Antwerp – a city like no other

Antwerp has a lot of surprising highlights, including The Antwerp ZOO – one of Europe’s oldest and most attractive city zoos – and a beach, St Anneke, on the Left Bank. Not only the beach is pretty unique for a city inland, but the city also boasts a deep sea port – 80 km inland. As you can see, Antwerp does everything a little bit differently!

Antwerp is a city like no other. Locals proudly refer to this city as a cosmopolitan city with a village-like atmosphere: you can find everything here, but always within walking, or at least cycling, distance.

In the Antwerp skyline, the Cathedral of Our Lady proudly takes its place. It is the highest church spire in the Low Lands and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Quite a feat for a building with just one finished spire. A little further up, MAS stands out: in this Museum by the River, the most beautiful work of art may well be the view. From the 60-metre high roof top, you can admire the whole city. Besides the MAS and the several other special museums in Antwerp (just think of the Middelheim Museum, The Rubens House and Plantin-Moretus), there are also the museum-grade buildings, where you can either shop or eat. There is, for example, the Neoclassical Stadsfeestzaal that accommodates a shopping centre, or the former chapel that houses the star restaurant ‘The Jane’, or the Palace on the Meir (which was once Napoleon’s).

People from Antwerp are trendsetters. This is evident from the many pop-ups and start-ups, and also in the fashion and diamond districts, of course. You will find more diamonds in the Diamond Square Mile – where international diamond hallmarks originate – than in the rest of the world. In DIVA, the new diamond museum in the historical heart of the city, you are immersed in the wonderful world of diamonds and jewellery. And scattered all over the city are dazzling shop windows full of attractive jewellery designs.

Antwerp also sets the tone where fashion is concerned: couture is not just in the boutiques, but also on the streets, at the Fashion Museum (MoMu) and at school – the fashion department of the Royal Academy is one of the world’s most influential.

In addition to all this, the city itself is easy to reach. If you want a piece of advice: come by train. The majestic Antwerp Central railway station has won many beauty prizes… something that may dull the pain somewhat when the time comes to leave the city.