.

• The diamond district: The anonymous streets just to the southwest of Centraal Station are home to the largest diamond market in the world. Behind these indifferent facades, precious stones pour from every continent to be cut or re-cut, polished and sold.

• Het Eilandje: Antwerp’s old docklands have had a modern makeover, and a stroll around the area is a pleasant way to while away a couple of hours, with the obvious targets being Museum by the Stream and the Red Star Line Museum, as well as the new cafés and bars in the renovated warehouses on the waterfront.

Museums

• MoMu, Antwerp: Adventurous, brilliantly presented and thought-provoking, Antwerp’s first-class fashion museum has an international reputation for the quality of its temporary exhibitions.

• Rubenshuis: Not so much a house as a mansion, the Rubenshuis was where the great man lived for most of his adult life; today it’s filled with Rubens’ own work and gives fascinating insights into the artist’s life and times.

• KMSKA: Antwerp’s most prestigious art gallery, the museum’s permanent collection spreads over two large floors with the paintings displayed by theme rather than artist – hence ‘Suffering’, ‘Entertainment’ and so forth.

Parks and gardens

• Rivierenhof Park: If it’s big outdoor space you’re after, head to this sprawling green oasis east of Antwerp boasting lush lawns, ponds and walking trails - and in summer, it’s also a venue for open-air concerts.

Historical monuments

• Antwerp Cathedral: Dominating Antwerp’s skyline, this supreme example of the Gothic is both magnificent and stunningly beautiful.

• Centraal Station: A magnificent neo-Baroque structure whose medley of spires and balconies, glass domes and classical pillars was completed in 1905 and is, by any standard, an extraordinary edifice.

• St-Carolus Borromeus: Much of this church’s barrel-vaulted interior, including 39 ceiling paintings by Rubens, was destroyed by fire in 1718; the ornate Mariakapel (Chapel of Maria), on the right-hand side of the nave, happily avoided the flames, its stucco ceilings and luxurious mix of marbles a fancy illustration of the High Baroque.

Day trips in the area

• Tongeren: Claiming to be the oldest town in Belgium, Tongeren makes the most of its Gallo-Roman history and hosts one of Europe’s largest weekly flea and antiques markets every Sunday.

• Ghent: A vital, vibrant metropolis whose booming restaurant and bar scene wends its way across a charming cityscape comprising a network of narrow canals overseen by handsome classical mansions and antique red-brick houses.

• Brussels: The Belgian capital is less than an hour away, offering world-class museums, the Grand Place and the Atomium, making it an easy day trip from Antwerp.

Activities for families in Antwerp

Antwerp is a fantastic destination for families, offering engaging and fun activities for all ages, from animals and aquariums to parks and playgrounds.

• Aquariums and zoos: One of the oldest zoos in the world, dating back to 1843, there are around 30 separate areas today, including a 6m high ‘skywalk’ for great views, a savannah with African buffaloes, a butterfly garden, an aquarium, a special ‘valley’ for gorillas and hippo pools.

• Boat tours: Who doesn’t love a family jolly by boat? Flandria operates two- or three-hour Antwerp port/harbour cruises daily for most of the year. Passengers embark at the Asiadok-Oostkaai, about 2km (25 min walk) northeast of the MAS museum.

• Interactive museums: The Red Star Line Museum, which tells the story of the eponymous shipping company whose transatlantic passenger liners carried more than two million emigrants from Antwerp, will likely appeal to older kids, but a joy for everyone - young and old - is the Chocolate Nation Museum, which, quite literally, offers an immersive experience into the world of Belgian chocolate. Yum.

Free things to do in Antwerp

Antwerp has plenty to entertain budget-conscious travellers, with a range of free activities to enjoy.

• Free events: Antwerp’s cultural calendar is packed with free events, from summer music festivals to art fairs; best of the lot is August’s Bollekesfeest, a festival with free music, food stalls and entertainment.

• Markets: Antwerp loves its open-air markets. Three of the best are the antique and jumble market in the city centre on Sint-Jansvliet; the Bio Market, an organic foods market on the Falconplein; and the large, general market on Theaterplein and its surroundings - all of which are super places to browse, without any pressure to buy.

Nature and outdoor activities in Antwerp

While Antwerp may be one of the country’s most important commercial and cultural hubs, that’s not to say you can’t escape to the countryside for more solitudinous pleasure.

• Cycling: Southeast of Antwerp, the many quiet lanes, cycle routes and tiny villages make for a pleasant detour, with Tongeren the obvious base, especially as bicycles can be rented from the town’s Marco’s Veloshop.

• Watersports: The River Scheldt offers the opportunity to partake in some water-based activities such as kayaking and paddleboarding.

• Walking: Rivierenhof Park, located in Deurne, offers easy, leisurely walks through meadows and woods, but for a more immersive experience, head to Kalmthout Heath, a nature reserve just outside the city where you can enjoy heathland trails with plenty of scope for bird-watching.

Local dishes in Antwerp

One of the great delights of holidays to Antwerp is sampling its culinary delights, which include hearty Flemish stews, fresh seafood and famously indulgent chocolates - and of course, legendary beer.

Some typical dishes

• Moules-frites: Effectively the national dish, no trip to Antwerp is complete without tucking into a steaming pot of locally caught mussels and freshly cooked fries.

• Waterzooi: A delicious, filling soup-cum-stew, made with either chicken (van kip) or fish (van riviervis).

Meat dishes

• Stoverij: Stewed beef and offal (typically liver and kidneys), slowly tenderised in dark beer and served with a slice of bread covered in mustard.

• Hutsepot: A winter warmer consisting of various bits of beef and pork (including pigs’ trotters and ears) casseroled with turnips, celery, leeks and parsnips.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Paling in ’t groen: Tastier than it sounds, this is eel braised in a green (usually spinach) sauce with herbs.

Street food

• Belgian fries: Antwerp’s frites are thick, golden and fried to perfection - enjoy them with a range of sauces, from classic mayonnaise to spicy Andalouse, at local fritkots.

• Waffles: Right across Belgium, there are stands selling waffles (gaufres/wafels), a mixture of butter, flour, eggs and sugar grilled on deep-ridged waffle irons and served steaming hot with jam, honey, whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate or fruit.

Sweets and desserts

Belgium is, of course, famous for its chocolates, and in Antwerp you’ve got specialist choccie shops like Pierre Marcolini and The Chocolate Line offering beautiful pralines and truffles. For a unique Antwerp treat, try “handjes,” almond-flavoured biscuits shaped like hands, symbolising the legend of Antwerp’s founding.

Local drinks

• Belgian beer: Antwerp’s leading brewery is De Koninck, which is something of a Flemish institution. Its standard beer is a smooth pale ale that’s very drinkable, has a sharp aftertaste, and is better on draught than in the bottle.

• Genever: Similar to gin, it’s made from grain spirit and flavoured by juniper berries. It’s available in most ordinary and specialist bars in several hundred varieties.