Antwerp (‘Antwerpen’ in Dutch/Flemish, ‘Anvers’ in French) is the second largest city in Belgium and is well known for its port, diamond trade and as a home town of the famous artist Peter Paul Rubens. Having visited Antwerp multiple times, we’d love to share how to spend a day in Antwerp, what to see and do, whether you have a few hours or a full day to explore.
Although most tourists visit Bruges and Brussels when traveling to Belgium, Antwerp is often overlooked as a sightseeing destination. Located just an hour from Brussels by car or train, it makes for a perfect day trip.
Antwerp is also well connected to the Dutch city of Rotterdam, just an hour away by train, making it an ideal destination for a day trip from the Netherlands. When we lived in Utrecht, less than 2 hours away by car, we visited Antwerp multiple times. Arriving in the morning, exploring the city throughout the day, and leaving in the late afternoon provided just the right amount of time for a short visit and a good overview of Antwerp.
Antwerp Central Train Station
Antwerp is well connected by train to the rest of Belgium and the Netherlands, so you’ll likely arrive by rail. Doing so, you won’t miss one of Europe’s most beautiful train stations.
Even if you’re driving, consider parking outside the city center and exploring Antwerp on foot, starting with the central train station. Be sure to step inside and admire its impressive interior architecture.
Chocolate Nation museum
Belgium is renowned for its chocolates, and Antwerp is no exception. The city is filled with shops offering a variety of chocolates – from milk to extra dark, plain to uniquely flavored, and simple bars to beautifully decorated and wrapped confections, making for a perfect gift to bring home from Belgium.
Like they mention on the website: “A genuine Valhalla for chocolate lovers: A museum for an experience that will literally make you drool.”
I’m personally quite glad I don’t live in Belgium – otherwise, resisting all the chocolates and fresh waffles would be a serious challenge! And that’s not even mentioning the diamonds! 🙂
Diamond Quarter
Right outside the central train station is the famous Antwerp Diamond Quarter (or district). According to Wikipedia, about 84% of the world’s rough diamonds pass through this area, making it the largest diamond district globally, with an annual turnover of 54 billion dollars – pretty impressive!
Even if buying diamonds isn’t on your agenda when visiting Antwerp, why not enjoy a little window shopping on your way to the city center? 🙂
If you are interested in learning more about diamonds and gemstones, visit DIVA museum. It showcases diamond, other gemstones, silver and gold jewelry, and art pieces. the museum is located at Suikerrui Street – check their website for more details.
Meir Street
Walk along Antwerp’s main shopping street – Meir street. This pedestrian-friendly street isn’t just about shopping, it also offers the chance to admire historical buildings and architecture.
If you walk from the train station, at the Teniersplaats you will pass the statue of David Teniers – a renowned Flemish artist. Continuing on, you’ll see two richly decorated buildings on Leysstraat before reaching the statue of another another famous Flemish artist – Antoon Van Dyck.
Don’t miss Stadsfeestzaal, a luxury shopping mall housed in a beautiful building, featuring an interior decorated with marble, mosaics, and sculptures.
Another must-see building on Meir Street is Paleis op de Meir (also known as Koninklijk Paleis) – the former king’s palace of Antwerp. You can step into its inner courtyard, and inside, there’s a chocolate shop featuring nice chocolate installations and a great selection of chocolates.
The Rubens House
From Meir Street, turn left onto Wapper Street to reach The Rubens House – the former residence of the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens.
Rubens was a 17th century Flemish painter who was born, lived, and worked in Antwerp. He personally designed his home, which also housed his studio. Today, it serves as a museum where visitors can explore the house and garden, view Rubens’ paintings, and admire works by other artists he worked with.
Visit the website to check opening times, prices and other details.
St. James’ Church
Take a small detour from Meir Street to visit St. James’ Church (Sint-Jacobskerk), an ancient Gothic church where Rubens married his second wife. Many noble citizens of Antwerp were buried here, including Rubens himself.
Saint Carolus Borromeus Church
If you keep walking toward the old town, you will get to Saint Carolus Borromeus Church – the 17th century catholic church featuring an altar with a mechanism to rotate four altar paintings – one for each season.
The church has paintings by Rubens and other Flemish painters.
Groenplaats and Pieter Paul Rubens statue
Make a stop at Groenplaats, a spacious square featuring a statue of Pieter Paul Rubens and a view of the towering Cathedral of Our Lady. It’s a great spot to relax at one of the cafes or simply on a bench in the square.
During our first visit to Antwerp at Christmas season, Groenplaats had an ice-skating rink at its center, surrounded by stalls selling hot food and wine, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp
The stunning Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, located in the heart of Antwerp’s old town, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the 16th century, it houses paintings by the renowned Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, along with works by other painters.
In front of the cathedral on Handschoenmarkt stands the Nello & Patrache Statue, dedicated to the novel A Dog of Flanders. Set in Antwerp, the story follows the main characters – Nello and his loyal dog – as they visit the cathedral, where the boy admires the paintings by Rubens.
Grote Markt
Grote Markt (or the Grand Place) is a historic town square in Antwerp, home to charming cafés, the impressive city hall, and the iconic Standbeeld van Brabo fountain, often featured on postcards and souvenirs of the city.
The grand Antwerp City Hall (Stadhuis van Antwerpen), alongside the 16th century guild houses, stunning monuments, and fountains at the heart of Grote Markt, creates a nice atmosphere. Surrounded by charming restaurants and cafés, it’s one of the city center’s most popular spots.
Scheldt River banks
After exploring the old town, head to the riverfront of the Scheldt River.
There, you’ll find an underground tunnel (or should we call it an underriver tunnel? 🙂 known as Sint-Annatunnel, which leads to the opposite bank. The 500 meter long tunnel is fully walkable, and once you emerge on the other side, you’ll discover a green area and a playground, perfect for a short, relaxing break.
Alternatively, you can stay on the city center’s side and stroll along the river. Head up to the Cruise Terminal for a great view of the Scheldt, then continue walking toward Het Steen, a medieval fortress and Antwerp’s oldest building.
The St. Paul’s Church (Sint-Pauluskerk)
Walking past Het Steen, turn towards the city to visit another historic landmark – St. Paul’s Church (Sint-Pauluskerk). Inside, you’ll find paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. Outside, the church features the Calvary Garden (Calvarietuin), a space with 18th century sculptures created by Antwerp Baroque sculptors.
Museum aan de Stroom
Walk over to the Museum aan de Stroom at Hanzestedenplaats, a modern building that hosts exhibitions about Antwerp’s rich history and culture.
Access to the top floor is free – so you can head up and take in panoramic views of the city from the tenth floor.
More things to see in Antwerp
If you feel like doing more walking, continue past Museum aan de Stroom all the way to Red Star Line Museum – a museum dedicated to people who emigrated from Europe to America on the Red Star shipping line.
Next, go see the Port of Antwerp, the second-largest seaport in Europe, and its eye-catching The Port Authority Building (Havenhuis Antwerpen).
On the way back to the train station (or to a car park if you arrived by car), visit the Béguinage of Antwerp – a medieval site featuring small houses and a garden dating back to the 16th century.
If you have more time in Antwerp (especially if you’re traveling with kids), make sure to visit Antwerp Zoo, located next to the Central Train Station. It’s one of the oldest zoos in the world.
To enjoy some outdoor time or, if traveling with kids, to let them play, visit Stadspark, a nice city park. Located not far from the train station, it features a green space surrounding a small lake and a playground for children.
As you can see, there are plenty of things to see and do in Antwerp, even just within the city center. In fact, after writing this “How to Spend a Day in Antwerp” guide, I’m thinking of going there again for a weekend sometime soon.
How about you? Already planning a trip to Antwerp? 😉
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Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂
Definitely another Belgian city for me to visit. I’d come for the guild houses and the waffles alone.
Guilty myself always tasting waffles when traveling to Belgium 🙂
That mall is amazing and those waffles look spectacular. Great post.