Antwerp - A Visit to Belgium’s ‘Hidden Diamond’
Antwerp is ideal for a city break
Belgium is generally associated with its rich history and political institutions. After all, its many sprawling historical battlefields and monuments commemorating World War I attract school trips and tourist groups, while Brussels is home to the European Commission. However, having had the sudden urge to book a spontaneous week-long holiday last August, I found an alternative side to Belgium in Antwerp. Before I set off on my journey to the diamond-trade capital of the world and fashion hub, I was met with reactions of surprise and confusion whenever I mentioned the duration of my holiday. Being a reasonably stubborn person, this made me want to prove a point and make the most of this trip. I bought a singular book titled “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Antwerp”, packed my bags and made for the Eurostar.
Practicality is something I prioritise when booking a holiday, thus why Antwerp appealed to me so much. After some research, I realised that taking the Eurostar was cheaper than flying and granted me free rail travel within 24 hours of arriving at Brussels Midi. If I had packed lightly, I could’ve even placed my baggage in the train station’s local storage and wandered around Belgium’s capital city for a few hours. But I’d packed for the equivalent of a family of five on a backpacking trip and not a solo traveller on a city break, so I caught a one-hour train to Antwerpen-Centraal (after a close call with a pickpocket). After arriving in Antwerp, I took the No. 1 tram from Antwerpen Roosevel to Antwerpen Bolivarplaats in the trendy, southern district of Zuid.
My Airbnb apartment was situated on Cuylitsstraat, a quaint street lined with narrow townhouses, gastropubs and independent coffee shops. It was an idyllic location to rent a loft apartment. Some may expect that if you paid £61 per night for an Airbnb located in an affluent area, you’d more than likely find yourself staying in the human equivalent of a shoebox. Not in my case, though. My loft apartment was perfectly proportioned (save for the narrow stairs), with the kitchen, dining table and bedroom all in one room. It was located only a two-minute walk from the tram station which takes you directly into the city centre and fashion district.
Antwerp is laden with historical buildings and grand architecture
Those interested in fashion may already know that Antwerp is home to the ‘Antwerp Six’, a collective of avant-garde fashion designers who trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Dries Van Noten is one such member of this esteemed group, and some of his works are displayed in the Mode Museum. Commonly abbreviated to MoMu, the museum houses other notable works from Antwerp-born designers such as Martin Margiela (founder of the fashion house Maison Margiela and often mistaken for being a member of the Antwerp Six). The museum hosts several exhibitions year-round, costing 8 euros for an 18-25-year-old ticket, including a permanent exhibition which contains a history of Antwerp’s fashion industry. For someone like me, who isn’t well-versed in fashion, it was still fascinating to see the impact Antwerp’s groundbreaking scene has had on a global scale.
Only a few hundred metres down this same road, I came across the Melting-Pot Kilo, a highly regarded thrift shop which charges customers based on the weight of their desired clothes. I contributed handsomely to the business, leaving with multiple blazers, a leather jacket and some questionably coloured T-shirts, all for 20 euros. The building itself is small. Set in a converted townhouse, it’s spread across two floors and crammed to the brim with clothes, all organised by colour. If you really want to save money however, you should visit the charity shop Think Twice. I paid multiple visits to this popular chain store and learned that at the end of each season they incrementally discount all stock. Across the span of two weeks, prices go from 30% off to all items selling for 1 euro on the final day. I was, thankfully, able to demonstrate some restraint in Think Twice, as my suitcases (and my bank account) were already suffering from the clothes I’d bought at the Melting-Pot.
Whether you are looking for meat-alternative lunch-spots or feel-good cocktail bars, Antwerp offers an extremely good range of options for food and drink. A personal favourite of mine was Hopper. This small jazz café and bar was a 10-minute walk from my apartment, situated on the corner of a crossroads where many other small bars were located. Places such as Grote Markt (Antwerp’s central square) and the surrounding area is brimming with cafes and restaurants that serve the nation’s cuisine.
The MAS Museum
Aside from exploring Antwerp, I went on day trips to Bruges and Ghent. These stunning Belgian towns are between one and one-and-a-half-hours away and easily accessible from Antwerp Central Station. This magnificent building, which spans multiple floors and is decked out with golden plated domes, offers both intercity and international routes, and is aptly nicknamed “spoorwegkathedraal” or “railroad cathedral”.
Far from being a destination solely for businessmen, Antwerp has something for everyone. From its museums, such as the MoMu and Ann de Stroom, to its cocktail bars like Hopper and Marigold, this city offers plenty to do. Many people might not consider a week-long stay in Antwerp, but I recommend a visit to this “hidden diamond” for at least a couple of days.