Citytrip to Antwerp

Antwerp offers the culture of many centuries in many styles, to be found in the architecture around you and in a big number of museums. The majestic Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe cathedral, the Antwerp city hall and the guild houses on the Grote Markt are striking elements in the streets of Antwerp. Those who are into art deco and jugendstil will enjoy a walk along the Cogels-Osylei and the streets around it. Other buildings, like the Museum Plantin-Moretus, a 16th century pressroom, and the baroque Sint-Carolus Borromeus church will surprise you with their beautiful interiors.

During your citytrip to Antwerp you can visit a lot of museums with various collections. In the Rubenshuis you can see the work of the famous baroque painter and diplomat Pieter Paul Rubens. Other well-known museums are the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, the Museum aan de Stroom, the ModeMuseum, the Etnografisch Museum and the Middelheimmuseum.

When you want to visit multiple museums, you can use the profitable Antwerp City Card.

Shopping

A fun day of shopping in Antwerp usually starts around 10 AM and most shops close at 6 PM. In the historical city center, you will find the most well-known shopping street Meir and Keyserlei. Here you will find the most well-known shops. Outside of the historical city center, there are more shopping zones with a varied range of shops. In the shopping area “De Wilde Zee” you will find a large number of chocolatiers. De Modewijk is a shopping area with all kinds of fashion. The Schuttershofstraat has more exclusive shops and is known as a luxurious shopping area, comparable to the P.C. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam.

Antwerp also has a lot of shopping malls. The most beautiful mall must be the Stadsfeestzaal on Meir, a neo classical building from 1908. De Grand Bazar on the Eiermarkt and the Schoenmarkt was once a big department store. On Keyserlei you will find the Century Shopping Center or discover the large number of fashion stores and boutiques with their own signature in De Nieuwe Gaanderij (Huidevettersstraat/Korte Gasthuisstraat). When you really want to shop till you drop in a big shopping mall, you can visit the Wijnegem Shopping Center, which is located far away from the city center.

The Van Wesenbekestraat and the Van Arteveldestraat form the so-called Chinatown. To give the area an authentic look, a China-made gateway was placed at the entrance of the Van Wesenbekestraat.

Good food and nice drinks

It is almost impossible to find a spot in Antwerp where you can’t enjoy great food and drinks. Of course you can find lots of bars and restaurants on the Groenplaats, the Grote Markt and other tourist hotspots. Other spots with a great reputation in the field of food and drinks are Eilandje and the area of Zuid-Museum (called Het Zuid by the locals). The area around the Ossenmarkt and the Stadswaag also has a vivid nightlife.

Entertainment

A citytrip to Antwerp is also fun for kids, since there is a zoo in the city center. It is located right next to the central station and is one of the oldest zoos in the world. You can also catch a movie with your kids at the movie theatres of UGC. Or go on a tour on the channels and rivers of Antwerp and for a fun and informative trip with your kids.

Start your citytrip to Antwerp on Camping & Holiday park De Uitwijk in De Heen and in 45 minutes you will find yourself on the Grote Markt.