About

Antwerp is the city in the Belgium province Vlaanderen. De city is beside the river “De Schelde”. City population is about 460.000.

The legend says that the name 'Antwerp' comes from the Dutch "hand werpen" meaning "hand thrown".

The story has it that a mean and nasty giant controlled the river traffic, demanding exhorbitant tolls. Those who refused to pay had one of their hand cut off.

Antwerp is also the world's main centre for trading, cutting and polishing diamonds.

Easy Access

Antwerp is the city where you can take a good short break. You can easily travel from the Netherlands, France, Germany, or Luxembourg with international trains or by car. It is also practical to spend the weekend in one of the many good and very affordable class hotels.

Antwerp is easily accessible by train from Brussels (35 to 55min), Ghent (40 to 50min) or Bruges (1h20min). The Hi-Speed International or train connects Antwerp to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels and Paris several times a day. For travelling information:

http://www.nshispeed.nl/nl/onze-bestemmingen

http://www.thalys.com/

Hotels near Antwerp City center with cheap rates and above average / good service (My personal recommendations):

http://www.hotelscheldezicht.be/

hotel.granducale@pandora.be

What to do, what to see

There are various reasons to travel to this Belgium city. A lot of people, including me, go here to shop, to eat and drink, and to enjoy the works of the most popular inhabitant named Peter Paul Rubens. He lived from 1616 to 1640 in a house in Wapper. Tourists can visit The House, which is open from 9 am to 5 pm and is closed on Mondays and some public holidays. Rubens painted most of his masterpieces and received his guests and patrons in this Renaissance-Baroque building.

The most easiest point to go to in Antwerp is the “Grote Markt”(The town square), which has been build in 1561. The houses of the Guilds are richly decorated with golden statues.  Here, you would get the right and good impression of the historical center. Also what is handy, is that you can visit the VVV of Antwerp (VVV is the tourist information center in every Benelux country). You can go to the VVV if you are in need of city maps, tourist guides, souvenirs, and so on.

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.

Being in the city centre of Antwerp, gives you access to all sightseeing spots. You can easily walk to the “Meir”, which is very long traditional shopping street. In the Meir, you can find the biggest and popular Dutch shops. At the western end of the Meir rises the Art-Deco Torengebouw (lit. "tower building"), which was Europe's first skyscraper when it was completed in 1932.

Do not: shop on Sundays as most shops are closed. There are certain Sundays of the month that the shops are open. Please check with the VVV tourist office in Antwerp: http://www.hotelinantwerpen.nl/stad/27/vvv_antwerpen.html

Our Lady's Cathedral

The impressive 123m high tower of Antwerp's Gothic Cathedral is an immediate eyecatcher. A chapel existed on the spot of the cathedral since the 12th century, and the current structure was progressively constructed from 1352 to 1481, giving us a fairly good idea of the opulence that Antwerp enjoyed at the time.

Museums

Antwerp has enough museums to keep you busy for a few days. :

Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Leopold De Waelplaats, 1-9

 Museum for Contemporary Arts of Antwerp, Leuvenstraat, 23

Photography Museum, Waalsekaai, 47

Museum Mayer Van den Bergh, Langegasthuistraat, 19

The Diamond Museum, facing the train station on Koningin Astridplein, is unsurprisingly the largest of its kind in the world.

Zoological Gardens

Antwerp's zoological gardens is one of the oldest (founded in 1843) and most famous zoos in the world, hosting more than 5,000 animals. The Royal Society for Zoology has been watching over the welfare of numerous animals and helping to protect threatened animals for over 100 years.

The Zoo is open every day from 10 am. Admission is 12 euro for adults and 9.5 euro for children from 3 to 11 years old.

Where to eat (Personal Recommendation)

Lunch-Lounge Het Gebaar (16/20), 24, Leopoldstraat (in the Botanic Garden) - 2000 Antwerp (International, Fusion)

 Radis Noir (15/20), 186, Desguinlei - 2018 Antwerp (Belgian-French)

 La Luna (15/20), 177, Italiëlei - 2000 Antwerp (Brasserie, International, Vegetarian)

 Dock's Café (14/20), 7, Jordaenskaai - 2000 Antwerp (Brasserie)

Nightlife (my recommendations)

Love Cafe: http://www.cafedelove.be/

Café d’Anvers is the most famous venue of them all (15 Verversui, 03 226 3870, www.cafedanvers.com

Red & Blue (11-13 Lange Schipperskapelstraat, 03 213 0555, www.redandblue.be) being the biggest gay dance club in Benelux.

Club Industria (Indiëstraat 10, 03 234 0992, www.clubindustria.be) is sexy, moody and perfect for preening.