Antwerp is a city that harmoniously combines the old and the new. The narrow streets of the medieval centre contrast with the sheets of water and stunning modern architecture of the harbour basins.
This city owes its prosperity to being the second largest port in Europe. It’s controlled the route along the River Scheldt for centuries, growing rich on the taxes and international trade.
Belgium’s largest city is a melting pot of cultures and ideas, known for its vibrant fashion scene and as the centre of Europe’s diamond trade.
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Our visit to Antwerp was one of the stops that I enjoyed most on our Titan river cruise on MS Serenade 1. This cruise took us from Amsterdam through the Low Countries of Holland and Belgium.
We only had one day to explore the city, so here’s a taste of the things to do in Antwerp. You can fit these into the short time that’s available when you visit on a river cruise.
Read more: Highlights of our Amsterdam river cruise with Titan Travel through Belgium and Holland
Arriving in Antwerp on our Titan River cruise
Our Titan river cruise on MS Serenade 1 brought us by breakfast time into the Port of Antwerp. We were located in the Kattendijkdok, one of the inner port areas that lead from the River Scheldt.
The thing we love about river cruises is that you generally arrive early in a new city and stay late. Departing after dinner gave us plenty of time to explore all the things to see in Antwerp.
Read more: 10 things we enjoyed on our Titan River cruise with MS Serenade 1
1. Museum aan der Stroom or MAS in Antwerp
Our first encounter in the next basin of the port, was with the Museum aan der Stroom or MAS. which looks a bit like a tower of orange bricks. Its glass panels give views of the harbour, as you take the escalators up through the building.
The “Museum on the river” tells the stories that flow through the city and port. Merchants from all over the world met to exchange ideas and trade goods.
Each floor houses permanent and changing exhibitions to tell the story of the city. The building’s exterior mimicks a giant warehouse that forms a repository for collections that reflect Antwerp’s past and future.
Although you there’s a charge to visit the exhibitions (entrance €10), it’s free to walk through this landmark building, with views through the glass walls on each floor. From the roof terrace there is a 360 degree view over the port. Glass panels have convenient circular holes in them so you can get the perfect photo.
Looking down on the square below, you may notice the white mosaic paving forms the image of a skull. This artwork is by Antwerp’s artist, Luc Tuymans.
We didn’t have time to visit the exhibitions but really enjoyed our visit to the rooftop terrace and views from MAS. I’d recommend this as one of the top free places to visit in Antwerp.
2. What to do in Antwerp – a Cycle tour of Antwerp
In order to see as much as possible during our day in Antwerp, we decided to hire a bike from Antwerp by Bike. Look for their depot tucked away under the Zuiderterras elevated walkway near the Flandria information desk.
Antwerp is a very walkable city, but the walks between different things could take a while. The bike was an excellent solution to get us around.
Bike hire is pretty reasonable at €16 per day. We loved the little map we were given with lots of quirky, local recommendations (that’s how we found Paniek summer bar).
If you are visiting Antwerp for longer than a day, I think it could be great fun to try one of the themed guided tours covering Jewish Antwerp, Belgian Beer culture and the Port area. If you’d like to plan ahead check out this Antwerp highlights guided 2 hour bike tour which you can book in advance.
3. The Brabo Fountain and Grote Markt in Antwerp
Any city tour will take you through the Grote Markt or Great Market Square of Antwerp. You’ll stop at the Brabo fountain to hear how the city got its name. The story goes something like this.
“In Roman times there was a giant who controlled the bend in the River Scheldt, exacting a toll from each passing ship. Anyone who refused to pay the toll would have his hand cut off, until the Roman warrior Silvius Brabo had enough and slew the giant, chopped off his hand and threw it into the river. Hence the act of throwing the hand into the river gave the city its name based on the Dutch for Hand (hant) and Throw (werpen), which dropping the H became Antwerp.”
It’s a nice story which is commemorated by the fountain topped with a bronze statue of Brabo throwing the giant’s hand, which was commissioned in 1887. Of course the reality is that the city was more likely to have been named after the aanwerp or alluvial mound in the river. But, that wouldn’t be such an interesting tale!
If you need a starting point on what to see in Antwerp, the Grote Markt is the heart of medieval city and hosts lots of events through the year. When we visited it was being set up for a concert. The central square is used for festivals and Christmas markets, overlooked by the medieval Stadhuis (City Hall) and Guildhalls.
4. The Rubens House in Antwerp
As one of the most popular things to see in Antwerp, we made our first sightseeing stop the Rubens House. This is where the painter Peter Paul Rubens lived and worked until his death in 1640.
Rubens admired the art of Roman antiquity and the Italian Renaissance. So, he enlarged the house in Renaissance style to give it the air of an Italian palazzo.
Sadly the collection of Ruben’s own work has been largely dispersed. The artworks you see in the house are mostly from other artists and old masters of the period.
Read more: 10 things we enjoyed on our Titan River cruise with MS Serenade 1
During his lifetime Rubens became one of Europe’s most successful artists. He employed many pupils and assistants in his studios to cope with the growing demand. His wealth bought him two country estates. You can see the picture of one of these at Ekeren hanging in the house.
In his 50s, following the death of his first wife, Rubens married again to the sixteen year old beauty Helena Fourment. Helena bore him five children and whose portrait by Rubens also hangs in the house.
As well as running his large studio, Rubens was himself an art collector and a diplomat who spoke several languages. He was charged with negotiating the exile of Marie de Medici the French Queen Mother to the Dutch Republic in the 1630s.
Wander around the garden
At the end of the visit we enjoyed wandering around the pretty enclosed garden. It has been recreated based on paintings of the time, where Rubens could relax with family and friends.
Now, as then, it forms a walled oasis in the middle of the city and is a delightful place to sit among the flowers at the end of your visit. The Rubens House should be top of your list of things to do in Antwerp in a day, if you are short on time.
5. The Cathedral in Antwerp and the Bollekesfeest beer festival
The Cathedral of Our Lady sits at the heart of old Antwerp. Its 123 metre high spire must have dominated the skyline when it was completed in 1521. The cathedral is a treasury of artworks, including a number by Paul Rubens. This is one of the best places in Antwerp to see his work.
There’s a busy plaza in front of the cathedral and to the side the square was taken up when we were there with the Bollekesfeest. This festival celebrates the Antwerp’s De Koninck city brewery making Bolleke beer and other regional food and drink.
If you want to taste the beer at other times, you can visit the De Konick brewery for an interactive brewery tour with a beer tasting at the end.
Read more: Highlights of our Amsterdam river cruise with Titan Travel through Belgium and Holland
6. Belgian Waffles in Antwerp
You can’t visit Belgium without trying the waffles. So, after we had cycled around to see quite a lot of the city we stopped near the cathedral.
I spotted the bright green and yellow shopfront of Creme de la creme and the smell of freshly made waffles. This place is a small kiosk serving ice cream and waffles, with outdoor tables and deck chairs where you can sit for a while to eat them.
There are lots of different toppings, including the favourite chocolate sauce. I went for the strawberries and whipped cream which was quite over the top and finished me off for anything else.
Meanwhile Guy who prefers savoury to sweet had settled into Fish a’Gogo a small street-food place next door. He enjoyed a beer and some seafood snacks, which were also very good.
7. The Botanical Garden or Plantentuin in Antwerp
A chance find as we cycled through Antwerp was the Botanic Garden or Plantentuin – one of those places you spot the greenery and stop to investigate. The garden was originally created to supply herbs and medicinal plants to the St Elizabeth’s Hospital next door. It houses around 2000 different species.
There was a pretty brick building at one end which houses a restaurant, Het Gebaar. It was closed when we visited but it looked very nice. We parked our bikes and wandered around, enjoying this green oasis.
Curving paths and beds were planted with cactus, trees and exotic plants. At the opposite end of the park stand some of the original glasshouses filled with tropical plants. Sculptures are scattered throughout the gardens.
8. The Central Station and Diamond District in Antwerp
We were really pleased to have our bikes to cycle to the Central Station, as it would have been a bit of a walk from the old district. The streets around the station were busier with traffic and lined with many jewellery stores with sparkling window displays. We were now in the Antwerp Diamond District.
Within the Antwerp’s Diamond Square Mile, are many diamond workshops, cutters and traders. A high proportion of the world’s diamonds pass through Antwerp.
Historically this was also the Jewish quarter and most of Antwerp’s Jewish community work in different parts of the diamond trade. Hence you won’t find much open on Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath.
Parking our bikes, we walked through Antwerp Central Station, which is well known as a favourite photographic stop. You’ll probably enter through the lofty entrance hall, with checkered marble floor, coloured marble columns and glazed roof.
It was designed by Louis Delacenserie and constructed between 1895 and 1905. In the last 10 years it has gone through restoration and modernisation to convert the station from a terminus to a through station. High speed trains can now pass through between Amsterdam and Brussels.
Walk up the steps and pass through the doorway, pausing to look back at the fine arched facade and golden clock. Before you the station opens up so you can look down through the four different levels of the platforms. Then, look up at the glass roof bound by curving iron girders. It’s truly and impressive sight!
9. The Port House in Antwerp
From our river cruise ship MS Serenade, I had spotted The Port House at the end of the basin. I was determined to go and have a closer look. It was late afternoon by the time we returned to the port area, having handed back our bikes. I can tell you it was quite a walk down the length of the port basin, which Guy abandoned me to do on my own!
The geometric anvil of blue glass panels sits on top of the traditional architecture of the port’s old fire station, which is dwarfed by comparison. There’s an air of unreality about the design which is striking when seen from a distance, but seems quite odd close up.
Have a look at the photo below and the van parked underneath the building to appreciate the scale of the thing! Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the building is the head office of the Port Authority.
It houses an office for 500 employees, and you can take a tour inside the building on a few days of the month – check the website for more details. I’d love to see what it’s like inside and check whether it is a great place to work or a case of form over function.
10. Paniek – The riverside summer bar in Antwerp
After a full on day exploring all the Antwerp has to offer, I expect you’d be ready for a well earned drink and we were too! We’d noticed the Paniek Bar right across the harbour basin from where MS Serenade 1 was moored.
As the sun was shining it seemed the perfect place for an aperitif before dinner on board. These summer bars pop up all around Antwerp overlooking different parts of the harbour, often in old warehouses on the waterfront, with a trendy vintage or industrial feel.
Paniek was in a warehouse that seemed to also be housing a selection of furniture and bric a brac, with the bar and some seating inside, although with the sun out, most of the action was on the outside tables on the cobbles overlooking the harbour.
Drinking a glass of Amsterdam brewery company local draught beer, with a view of the harbour seemed to be the perfect way to end our one day in Antwerp.
You may also enjoy: Belgian food and drink – the Trappist experience
To Book your Titan River Cruise on MS Serenade 1
For river cruises on MS Serenade 1 and other cruise lines, visit the Titan Travel website.
The cruise that we enjoyed in August 2018 was an 7 night cruise – Delights of the Low Countries that started and finished in Amsterdam. The MS Serenade 1 follows a varied programme of cruises on the rivers of Europe throughout the cruise season from May to October, so you may not find the exact same cruise as we did.
Need a guide book for Antwerp? We recommend the DK Eyewitness Top 10 Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp & Ghent Pocket Travel Guide
Need a guide book for Antwerp? We recommend the DK Top 10 guide to Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent
Read about what to expect on a Titan River Cruise: 10 things we enjoyed on our Titan River cruise with MS Serenade 1
For the latest cruises, you can take a look at the MS Serenade 1 cruise programme to see all the possible cruises and get an idea of prices. Titan also offers other holidays that include Antwerp – take a look at these cruises that you can book through the Titan website.
Map of Antwerp, Belgium
Click on my map of the best things to do in Antwerp to plan your holiday
Visitor information for Antwerp
Find out more things to do in Antwerp on the Visit Flanders website and Visit Antwerp website.
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Our river cruise was hosted* by Titan Cruises who provided the 7 day river cruise for Heather and Guy.
* More info on my policies page
This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com
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Izy
Tuesday 9th of April 2019
Looks like you really had fun! I will take in your advice and do some of these things!
Heather Cowper
Tuesday 9th of April 2019
@Izy I loved the mix of medieval and modern in Antwerp