Search Hotels in Antwerp

Located in Belgium, in the Flanders region, Antwerp is full of people whose kindness has no end. This and its surreal surroundings make this the perfect destination for a relaxing holiday. It is a calm place to visit. But this doesn’t mean that it isn’t important from a business point of view. More than 70% of all diamonds are traded in Antwerp. The economic hub here is as wild as in other countries.

There are a number of places you may visit here. Here are a few of them:

Rubenshuis – once the house of the infamous artist Peter Paul Rubens, this building has now been converted into a museum featuring his artwork. Its entrance costs €6 for Students under 26 and €1 for other students free.

Plantin Moretus Museum – this museum was once the home of bookbinder and printer Christoffel Plantin. If you are interested in printing this museum is sure to fascinate you. It is believed to be one of the most important museums dedicated to printing. Not only this, it has also been declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. It features collections of several important books and printing presses.

Antwerp Zoo – this is the best place for you to take your kids. It comprises of more than 4000 animals! Not only this its structures are built so skillfully that it is also a wonder to look at even without the animals!

Cathedral of Our Lady – standing over 400 ft tall, this is one of the most spectacular buildings in the whole of Antwerp! Built back in 1351, it architecture is appreciated by people even today. Not only that, this museum is also home to some of the most famous paintings of Rubens.

Carolus Borromeus Church — the façade of this church is quite modest. However it is the interior that we are interested in. Rubens’ studio has done exceptional decorations on the inside! Also its location provides it picturesque views.

City Hall/Old Market Square – the center of the town, symbolizes the town’s history. Medieval guild houses surround this market square. The city hall’s design features a combination of Gothic and early Renaissance and are remarkable! This type of architecture is found exclusively in Europe.

Antwerp’s population consists of around 10,000 young students. So, the city has a young, colourful and vibrant nightlife with a number of bars and cafes found all over the town. The docklands specialize in clublife. Some of the popular nightlife destinations in Antwerp are:

• Bita Nascimento which plays live music at restaurant Novo slb every 1st friday of the Month
• New “Disco 69 Club” which has two floors and remains open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays
• Kleine Bourla (3 Kelderstraat,closed Sun) which is popular among the educated and literary class with artistic taste
• The bars around Vrijdagmarkt have a young and trendy atmosphere
• Den Engel (3 Grote Markt) is an Antwerp institution and one of the oldest pubs in the city
• Café d’Anvers
• Red & Blue (11-13 Lange Schipperskapelstraat), the biggest gay dance club in Benelux
• Club Industria: Indiëstraat 10 – in the ‘Eilandje’ (Island) neighbourhood
• De Muze which comes to life every night with live music, mainly jazz
• Velvet Lounge at 6 Luikstraat is a sophisticated restaurant and after-dinner club which offers ethnic fusion cuisine with lounge music and dancing. It remains open from 6 p.m. till midnight and until 6 a.m. on weekends
• Petrol: 21 d’Herbouvillekaai is an enormous warehouse with black walls, a stage, dance floor, and room for 800 trendy partiers. The visitors are entertained with live rock ‘n’ roll and DJs spinning electro, hip-hop, rock, techno, and soul
• Noxx has three bars and features performances by the biggest international Dj’s and artists, live acts, performers, vocalists
• Fusia offers classy dining and has an exclusive clubroom with salsa beets and Latin vibes.

The Historical Center, the ‘t Zuid, that is the Southern District and the Latin District are the most popular neighbourhoods where you can find the nights buzzing with various activities. So, if you want a feel of the nightlife of Antwerp, it is advisable to book a hotel in these areas.

Antwerp is one of the most underrated cities in Belgium and many travelers usually undermine its ability to effectively satisfy their needs. This is in total contempt of the fact that it is the second largest to the main capital in Brussels and its indisputable tourism appeal talks volumes about its abilities. Most of its tourist attractions are based at the historic old city centre and include the cathedral of our lady which is the most glorious in the whole of Belgium. For the few who visit the city, they get surprised at how attractive and intimate it is. The city has become so famous for selling diamond thus you will find many jewelry shops selling the product in addition to bars and restaurants that are lined up along the city streets. The Antwerp tourist information office that is located on the Grote market square offers the latest information concerning local tourism which you can visit for direction if new to the city.

Top Antwerp Sights
There are many attractions that will keep you busy when visiting Antwerp therefore as a tourist you only need to make a wise management of your time so as to get a chance of visiting as many as possible. You will have choices to choose between sharks at the aquatopia aquarium, the brewery tours of the brouwerij de koninck and many animals at the central Antwerp zoo. You can also take a boat trip along river scheldt or even a cruise along the Haven van Antwerp port and it will give you the opportunity to appreciate fully the waterfront skyline.

Additionally, there are many museums that reflect the true character of Antwerp which you can visit to celebrate the city’s achievements over the years. These museums carry several exhibitions that have interesting and captivating information where you can get the first newspaper published about 400 years ago at the dagbladmuseum. On the other hand, diamantmuseum offers an insight into how the city’s diamond trade has evolved to become a globally recognized business. There are film memorabilia that lovers of film will find at the filmmuseum and the exceptional royal museum of fine arts has all the different types of art that you will probably be looking for.

By sparing some precious moments of your time to visit Antwerp will be well accounted for since you are guaranteed of leaving the city fully satisfied regardless of your needs. You do not need to visit the main capital city since Antwerp has all that you need during your holiday. It’s proximity to towns like Lichtaart, Lier as well as city of Mechelen, which are all famous for a surprising selection of attraction sites make it a more suitable tourist destination point in Europe.