Weekend in Antwerp: what you need to know for a city trip full of food, art and fashion

For many, Antwerp is the perfect city trip: close by, in your own language, and yet just a little different. A port city with a medieval center, a healthy dose of fashion and design, and a food culture where taking your time is the most normal thing in the world.

This is how you get the most out of a weekend.

Getting there: easy by train

Antwerp is easily accessible by train, including direct connections from Rotterdam and Amsterdam. You get off at Antwerp-Central, a station that is worth a visit in itself. You can also go by car, but parking in the center is expensive and the low-emission zone requires prior registration. Check that in time.

Where to stay?

The city is compact, so you can quickly get where you want to be almost anywhere. A few neighborhoods to consider:

• Around the Grote Markt and the cathedral: in the middle of the old city, ideal for a first visit.

• Het Zuid: wide avenues, museums and many places to eat and drink.

• Het Eilandje: the old harbor area near the MAS, with water, new architecture and space.

• Around the station: practical if you arrive by train and want to leave quickly.

A day that doesn't need to be packed

The mistake many people make: wanting to see too much. Choose one thing per part of the day and leave the rest open. A few classics:

• The Grote Markt with the Brabo Fountain and the Cathedral of Our Lady, where works by Rubens hang.

• The MAS on Het Eilandje: even without visiting the museum, you can go up for the view over the city.

• A walk through Zurenborg, with its Art Nouveau facades.

• The Meir and the surrounding streets for shopping, or the smaller boutiques in the fashion district.

Eating like the locals

Burgundian dining is no cliché here. A few things to know:

• Make a reservation for dinner. Especially on Friday and Saturday, good places fill up quickly.

• Lunch is a real meal. Many places have a lunch menu that is more affordable than in the evening.

• Take your time. An evening in a restaurant here easily lasts a few hours, and no one will rush you out.

Plan your food first and your sights afterwards. That way you'll never be hungry in a queue.

To Antwerp with a group

Are you going with friends? Then choose where you will eat together in advance, instead of looking on the spot with everyone who is hungry. Also agree on who will arrange the hotel and who will arrange the restaurant.

Antwerp in HelloWhere

On our city page about Antwerp you will find restaurants and hotels in the city. With Choose together you can send one link to your travel companions: everyone indicates privately what they feel like, and you see which places suit the whole group. Then put the hotel, food and outings in one plan, so that everyone knows where to be.