48 hours in… Antwerp

It may have claimed the title of ‘the world’s diamond capital’ more than 400 years ago, but Antwerp shines beyond this status. There’s culture to be mined in its melting pot of architectural styles, antique-laden streets, museums filled with Old Masters — including many by Flemish hero Peter Paul Rubens — and fashion boutiques showcasing designs by the cult-followed Antwerp Six.  

The city’s name derives from the Dutch for ‘hand-throwing’, a nod to a folkloric River Scheldt giant who severed the hand of any passing boatmen who dodged his toll. You’ll have your hands full on a weekend in this Belgian port city, comprising old-town strolls and afternoons at galleries. And along the way, you’ll find pitstops at contemporary cafés, welcoming waffle houses and natural-wine bars. There’s a lot of cobbled ground to cover, so here’s our guide on how to spend 48 hours in Antwerp.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON 

Antwerp International Airport is a 25-minute taxi from the city centre, but there are no direct flights here from the UK; instead, touch down in (or take the Eurostar to) Brussels, a half-hour train ride from Antwerp-Centraal. It’s an impressive welcome: the domed, gilded station looks more like a fairy-tale palace than railway hub, so you’ll get to tick off one must-see sight immediately. A short 10-minute tram or cab ride away, old-town neighbours Hotel Flora and Hotel Julien are two contrasting stays. The former is a 15th-century home given a maximalist makeover, with bold colours, Gert Voorjans furnishings and a central garden; Julien is an urban tonic comprising earthy hues, Aesop-scented bedrooms and a vaulted spa area. 

Direct flights from London to Brussels arrive early enough in the day that you can be in Antwerp in time for an afternoon of art. A few minutes’ walk from both Flora and Julien are lesser-known Baroque church St Charles Borromeo, which rotates its ornate altarpieces seasonally, and Snijders&Rockoxhuis, a gallery offering an intimate introduction to the city’s centuries-old artwork. It’s then a 10-minute stroll to Camino, where you can kick things off with a glass of organic wine paired with veggie-friendly Asian plates. Wander 15 minutes to Rubenshuis — the museum is currently closed, but its restored façade overlooks a leafy garden with marble-framed busts and citrus trees, which remains open; and around the corner is concept store Graanmarkt 13 with curated homeware and clothes, and a restaurant downstairs. 

FRIDAY EVENING 

In the south of the Latin Quarter — and 15-minute walk or tram from the old town — you’ll find French vintages, Japanese-inspired small plates and a daily changing cocktail at Osaka, a chrome- and silver-washed wine bar; or at intimate Ruby, the Malbecs are as juicy as the rouge, tile-clad interiors. Belgium is a Michelin hotspot, with over a dozen starred restaurants in Antwerp’s clutch alone: the lights at Dim Dining may be romantically low, but its omakase menus shine alongside sake pairings; Bistrot du Nord looks traditional but gives French cooking a polished modern makeover. If you’re looking for a night-cap, head down Vlaeykensgang (a leafy mediaeval alley that was restored by a local antiques dealer) to Tazu, where cocktails are potent with Toki whisky, sakura vermouth and Genroku sake. 

SATURDAY MORNING 

Breakfast is usually included in rates at our Antwerp hotels, and each stay puts on a generous, multi-course feast. But if you’re not looking to linger, pick up a brew and bake from coffee bar Tartoer or pastry shop A Fresh Tart. Caffeine and sugar fixes secured, take in the cream-hued, lofty interiors of Gothic behemoth Cathedral of Our Lady (whose spires are almost within touching distance of Hotel Julien’s small rooftop terrace), on your way to postcard-worthy Grote Markt — its impressive guildhalls look like gingerbread houses, an effect enhanced by the festive Christmas market come December.  

You’ll then have your pick of museums to spend the rest of your morning at: dive into Plantin-Moretus’ printing pedigree, with its collection of old-world presses, books and tapestries; or suitably stylish MoMu spotlights Antwerp’s diverse design heritage, with a permanent collection of looks from Martin Margiela and Marina Yee and rotating exhibits that deliver an extra fashion fix. 

 SATURDAY AFTERNOON 

All that art will work up an appetite, so head around the corner for authentic tortillas at Taqueria Rico or comforting plates at Belgian bistro In De Roscam. You’re now in the Fashion District, so get ready to test the limits of your baggage allowance: Dries Van Noten’s flagship store is housed in the Renaissance Modepalais; La Collection is a curator of investment-worthy pieces; and Ensō has an immaculate edit of vintage and second-hand pieces.  On your way to Kloosterstraat, a picturesque street that’s lined with antiques and homeware shops, pop into old subway station Sint-Annatunnel naar Linkeroever — it might seem an odd attraction, but it’s worth seeing (and riding) the Art Deco wooden escalator that’s been chugging away since the Thirties.  

Back above ground, people-watch the Zuid neighbourhood’s well-dressed residents over an oat-milk latte from plant-based bakery Funk or a namesake treat from Café Canelé. If you haven’t yet run out of steam, more museums beckon: Royal Museum of Fine Arts (aka KMSKA) is a cultural behemoth with pieces from Flemish Masters old and new to quietly contemplate; the Museum of Contemporary Art (MHKA) is its more zeitgeisty counterpart, with avant-garde installations and films. In Nieuw Zuid, galleries Tim Van Laere and Sofie Van de Velde are go-tos for scoping out the city’s creatives. 

SATURDAY EVENING 

Hop on the tram — or walk, if you’ve got more steps in you — to reach the port before 5pm and panoramic views from the Museum aan de Stroom’s free-to-enter rooftop terrace will be your reward; from atop the Lego-like building, you’ll spot the Zaha Hadid-designed Havenhuis. If you miss the boat (figuratively), natural wines and on-tap biers at Paloma are a fine consolation prize. From the waterside, you might want to take the main road — which will avoid the city’s red-light district — for dinner at Tango Restaurant: it’s an intimate, candlelit setting for seasonal small plates, or you can order snacks at its namesake bar next door. Right beside Tango is a favourite on the Sint-Paulusplaats scene, Smudged; a listening bar-slash-restaurant with reimagined classic dishes, potent cocktails and plenty of vinyl to play. For two-stepping until the early hours, jazz café De Muze has been pulling pints and crowds for decades. 

SUNDAY MORNING 

 

Waffles feel like a fitting way to kick off the day — when in Belgium, and all that. The aptly named House of Waffles is located next to the cathedral and offers sweet and savoury toppings. Sundays across Europe are synonymous with markets: the one at Sint-Jansvliet takes over a basketball court, with stands of knick-knacks and vintage wares. Once you’ve trawled for treasures, pick up a coffee from Polly café en route to Zurenborg, a well-heeled ‘hood with convivial squares and home to Cogels-Osylei, an enviable street lined with Art Nouveau buildings. Convent-turned-boutique-hotel August Antwerp is in this quieter neck of the woods; it’s the sister stay to Hotel Julien and is similarly good looking, plus its swimming pond is primed for wholesome morning dips (and welcomes non-guests, too). 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON 

Nearby, and on your way to your next destination, Nives is an ideal spot for a relaxed lunch, with its light-filled interiors that are fragranced by speciality coffee beans, freshly baked bread and homemade soup. Then cycle or amble down to open-air Middelheim Museum for woodland strolls, made all the more picturesque by alfresco works from Ai Weiwei and Henry Moore — the ideal spot for whiling away an afternoon. Get your Sunday rest back at Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, a hotel set in a former monastery, home to a high-tech spa, plus stellar restaurants, cosseting suites, a garden and wine cellar. 

SUNDAY EVENING 

Round-off your weekend in Antwerp like a local — dinner at Elfde Gebod feels like a religious experience, not just because the plates of stoofvlees (Flemish stew) and vol-au-vents are so tasty, but because of the atmospheric votive candles and the imposing saintly statues watching over you. For a contemporary take on a longstanding Belgian tradition, swing by Frites Ateliers for chips that have been given a glow-up by no less than three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman, with generous toppings of rendang curry or parmesan with basil mayo. Paters Vaetje is a laidback haunt next to the cathedral that pours Bolleke — a Belgian pale ale from brewers De Koninck that’s named after the bowl-shaped glass it’s served in — late into the night. Just the tipple to say a hearty final ‘proost’ to your Belgian adventure. 

NEED TO KNOW 

Transport Antwerp is a small city that’s easy to cover on foot; or you could make like a local and hop on a city bike (use the Velo or Donkey apps). If you plan to take the tram or bus, you’ll need to buy your ticket in advance on the De Lijn app or at the stop — you won’t be able to buy one on board. 

When to go There’s a fairy-tale quality to Antwerp at any time of the year, but naturally it feels especially festive in November and December, with its illuminated Baroque and Gothic architecture and Christmas markets. But summer is also special: Zomer van Antwerpe’s alfresco events take place over two months, and Jazz Middelheim is an annual, park-set music festival in June. 

Good to know Those looking at a long weekend should note that Antwerp’s museums are shut on Mondays and many restaurants are also closed at the start of the week, only opening for lunch or dinner (all-day dining isn’t as common here). For day-tripping, Brussels and Ghent are both an easy train ride away; or add Amsterdam to your itinerary, which is around 90 minutes by rail. 

What to buy Big-spenders can bag high-fashion outfits from the Antwerp Six, but you’ll also find tempting threads in the city’s independent and vintage boutiques. For the sweet-toothed, Belgian chocolates (of course), hand-shaped biscuits that nod to the city’s legend-steeped name, and sticky, caramel-filled stroopwafels from local bakers, such as the sweet shop at HotelO. 

Ready for a weekend in Antwerp? Discover our full collection of hotels in the Belgian city