Visiting Antwerp, Belgium

Over the last twenty years I have had the privilege of staying in Antwerp Belgium for almost 30 weeks. This happened due to my good fortune of working in product development for the US subsidiary of a Belgian company. Recently, it occurred to me that outside of places I have lived, I know Antwerp better than any other city. I believe a lot of American travelers don't include Belgium in their travel plans and opt for visiting Paris, London, Rome and other European cities without ever considering Belgium. When Americans do travel to Belgium they seem to include Brussels but don't include cities like Antwerp and Brugges. Antwerp is a good starting point for those visiting Europe for the first time. It is distinctly European, old enough to have a fascinating history, small enough to be easily traversed and large enough to have a great tourist infrastructure. Most people speak enough English making it easy to not get lost or disoriented and yet most communication around you is in Flemish or French providing a great cosmopolitan flavor. The people in Antwerp seem to delight in helping tourists and their hospitality is second to none. Here then, is Antwerp in a nutshell hopefully providing you with enough information to help you travel in comfort. Getting There From the USA, you can find many direct flights to Brussels. You can also fly directly into Antwerp from other European cities like London, Amsterdam, and Paris. The Antwerp Airport is a short taxi ride from most hotels. If you are traveling by rail from other European Cities you can check timetables and fares here .

Getting There
If you fly to Brussels, you can take the train, bus or private car to Antwerp which is about 45 minutes north of the airport. The cheapest way to get to Antwerp from the Brussels Airport is by the bus:

Antwerp Express
Every hour a direct coach service departs from the airport to the city centre of Antwerp. This coach service is operated every day.
The coaches leave from the back of platform B at the bus station (level 0).
On weekdays and Saturdays:
first departure: 5:00 a.m.
last departure: 12 midnight

Travel time: 45 minutes
Tickets: available from the driver
Fare: € 8,- for adults; € 5,- for children

Operator: De Decker - Van Riet
Tel. +32 52 33 40 00

Some Background on the City
According to the Dutch legend, there was a Giant called Antigoon that lived near the river Scheldt and anyone that wanted to cross the river needed to pay a toll. If one were to refuse, Antigoon cut off one of their hands and threw them into the Scheldt. One day a young hero named Brabo cut off the giant's hand and threw it into the river. From this story came the name Antwerpen from Dutch which means throwing the hand. During the dark ages, Antwerp was a minor city. Brugges, to the east of Antwerp was the center of commerce in Belgium. Between 600 AD and 700 AD the Scheldt River changed its course. The harbor in Brugges silted over making it impossible for ships to dock. Over the years, the ships began to bypass the great medieval city and docked in Antwerp. Modern Belgium is divided into three distinct regions. Brussels is the largest city and capital of French speaking Belgium. Liege to the east is the capital of the German speaking region and Antwerp is capital of the largest region, which is the Flemish speaking region. Today Antwerp has a population of about 461,496 (as of January 2006) and its total area is about 102 square miles It is the second largest city in Belgium behind Brussels. For more on the history of Belgium refer to following sites:

Geographia

Belgium Tourist Office

Map Note: On French Maps, Antwerp is called Anvers. On Flemish maps, it is called Antwerpen.

Points of Interest
Central Antwerp is easily explored on foot. When you get tired, Antwerp has a great and inexpensive tram system which runs underground in some areas and above ground in other areas. If you are driving, a circular "ring" road or beltway goes around the entire city making car travel confusing but easy. As with any European city, half the fun is discovering your own places. However, one thing should not be missed. Near the old Cathedral in the center of Antwerp, people gather in streets every Monday night around 9 PM to sit outside at the Cafes and listen to classical musicians play the church carillon. The sound echoing through the old stones streets is truly uplifting. Get there early and stake your spot, around 10 AM there could be up to 50,000 people walking the streets. It is easy to find tourist information in Antwerp, but I have listed here a few of my favorite things to do.

Rubens House
Peter Paul Rubens lived and worked in Antwerp most of his life.His house is a must see while visiting Antwerp. Not only was he a great painter, but he was also the first commercial artist. You can see much of his work such as book covers for Bibles and other books that were printed in Antwerp during the renaissance.

Location
Wapper 9 - 11, 2000 Antwerpen.
info.rubenshuis@cs.antwerpen.be

Open every day (except Mondays), from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed on certain public holidays.

Foto Museum
The Belgium photography museum is located in Antwerp and it is a great treat for anyone interested in photography. Photography was "invented" in Belgium around the same time it was in the United States. There are many galleries and permanent exhibits in the museum.

Location
Waalse Kaai 47
2000 Antwerpen tel.: 03 242 93 00
http://www.fotomuseum.be/

The Middelheim Museum
The Middelheim outdoor sculpture Museum is situated just outside the 'Ring' in a park that was purchased by the City in 1910 to prevent it being cut up into lots.
The museum has over 300 pieces including August Rodin and Henry Moore. Most pieces are in a beautiful park area and it is great to visit in the spring or summer.

Location
Middelheimlaan 61 - 2000 Antwerp
tel 03/828.13.50

The Plantin-Moretus Museum
A fascinating museum dedicated to the history of Printing. Antwerp has been a center for printing since the 15^th century, in the museum you can see Rueben's famous bible illustrations.

Location
Vrijdagmarkt 22 - 2000 Antwerp

Hours
Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Diamond Museum
This museum is one of the largest in the world. Inside you can view the diamond market when it is in session although no visitors are allowed on the trading floor. Antwerp has long been a diamond trading center stemming from the early exploration and colonization of Africa.

Location
Koningin Astridplein 19 - 23
B-2018 Antwerpen

Hours
Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone 32 03 202 4890

Hotels
As with any city, there are a variety hotels and inns. I can only speak for the hotels that I have personally stayed at. There is a newer Hilton Hotel in the center of the city that I have not stayed at but I have been inside the hotel which seems to be luxurious and expensive and it is in a great location just around the corner from the Cathedral.

The Golden Tulip Carlton Hotel is a lovely modern hotel within three blocks of Central Station. Breakfast is included as with most European hotels and the breakfast buffet at the Carlton will keep you going all day. The rooms are modern and air conditioned and fairly large by European standards. There is a Godiva chocolate shop in the lobby and each night, you will find some Godiva on your pillow.

The Alfa Theater Hotel This is a small older hotel in the center of Antwerp across from Antwerp's theater and near the opera house. In the theater square every Saturday and Sunday is the Market where you can buy everything from produce to live parakeets. The hotel has the smallest elevators in the world, but the breakfast buffet is great, the bar lively and the rooms comfortable. The best part is that the price is reasonable.

Astrid Park Plaza is a modern and comfortable hotel located within one block of Central Station and adjacent to the Antwerp Zoo (you can hear the elephants in the morning). The rooms are comfortable the hotel provides great amenities and services.

Restaurants
The restaurants in Antwerp are about the best you can find anywhere, including France. From casual bistros to fine formal dining, you can find anything. Like everything in Europe, prices can be very expensive. You can keep costs down by eating mussels (a local favorite) in just about any café or bistro in the old city. Tony's near the Antwerp Town Hall has great pizza. There are also some very good Chinese restaurants and other ethnic choices. I never did find a good Sushi restaurant, but never tried that hard either. Since Antwerp is a seaport, the salmon and smoke salmon is among the best in the world. Here are a few choices for the "serious dinner" you may want to invest in. Have your hotel concierge make reservations for you. Tell them it is your anniversary.

Rooden Hoed is Antwerp's oldest restaurant; it's been around for about 250 years. It is a very European setting with large windows overlooking the Cathedral Square. .The menu features a large variety including mussels and other seafood as well as fresh game in season. Attire is European casual

Neuze Neuze is located in historic center of Antwerp and is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. The menu is French/Belgian but the presentation and service are truly exquisite. It is a rustic building where you can chat with owner and enjoy the special house aperitif while your table is prepared. Not just dinner, a dining experience.

Docks Café is the most casual on the list, but the food and service are great. There are deep red velvet walls, copper-green columns and a winding staircase all done in a modern European style. The menu is French and Italian with excellent seafood choices.

Gorki is a classic Russian restaurant with fantastic chicken Kiev, beef stroganoff and other Russian and French dishes. You have to be very careful here, since you will be greeted with a glass of chilled vodka which will be continuously refilled during the evening. Sometimes the Chef will come out and play the piano and sing which may lead you to believe that he is sampling the vodka.

The Koperen Ketel (Copper Kettle) restaurant is situated near the largest commercial building in central Antwerp but when you step through the door you think you have gone backwards a couple hundred years. This is where I first ate pheasant and is the best for fresh game and also seafood. It is expensive, but the service is impeccable. I ordered a cigar after dinner and they presented it to me, then took it from me, clipped the tip of the cigar, took two pieces of wood and wrapped it around the cigar. The server then lit the cigar using the wooden frame, removed the wood, dipped the tip in brandy and presented the cigar to me already lit with a perfect circle of white ash around the lit tip. Talk about service!

With all Antwerp restaurants, plant to go out to dinner between seven and eight and spend at least two hours.

Beer
People from Belgium love beer. There are literally thousands of brands of Belgian beers. Beers come in three strengths. Pilsner beers have the same amount of alcohol as a good American beer. Doubles have twice as much and triples have three times as much alcohol so you have to take care when sampling the brews. One of my favorites is Corsendonk which originally was produced by monks in a town near Antwerp called Turnout. You can actually stay at the Castle, where I was fortunate to have attended a dinner one evening. If you want to stay in the castle, you can make reservations at

The Kulminator
For tasting a variety of beers, try the Kulminator. This little bar not only stocks 100's of current beers, you can actually buy vintage beers at a vintage price.

Vleminckveld 32,2000 Antwerpen.
Tel. 03 - 232 4538

Pater's Vaetje
The best and least expensive pub I ever found is near the old Cathedral.

Blauwmoezelstraat 1,2000 Antwerpen.
Tel. 03 - 231 8476

Te Pelgrem
Walk down Pelgrem Street, about half way down you will see a little museum called Te Pelgrem, take the stairs down and you will enter an underground series of stone wall caves filled with long wooden table and benches and lit totally by candle light. Here you can order a variety of beers and food as well. Not to be missed

Het Elfde Gebod
The name means the eleventh commandment. It is adjacent to the old Cathedral and a great place to camp out for the carillon concerts. What makes it unique is that the entire interior is decorated with religious icons from the real to the blasphemous. Even the men's room has religious drawings and statues. The environment is somewhat surreal, but the beer and clientele are interesting.

10 Torfbrug
Tel 03 289 34 66

You can spend weeks discovering Antwerp, but one day trip that should not be missed is to Domein Bokrijk. This is a huge open air museum dedicated to Belgian culture. It takes a whole day to visit starting at an old Flemish village where the Flemish lifestyle of the middle ages is displayed. As you walk through the huge park each turn takes you a little further into the timeline of development. Artists and craftsmen show their crafts from basket makers to silver smiths. They have even created a whole city in the middle of the Forrest which was constructed from buildings that were torn down in Brussels and Antwerp. There are restaurants and of course pubs along the way. You can also see the magnificent arboretum and castle and a very strange collection of chickens.

Domein Bokrijk Information center B-3600 Genk, Tel. 011/265.300
Fax 011/265.310 - E-mail: bokrijk@limburg.be
The Open Air Museum is open from March 29 till September 30, every day from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.

Antwerp is truly a great city, worthy of a few days on your schedule. I have just touched the surface, but hopefully have made you want to stop there on your next European vacation. It is truly easy for the first time American visitor. When it's time to come home don't forget to buy some Belgian lace. While you are there try to sample all the different types of Belgian Chocolate, I still prefer Godiva but Leonidas is also worth the calories. Don't forget to take some on the plane!