48 hours in Antwerp: the hot spots of the Belgian port city

And it’s been five years since I got my first taste of Belgian city air and fell in love with Ghent and Antwerp. Two totally different cities, but they scored equally well with their nonchalance.

While on my first visit I explored three cities in Flanders (in addition to Ghent and Antwerp there was also a detour to Bruges), on my second trip to Belgium everything was dedicated to the multi-layered port city of Antwerp. This time I had a full two days to return to beloved places and get to know new corners. Why did I end up in Antwerp a second time? The city really has it culinary skills!

Brick & Beer: Antwerp’s trendy Groen Kwartier district

Antwerp is not only one of the top city break destinations for the foodies among us, but is also able to inspire with great hotels and an exciting urban transformation process. While on our first visit we stayed centrally in the old town at the boutique hotel Julien, this time our base is in the trendy district of Groen Kwartier, not far from the Antwerp-Berchem train station in the southeast of the city.

In recent years, the extensive area of the former military hospital has been converted into a hip, green mixed-use district. In addition to privileged residential areas, “The Jane“, one of the best restaurants in the country, and the chic design hotel “August” can be found here.

August included my favourite “analogue” travel guide series “Wallpaper” in the selected guild of “best urban hotels 2019” and I can nod my head in favour of this nomination. The architectural interplay between the old structures of the former Capuchin monastery and the modern, light-flooded rooms is thoroughly successful!

Incidentally, Nick Bril, the head chef of “The Jane”, also has a hand in this. The restaurant belonging to the hotel was named “Newcomer of the Year 2020” by Gault Millau just during our stay.

Right next to the hotel is the creative district “PAKT” – roof gardens, urban gardening areas, a coffee roastery and other sustainably operating start-ups and small businesses have joined forces here to form a colourful – and well-functioning – conglomerate.

Not far from the Groen Kwartier is Antwerp’s city brewery “De Koninck“. On the grounds of the Adventure Centre, which opened in 2015 (which takes a good hour to visit), there is also a foray into the delicacies of Belgian cuisine; a chocolate shop, a butcher, a cheese shop, a bakery and – how could it be otherwise – another Michelin-starred restaurant, “The Butcher’s Son”.

At the brewery around the corner you will find another option for a delicious, uncomplicated lunch. At Yust Food, all dishes are designed to be shared. And so the boyfriend and I feast our way through the menu and after almost two hours in the city we are already full of praise for the casual Antwerp vibe.

Immerse yourself in the art of Belgian chocolate

Although every dessert on the menu at Yust sounds fine, we curb our “Gluscht”. The rest of the afternoon we dedicate ourselves to the one thing that makes the Belgians contest us Swiss – the title of the chocolate nation. This is exactly the name of one of the newest museums in Antwerp. Since the end of February this year, the “Chocolate Nation” has been taking guests from all over the world on a multi-sensory journey through the history of Belgian chocolate.

The highlight of the tour? Clearly the room with the chocolate fountains lined up next to each other, where we are all equipped with a spoon and are allowed to taste it extensively. In addition, the museum offers various workshops on chocolate production – exciting for anyone who wants to find out which steps have to be followed to create the finest Belgian chocolates.

Online you will find various recommendations in which chocolatier shop you can find the best chocolates in Antwerp. We tried the sweet temptations of Elisa Pralines on our first visit. This time, we’re venturing into the more unusual creations of «The Chocolate Line». Chocolatier Dominique Persoone’s love of experimentation has even been “ennobled” with a star by the Michelin Guide. I’m admittedly a bit critical when I venture into “Miss Piggy”. Will I like the praline refined with crispy bacon? It does! From sake to wasabi to hemp praline, you can sample the entire range of Dominique Persoone’s chocolate works in The Chocolate Line’s shop.

Per Velo durchs Hafenquartier Eilandje

After the hearty start with beer and chocolate on Friday afternoon, our Saturday starts outside in the fresh air. Actually, we had planned a walk through Antwerp’s oldest harbour district «Eilandje». The spaciousness of the area spontaneously tempts us to test the bike-sharing offer of “Velo Antwerpen“. Antwerp is certainly not the most comfortable cycling city in the region compared to its Dutch neighbours with its many cobblestone streets. Nevertheless, the bicycle is the fastest and most practical means of transport here – the tram made me tremble with its irregular and seemingly arbitrary travel times almost every time I tried to drive. For 4 euros (that’s how much the day ticket from Velo Antwerp costs – if you need the bike for more than 30 minutes at a time, you pay on top) you can cycle flexibly from sight to sight.

We cross the new bicycle bridge into the former harbour district, which has developed tremendously since our last visit in 2014. The newest visitor magnet is located at the northern end of Eilandje. The Havenhuis, which appears surreal from a distance, was designed by architect Zaha Hadid, who died in 2016. Even when getting closer, one is inclined to squeeze one’s eyes tightly shut once in order to grasp this utopian structure in its entirety. On Twitter, someone asked me if this was a photo montage – no, that’s really what it says.

After this morning bike tour through the architectural mix of Eilandje, we stop at noon at the Roest restaurant opposite the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS). Fine salads, egg benedict and sandwiches are served here.

Number 1 hot spot of the port city

I have already introduced the two museums in the Eilandje district – the MAS and the Red Star Line Museum – in my first post about Antwerp. Therefore, at this point I would just like to mention the tip that the roof terrace of the MAS is accessible free of charge from Tuesday to Sunday all day (until 10 o’clock in the evening in the winter months) and it is best to save this detour for the evening. I can’t think of a better spot to capture the sunset in Antwerp!

Half-timbered houses, street art and fashion: out and about in the bustling city centre

From the harbour district we cycle right into the historic centre of Antwerp. On the edge of Groenplaats there is a station of Velo Antwerpen, so that we can leave our bikes there and continue on foot.

The centre of Antwerp is as colourful as the city; here the Grote Markt surrounded by venerable building facades, there narrow backyard alleys with tongue twister names such as “Vlaeykensgang” and there one of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe of the first half of the 20th century. No, the almost 100-metre-high Boerenturm is definitely not a classic “gem” – but the high-rise building, built in 1930, serves as a welcome orientation aid in the maze of alleys of the historic centre.

Thanks to the Street Art Antwerp app, we also discover one or two exciting works of art on building facades during our walk through the old town. On the way to the well-deserved coffee break at Caffenation City Center, we take a look at the two-storey concept store Juttu – refreshing that in the centre of Antwerp you will find one or two cool shops in addition to the usual clothing mush. This is where Antwerp lives up to its reputation as a fashion city.

Shortly after dark, we return to the Grote Markt. In the extension of the central market square is one of the best cocktail bars in the city – but be forewarned: At Dogma Cocktails you can expect really creative drinks (and the bar is always filled quickly – although the circulation is also relatively high and so there is always the chance to get a seat).

Fine Dining in Antwerpen

If you toast the evening at Dogma Cocktails, you can, for example, continue feasting 15 minutes away at “Graanmarkt 13“. The townhouse at number 13 brings together apartments, galleries, boutiques and a brasserie-style restaurant under one roof and will delight gourmets and design lovers alike. Seppe Nobels is responsible for the restaurant in the basement. His cuisine has already won various awards and “best of” awards – including those of the “best vegetable restaurant of Flanders”. In addition to light vegetarian food, there is also freshly caught fish and a good piece of meat at a reasonable price of 45 euros for a 3-course menu.

The Atelier Maple near Boelaerpark in the east of the city exudes a fine dining atmosphere as soon as you enter. The few tables are spread over the ground floor of a noble Art Nouveau building and we don’t have to wait long until we are served the first promising “amuse-bouche”. Chef Timothy Tynes serves the greeting of the kitchen himself.

We then opt for the Maple Menu, which is available in 3, 4 or 5 courses and costs 54 to 74 euros, depending on the variant. Tynes focuses on an exciting combination of seasonal Belgian products paired with Asian flavours and cooking techniques. The sophisticated courses convince us both visually and in terms of taste.

Art & Culture Highlights in Antwerp South

We start Sunday morning with a leisurely stroll through the trendy Antwerp Zuid. In this quarter, too, you are not immune to surreal apparitions – for example, on the Emiel Banningstraat, where the striking steel roof of the Palace of Justice appears in front of us. But that’s not the main reason for our trip to the south of the city. We want to use the remaining time until the return trip to Switzerland to look at the current exhibitions at the Fotomuseum Antwerp and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibitions change about every three months – it’s best to find out in advance where there is something exciting to see.

Practical tips for your city trip to Antwerp

• Many roads lead to Antwerp – you leave the smallest ecological footprint when you travel by train. The fastest connections are via Paris (approx. 7.5 hours travel time). The most cost-effective (but a little slower) are the connections via Frankfurt and Bruxelles-Nord to Antwerp Centraal. In order to optimize our travel time, we took the last TGV to Paris on Thursday evening, spent the night opposite the Nord train station and were already in Antwerp shortly before Friday noon.
• If you arrive by train, you’ve already ticked off the first sight when you arrive – Antwerpen-Centraal station is considered one of the most beautiful train stations in Europe and is absolutely worth seeing.
• Local transport is covered by trams and buses, although the basic frequency took some getting used to for me as a Zurich resident spoilt for public transport. Every time I had the feeling that I had to wait forever* (*about plus/minus 15 minutes).
• If you are planning to use public transport and visit one or the other museum, you are well served by the Antwerp City Pass (optionally as a 24, 48 or 72 hour card). For 48 hours you pay 55 euros and enjoy free travel as well as free admission to almost all museums in the city (including special exhibitions) and to the city brewery de Koninck.
• A beautiful view of the skyline of Antwerp is offered not only by the MAS, but also by the opposite bank of the Scheldt. You can reach this with the nostalgic wooden escalator via the Sint-Annatunnel.
• Other bars and restaurants we tested (such as the Fritten Atelier for the obligatory portion of Belgian fries) I have marked for you in the following map.
• Not highlighted separately on the menu is the imposing bar of the Hotel August, where good cocktails and delicious appetizers are served.
• You can find even more tips about Antwerp – with a focus on sustainability and fair fashion in the Green Guide by Reisezeilen.

The following map summarizes my collected tips from a total of two city trips to Antwerp. You can find the information about my first stay in spring 2014 here: Antwerp Sights & Travel Tips

Note: this trip was supported by Visit Flanders and Visit Antwerp. Thank you very much for this – as always, all impressions and opinions are ours.