🇧🇪 Belgium · Places to discover
What to see in Antwerp ?
24 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities. Click to discover each address in detail.
Anvers fonctionne à sa propre cadence, quelque part entre port industriel et capitale mondiale du diamant. La ville a construit son identité sur le commerce et l'art flamand - Rubens y a vécu et travaillé, et le Musée Royal des Beaux-Arts en garde une collection dense, sans esbroufe. Ce mélange de pragmatisme marchand et d'ambition culturelle donne aux quartiers comme le Zurenborg une cohérence rare, où l'Art nouveau côtoie les entrepôts reconvertis.
Deux jours suffisent pour saisir l'essentiel, trois si vous voulez explorer les quais de l'Escaut sans vous presser. Le printemps et le début d'automne offrent une lumière qui convient bien à la ville, sans les foules de l'été. Depuis Bruxelles, le train prend trente-cinq minutes - inutile de louer une voiture. Évitez de concentrer votre séjour sur la Grand-Place et ses abords immédiats : l'intérêt d'Anvers est précisément dans ce qui se passe un peu plus loin.
Landmarks & heritage (11)
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Antwerp Stock Exchange
The world's first stock exchange, built in 1531 and rebuilt several times. Today an events venue, its Neo-Gothic interior courtyard is open to the public.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SALandmark
Rubens House (Rubenshuis)
Rubens' house-studio, built by the master himself in 1610, blends Flemish Baroque with Italian Classicism. Its interior courtyard garden is an unexpected haven of peace in the city centre.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
South District – Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA)
The royal museum reopened after 11 years of renovation, housing 7,000 works including the world's largest Rubens collection. The integration of the contemporary wing into the neoclassical building is masterful.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SALandmark
Steen (Het Steen)
Antwerp's oldest building, a 9th-century medieval fortress on the banks of the Scheldt. After renovation, it houses a visitor centre with commanding views over the river.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Plantin-Moretus Museum
Belgium's only museum listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its building: the world's oldest printing house still intact. The 16th-century hand presses are still there.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
MAS – Museum aan de Stroom
A ten-storey tower of red sandstone and glass overlooking the docks; the roof offers the finest free panorama of the city. The collections trace Antwerp's maritime and colonial history.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Antwerp Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Anvers)
Belgium's largest Gothic cathedral, housing four masterpieces by Rubens including the Descent from the Cross. The 123-metre spire dominates the rooftops of the old town.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Antwerp Central Station
Known as the 'cathedral of railway stations', its 1905 Neo-Baroque dome is one of the world's finest railway stations. The multi-level interior is worth exploring even without catching a train.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Saint Paul's Church
17th-century Baroque Dominican church housing 200 sculptures and 50 paintings, including works by Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens. Less well-known than the cathedral, but equally rich in art.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SALandmark
Grote Markt of Antwerp
The central square surrounded by Renaissance guild houses and dominated by the Brabo Fountain. Less crowded than Brussels' Grand-Place, it retains remarkable authenticity.
Landmark
Vleeshuis – Museum of the Sounds of the City
A 16th-century Gothic meat market converted into a museum of Antwerp music. The architecture of alternating red brick and white stone is spectacular.
Nature & parks (4)
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SANature
Scheldt Quays (Scheldekaaien)
The redesigned quays along the Scheldt have become the favourite promenade of Antwerpians. Wooden benches, temporary urban beaches in summer and views of giant cargo ships.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SANature
Rivierenhof
A vast 230-hectare estate in Deurne, with castle, ponds and English gardens – the favourite park of Antwerp families. Far from tourist circuits, entirely authentic.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SANature
Middelheim Park
Open-air sculpture museum spanning 30 hectares featuring works by Rodin, Moore and Rik Wouters alongside contemporary installations. Antwerp residents bring their families here on Sundays.
Nature
Antwerp City Park
The green heart of the city centre with its ponds, ducks and sculptures. Ideal for a break between the central station and the Meir, frequented by families and students.
Viewpoints (4)
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SAViewpoint
MAS Rooftop
Free access to the Museum aan de Stroom rooftop: 360° views over the Scheldt, dock cranes, Flemish rooftops and the cathedral. The sunset from here is unforgettable.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SAViewpoint
Linkeroever – Left Bank of the Scheldt
The left bank, accessible via the pedestrian tunnel beneath the Scheldt, offers the finest view of Antwerp's skyline. Locals come here to picnic with a view of the skyscrapers and cathedral.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SAViewpoint
Cogels-Osylei – Art Nouveau Avenue
Belgium's most extravagant avenue: a kilometre of eclectic Art Nouveau and neo-Renaissance villas built by Antwerp's bourgeoisie around 1900. An overlooked open-air museum.
Viewpoint
Eilandje – Docks District
Former harbour basins converted into a trendy neighbourhood with rehabilitated warehouses and waterside terraces. The Bonaparte Dock and Willem Dock are perfect for an evening stroll.
Activities (5)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAActivity
FOMU – Antwerp Photography Museum
One of Europe's finest photography museums, housed in a converted warehouse in the dock district. The temporary exhibitions are always cutting-edge and often overlooked by tourists.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SAActivity
Friday Market
Picturesque square with a weekly flea market and permanent antique shops. Locals browse here on weekends, away from the hustle of the Meir.
Wikipedia (nl) - CC BY-SAActivity
De Roma – Art Deco Concert Hall
A former neighbourhood cinema from the 1920s fully restored and now one of the city's best concert venues. The Art Deco interior architecture is worth the visit alone.
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SAActivity
Pedestrian Tunnel under the Scheldt (Voetgangerstunnel)
A 572-metre tunnel opened in 1933, with original wooden lifts still in service. Walking or cycling across the Scheldt beneath the river is a unique Antwerp experience.
Activity
Diamond Quarter
Antwerp controls 80% of the world's raw diamond trade: this neighbourhood around Hoveniersstraat is fascinating to explore, with its Hasidic diamond dealers and glittering shop windows.