Antwerp: Top 10 things to do
Jessie spills her Top-Ten-Can’t-Miss tourist activities for the historic and beautiful city of Antwerp in Belgium:
- Eat – Antwerp has CHOCOLATE (in my opinion, humankind’s single greatest invention) – and lots of it. With over 2000 chocolate shops in Belgium, the Belgian chocolatiers have had more than enough practice and this really is reflected in the taste of their chocolate – Belgians just do it better. Pay a visit to one of the many chocolate shops, and try to make it out of there without purchasing everything in the room.
It has WAFFLES – so different from their supermarket equivalent that trying the Belgian originals was somewhat of a revelation. Top them with anything from strawberries to whipped cream, or stick with a classic icing sugar dusting. Perfection. And, best of all, chips/fries/frites are considered a delicacy of sorts – and any place which lets this happen is a place you should want to visit. For Belgians, frites are a lifestyle – one that you’ll want to emulate.
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Drink – Belgian Beer is on a whole different level. It’s so good that it can even convert non-beer drinkers. My friend has developed a slightly unhealthy (though justifiable) obsession with the Belgian Raspberry Beer (Framboise). Another Beer to try is a Bolleke de Koninck – an Antwerp special, sometimes considered as an old man’s drink – but in this case, the older are definitely the wiser. With hundreds of varieties to choose from, there’s no way you can get through them all – though there’s no harm in trying, is there?
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Gorgeous panormanic views – Everything looks better from above. Fact. Find a rooftop and orientate yourself – work out where you want to go and snap a few pictures while you’re there, the view from above is always the best. Check out the Museum aan de Stroom – great views and fascinating exhibitions – not to mention it’s right next to The Diamond Museum – another Antwerpian favourite.
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Party – Antwerp is a buzzing and bustling city with a great nightlife – live music, bars, clubs – look down any side street to find a bar, get a local beer and dance the night away
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Train station – Regularly voted one of the most beautiful stations in the world, Antwerp’s Central Station is in a league of its own. Usually you wouldn’t go to a train station unless you wanted to go somewhere else, but this is worth a visit just for the architecture – it resembles a basilica of sorts. Plus it’s next to one of the main shopping areas and the Zoo so if you get bored of admiring all the marble features, there’s plenty more to do.
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Rubens house – Pay a visit to the home of Rubens – a ridiculously beautiful building in its own right, Rubens House is the place the artist painted most of his work. Rubens holds a special place in the hearts of the residents of Antwerp – with Antwerp as his hometown, his work is still spread around the city. The house contains many artworks, the artist’s workshop and a stunning garden – well worth a visit. But get there early, this is a tourist classic.
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Cathedral of Our Lady – Towering over the city, The Cathedral of Our Lady cuts a fine figure. Home to a majorly impressive collection of art (including more Rubens) and astonishingly beautiful décor you can be sure to while away the hours inside this building. This is not one to miss.
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Bike Tour – The best way to see Antwerp is via bike; weave your way through the crowds of tourists and discover the city all over again (a bike tour is a way faster and more informative way of seeing the city). But try not to do what I did and get stuck in a tram-line and fall over…
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Ghost Tour – See the city in a different light and discover the myths, legends and mysteries surrounding Antwerp, from stories of the Lange Wappe to creepy old moats – this is a great way to discover more about the history of Antwerp.
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Café Culture – The Belgians, like the Dutch, love the European café culture – and what’s better than sitting outside on a hot day with a cold drink (or on a cold day with a hot drink) and watching the world go by? Nothing. Go grab a table in the beautiful Grote Markt and soak in the scenery, tourism at its best.