Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal)
The Gothic cathedral whose 123-metre spire rules the Antwerp skyline, with Rubens altarpieces inside. The essential first stop on any visit, open every day except New Year’s Day.
Belgium
Antwerp
Antwerp is Belgium’s second city and its most self-assured: a great river port on the Scheldt that made its fortune in the sixteenth century, gave the world Peter Paul Rubens and today mixes Baroque churches with fashion boutiques, diamond traders and some of the best museums in the Low Countries.
The Cathedral of Our Lady lifts its lace-like spire over the Grote Markt and hides Rubens altarpieces inside, the reborn KMSKA shows seven centuries of art from Van Eyck to Ensor, and the red sandstone MAS tower on the old docks gives you the whole city from its free rooftop. Arrive at Antwerp Central, one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world, and the zoo and Chocolate Nation are next door; walk north to the Red Star Line Museum to follow emigrants on their way to America, or south to the open-air sculptures of Middelheim. This guide tells you what to book ahead, which museums close on Mondays and what is under restoration, and matches you to the right hotel, from a five-star sanctuary in a historic hospital complex to a good-value base near the Meir.
Don't miss
Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal)
The Gothic cathedral whose 123-metre spire rules the Antwerp skyline, with Rubens altarpieces inside. The essential first stop on any visit, open every day except New Year’s Day.
MAS (Museum aan de Stroom)
The red sandstone tower on the old docks, with museum galleries stacked floor by floor and a free rooftop panorama over the whole city. Open late into the evening, Tuesday to Sunday.
KMSKA (Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp)
Belgium’s great fine arts museum, reborn after an eleven-year renovation, with Rubens, Van Eyck and the world’s largest Ensor collection. Open daily, with late opening on Thursdays.
ZOO Antwerpen (Antwerp Zoo)
One of the oldest zoos in the world, right beside Antwerp Central Station, with historic animal houses, an aquarium and a busy programme of feedings. The best family day in the city.
Things to do in Antwerp
MAS (Museum aan de Stroom)
The red sandstone tower on the old docks, with museum galleries stacked floor by floor and a free rooftop panorama over the whole city. Open late into the evening, Tuesday to Sunday.
KMSKA (Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp)
Belgium’s great fine arts museum, reborn after an eleven-year renovation, with Rubens, Van Eyck and the world’s largest Ensor collection. Open daily, with late opening on Thursdays.
Rubens House: Rubens Experience and Garden
The historic home of Peter Paul Rubens is closed for restoration until 2030 at the earliest, but its garden and the new Rubens Experience next door are open. Know before you go.
ZOO Antwerpen (Antwerp Zoo)
One of the oldest zoos in the world, right beside Antwerp Central Station, with historic animal houses, an aquarium and a busy programme of feedings. The best family day in the city.
FreeAntwerp Central Station (Antwerpen-Centraal)
The railway cathedral: a domed stone hall and soaring iron-and-glass train shed, regularly ranked among the most beautiful stations in the world. Free to admire whenever trains run.
30 minutesDetails →
Grote Markt, City Hall and Het Steen
The beating heart of old Antwerp: a Renaissance City Hall, gilded guild houses, the Brabo fountain and, a short walk away, the riverside castle of Het Steen. Free and open at all hours.
1 hourDetails →
Red Star Line Museum
A moving museum in the original Red Star Line warehouses, following the emigrants who sailed from Antwerp to America. One of the best history museums in Belgium.
Chocolate Nation
A big, playful Belgian chocolate experience opposite Antwerp Central Station, with an audio guide and ten tastings at the end. An easy win for families and on rainy days.
Middelheim Museum (Open-Air Sculpture Park)
A free open-air sculpture museum in a wooded park on the south side of Antwerp, with modern and contemporary works among the trees and pavilions. A peaceful half day away from the crowds.
2 hoursDetails →
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp
Leopoldstraat (Botanical Garden, near the Meir)
Antwerp’s five-star splurge: a Leading Hotels of the World property in historic buildings beside the Botanical Garden, with a spa, an indoor pool and several restaurants.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Hilton Antwerp Old Town
Groenplaats (Old Town)
A full-service hotel behind a grand historic facade on the Groenplaats, in the shadow of the cathedral spire. The most central big hotel in Antwerp, with its own car park.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Hotel Julien
Old Town (between the cathedral and the Meir)
An intimate design boutique hotel in historic townhouses a few minutes from the cathedral, with a spa, a rooftop terrace and a cooked-to-order breakfast. The romantic pick.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Radisson Blu Hotel, Antwerp City Centre
Koningin Astridplein (Central Station)
A big, practical hotel opposite Antwerp Central Station with an indoor pool, family rooms and the zoo and Chocolate Nation on the doorstep. The easy choice for train arrivals.
Rates on Expedia →
$ibis Antwerpen Centrum
Meistraat (near the Meir and Rubens House)
A simple, good-value base on the Meistraat, a few minutes on foot from the Rubens House and the Meir, with a breakfast buffet, a bar and a car park. The budget pick.
Rates on Expedia →Antwerp guides
First Time in Antwerp: What to Book, How to Get Around & How Many Days
The practical primer for a first visit to Antwerp: which tickets to book, the Monday closures and restorations to know about, getting around by foot and tram, and how to fit the cathedral, the museums, the MAS rooftop and the zoo into two or three days.
Where to Stay in Antwerp: Old Town, the Meir or Central Station
How to choose your base in Antwerp, from a five-star sanctuary by the Botanical Garden and a boutique spa hotel near the cathedral to a pool hotel opposite Central Station and a good-value base near the Meir.
