We Visit Antwerp In One Day

Antwerp is the largest city in Flanders and has more than 500,000 inhabitants. It is known for being a benchmark in the production and commercialization of diamonds and for its huge industrial port.

This city has great attractions to visit due to its character, its past, cultural offer, commercial life and gastronomy, in a mixture of a cosmopolitan city with a strong historical legacy. Let’s see what places of interest can be visited in one day.

Enjoy the best of Antwerp in one day

Start your tour at the Central Station

If you arrive in Antwerp by train, you will be lucky enough to admire the Central Station, if not, it is good that you come, as it is one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world. It has an impressive entrance hall with a neo-Gothic façade and a beautiful cupola.

Leaving the Central Station, less than two minutes away you will find Meir Street, the shopping center of Antwerp, where you can find everything. You will be able to admire the surrounding buildings in all their majesty. When you reach the end of the street, in about 10 minutes, you will be able to locate the historic center of the city, near the river Scheldt.

If you want an agile means of transport that helps you not to miss anything in Antwerp, you can rent a red bicycle that you will find at different points. The rate will be according to the time you rent it, be it a day, a week or a month.

Grote Markt square

We continue the tour to get to know Antwerp in one day and we arrive at the Grote Markt, a triangular-shaped square and one of the most neuralgic points of Antwerp. On one side is the Town Hall, a beautiful Renaissance-style building, and on the other sides we have the Flemish guild houses, built in the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the center is imposing, the statue of Brabo, in the central fountain that reminds us of the legend of the hand of Antwerp. They say that the giant Druoon Antigoon, who was in charge of collecting the toll from all the ships that wanted to pass through the river, cut off the hands of those who refused, throwing them into the Scheldt.

Brabo, a Roman centurion, plucked up his courage and cut off the giant’s hand and, just as he did, threw it into the river. From this legend comes the name of the city of Antwerpen:  Ant, hand and Werpen, throw.

The Cathedral of Our Lady

The “Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal” is a must see in Antwerp. It is recognized as the largest and most beautiful religious building in Belgium. This Gothic-style cathedral took 170 years to build and has a spire that reaches 123 meters in height.

Inside we will find famous paintings such as Descent from the Cross, by Rubens. Also noteworthy are its stained glass windows and its bell tower,  which is part of a group of towers included in the World Heritage Site.

Gastronomy in the surroundings

If you want to rest, take a walk around the surroundings and you will find a large number of restaurants with gastronomy from all over the world and for all tastes, also bars where you can taste a De Koninck, Antwerp beer.

Walk along the Scheldt river

After having rested and with renewed energy, you can continue the trip by taking a walk along the Scheldt river, there you will come across the De Het Steen castle, from the 13th century, and finally the MAS museum (Museum Aan de Stroom).

The MAS is another icon of the city, where its architecture and the works that are exhibited stand out. A must-see is the terrace on the top floor, which is free to enter, where you can admire spectacular 360º views of Antwerp.

Antwerp Museums

If there is time, we recommend visiting some museums of interest, such as the house of Pablo Rubens, which was the painter’s house-workshop for the last 29 years of his life and is currently a museum that exhibits much of his work.

We also have the Plantin Moretus printing museum, the space dedicated to fashion known as MOMU or the FOMU photography museum. Returning to the Central Station you will find the Diamond Museum and in the surroundings you will find a large number of shops in the sector.

We have seen the best of Antwerp in one day, but if you still have time you can discover many more places of interest in this beautiful city of Belgium.