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Open left menu Antwerp. Clubs and nightlife

When planning your travel route, you will probably be interested in how to get to Antwerp? Let us answer it.

By plane.

Airplane is one of the fastest as well as comfortable ways to get to Antwerp. It would be worth noting that just 2 km from the city, in the Dorn region, there is international airport Antwerp, accepting flights from the UK (mainly London, Manchester and Liverpool), Ireland and several other European countries. Using the services public transport or taxi (about 10 euro) for 20 minutes. you will find yourself in any part of the city of Antwerp. In addition, SNBrussels and Aeroflot operate direct flights from Moscow to Brussels, from where Antwerp is just a stone's throw away - a bus leaves from Brussels airport to Antwerp every hour. The journey will take only 35 minutes. By plane you can get to.

By train.

The central railway station is located near the historical part of the city. There is also another station - Berchem, but it is intended mainly for local traffic. Trains depart every half hour to/from Brussels (price is about 7-8euro, and a long trip does not exceed 40 minutes). Meanwhile, shipments are made every hour to other cities in the country (Ghent, Mechelen, Leuven, etc.). The ticket price varies from 2euro to 5euro, of course, depending on the remoteness of each specific city.

By bus.

Another affordable way to get from Brussels to Antwerp is a bus. Communication between cities is carried out by buses famous company Euroline, which arrive/depart from the square. Roosevelt, near the carrier's central office. Due to the fact that the distance between the capital and Antwerp is only 50 km, regular buses leave every 20 minutes. Such a trip will cost you only 10 euro.

By car.

And finally, you can get to Antwerp by car. All you need is to use car rental services upon arrival in Brussels. By car, you will cover the distance between cities in just 40 minutes, since Antwerp is connected to other cities in Belgium by expressways. You don't have to worry about parking, as many hotels in the city provide their guests with parking spaces, however, some of them may be paid (price per day is about 5 euro).

Prices in Antwerp

Belgium is a country with high rate living standards of the population and, accordingly, high prices. It would be wrong to call Belgium an expensive country, but you shouldn’t expect budget tourism. Prices here are on average higher than in neighboring countries.

If high cost accommodation does not bother you, then you will not experience problems with accommodation. In Antwerp there is large selection apartments various levels and class. Most Belgian hotels are private, but there are also traditional world hotels with a 2-5 star level. The average cost of booking a hotel room in Antwerp varies depending on the time of year, as well as location, length of stay and other factors, but the starting price will start from 50 euro per day (the average cost in Belgium is 104 euro). For more economical accommodation, there is a network of hostels, accommodation in which will cost you on average less than a hotel, 30-50 euro, but there is much less comfort there. However, if you set out to experience the whole flavor of Belgium, the advantages of the latter are more than obvious.

As for food in Antwerp, for lunch you should look into one of the restaurants in the city, although it is an order of magnitude more expensive than an eatery. On average, dinner in a good restaurant will cost you 65-75 euro. If you take a closer look at one of the many cafes in the city, be prepared to pay 15 euros for lunch. For fans of oriental cuisine or the ubiquitous fast food, lunch will cost 8-10 euros. Thus, if you are not going to spend money on all sorts of frills, then a day’s stay in Antwerp will cost you 40-50 euros.

By the way, a daily pass for travel in Antwerp will cost about 6 euros, a single trip - 2 euros (purchasing a ticket at a kiosk), as well as 2.50 euros (from the driver).

What to see in Antwerp

In addition to the feeling of delight that this city evokes, it exposes its guests to an incredibly large selection of attractions.

The most colorful monument in the central part of the city is the famous Sten Castle, the foundation of which was laid back in the 9th century. Currently, the National Maritime Museum is conveniently located within its walls.

The city has its own Town Hall, it is located on the central square of the city, which is called Grote Markt (or Market Square). Built in the 16th century, the Town Hall harmoniously combines details of Italian mannerism and Flemish style. In the center of the square is the symbol of the city, the Brabo fountain.

Not far from the Grote Markt is the Cathedral of Our Lady, which houses the main shrine of the city - the statue of the Patron Virgin. By the way, the cathedral is one of the largest and most significant institutions of the Roman Catholic faith.

Antwerp is famous for Europe's first skyscraper, called the Farmer's Tower. Its construction took place in 1932, and its height is 97 meters.

In addition, you should definitely visit the so-called Diamond Quarter, because it is no secret that Antwerp is famous for diamond processing and is called the diamond capital. There are four diamond exchanges and about 400 jewelry shops in the area.

On the main shopping street, Meir, there are many shopping shops, as well as the Church of St. James (XVII), Royal Palace (XVIII), St. Augustine (XVII).

In the north of the historical part of Antwerp, your attention will be attracted by the Church of St. Pavel. The south of the city is famous for the beauty of its squares; the main ones would include Leopold-Waalplats and Marniksplats, where the cultural life of the city is vibrant. In the vicinity of Antwerp there is the Borgerhout Town Hall, the home of Guyeti and the Singel cultural complex.

Shopping in Antwerp

Antwerp is a shopaholic's paradise. Since ancient times, Belgium has supplied the royal courts with high-quality fabrics, decorations and furniture; it was the Belgian royal palaces that surpassed the French ones in their luxury, and nobles from all over the world came to Antwerp to spy on and adopt the style and fashion of the Belgian population. Today it is famous not only for processing precious stones, but is also known as a center for high fashion as well as design.

The first place you should go is the Zuid area (2 km from central square). The area is rightfully called one of the most fashionable places in the city and the country as a whole, since here you can buy yourself a lot of beautiful things. Your attention will surely be drawn to a huge number flagship boutiques such as: AnnDemeulemeester, DriesVanNoten and others. In general, it would be worth noting that Nationalestraat street is the largest point of sale in the city, it houses the Renaissance department store with goods from famous designers and fashion designers. Next, don’t forget to visit the De Wilde Zee quarter, where the Verso store is located with prices on goods that are quite affordable for everyone famous brands. Another street you can't miss is Meir Street, where you will find many shops with clothes, as well as shoes and electronics. If your shopping goal is to buy precious stones, then the Diamantkwartier Diamond Quarter is the place for you. And finally, bazaars and antique markets cannot be ignored; the bulk of them are concentrated in the Latin Quarter - a place where there is almost everything.

Antwerp nightlife

As befits a metropolis, Antwerp's nightlife is incredibly rich and intense. The sounds here do not stop until the first rays of the sun appear, which creates a truly festive mood.

Antwerp's nightlife comes alive with local restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and other entertainment venues. In the north of the city, active nightlife enthusiasts who crave some exercise are welcomed positive energy and drive: Intustria, Red-Blue, Nannosur, Black Pearl, Noxx, Cafed "Anvers.

While the North rocks out in the style of trance, hip-hop and jungle, the South offers its visitors music in the jazz style - in some places incendiary, and in others lyrical. Here you will find such establishments as BuddhaBar, Petrol, StereoSushi, CafeLocal. What’s most interesting is that all establishments are located within a couple of steps, which will allow you to visit each one for only one night.

In Antwerp you will definitely not have to suffer from boredom - it is a paradise for lovers of nightlife - stylish interiors, incredible organization of the evening, wide choice music will completely immerse you in the nightlife of the city!

My Belgian series is coming to an end, all that remains is to tell you about Antwerp. This city is the second largest in Belgium after Brussels, but in terms of liveliness and luxury it is not inferior to the capital. In the first part of the walk we will walk from the pretentious Antwerp train station to the heart of the city - the Great Square. And along the way we’ll go to Rubens’ house, where the famous Flemish artist lived and painted his plump “graces.”

The theater begins with a hanger, and the city with railway station. And I’ll tell you that in Antwerp this hanger is a hanger for all hangers. This is less of a train station and more of a real “railroad cathedral”, which is what the locals call it. Antwerp Central Station was built at the beginning of the 20th century, made in the neoclassical style. The station is crowned by a huge dome, 75 meters high, and eight turrets. The interior is decorated with 20 types of marble and other stones. In all ratings of the most luxurious train stations, Antwerp takes the top line, and deservedly so in my opinion.

There’s just some kind of madness inside, it seems the architect wanted to outdo St. Cathedral. Peter in Rome or St. Sofia in Istanbul. I was so stunned by all this splendor after the modest, purely functional Brussels North Station that I didn’t bother to really photograph the cathedral; I had to take one picture on the Internet.

After latest updates The station has become multi-level, you can stand for a long time on one of the upper balconies and watch the rushing passengers and trains on each floor.

I traveled to Antwerp by train from Brussels. This is the most convenient option; the train goes to Antwerp from Brussels North Station in only 30-40 minutes. But even if you come by car, I recommend that you still go to the station and be sure to go inside.

There is a joke that the location for the Antwerp train station was not chosen by chance. Allegedly, it was specially built in the jewelers' quarter. This way, buyers could stock up on diamonds and quietly, without being seen in the city itself, drive back to their home. Jokes aside, right opposite the station there are endless shops selling best friends girls and other jewelry. More than half of all diamonds in the world are sold in this small area! Can you imagine?

Once the center of trade in diamonds supplied from India was in Bruges, but then its port became shallow and jewelers moved to neighboring Antwerp. Then, for some time, Amsterdam took the palm. Diamond cutting was mainly done by Jews, so during Spanish rule they moved from Catholic Antwerp to the more tolerant Protestant Amsterdam. However, this period just allowed Antwerp to take first place again. The fact is that diamonds of lower quality and smaller size were supplied here than in Amsterdam, thanks to which local cutters became more experienced over time and eventually outperformed their Amsterdam colleagues again.

In addition to the diamond shops and the Diamond District, on the square opposite Central Station there is a hefty one Diamond Museum. On weekdays you can watch the diamond cutting process there.

On the same square (Koningin Astridplein) there are several other interesting attractions. For example, a building Radisson Blue Astrid Hotel in post-modern style.

Or Antwerp Zoo.

The building at the entrance to the zoo is decorated with a huge statue of a Bactrian camel. Very cool.

And to conclude the topic with the station area, a couple of photographs from Chinatown. Chinatown appeared in Antwerp relatively recently, in the 70s of the last century. The entrance to Chinatown is decorated with a gate through which the local tram passes.

It's time to move further towards the center. If you think that the chic and pathos of Antwerp ends at the station, then this is not at all true. A couple of minutes' walk and you'll be greeted by a lush square named after the Flemish artist David Teniers.

The most striking thing on the square is two buildings in the neo-Baroque style. Rich!

Monument to Teniers the Younger.

Behind Teniers Square begins the most hellish part of Antwerp - Mayr street. I have never seen such a crowd of people even in the capital Brussels. If you come to Antwerp straight from quiet Bruges, you might get sick. It seemed to me that Antwerp was even more lively and metropolitan than Brussels itself.

The answer is that Antwerp is the capital of shopping and Belgian fashion, and not only Belgian. Antwerp Six at the end of the last century, she glorified Belgian design and fashion throughout the world. True, I don’t know any of them except Mr. Bikkembergs, but I’m still that fashionista. In general, if you came here with your better half, then your wallet is in jeopardy. First, a walk through the Diamond Quarter will drill a hole in it, and then it will be emptied by Meir Street.

There is a lot of movement here around the clock.

As you know, I am a highly spiritual person (cough cough), I prefer treasures of a different kind to diamonds and expensive clothes. And, Antwerp is full of places where you can successfully consume them. For example, Rubens House. The great Flemish artist lived in this house for his last 29 years. Well, OK, the house is not entirely real, it was restored in the middle of the last century, at that time there was little left of the original. The museum positions itself more as a center for the study of Flemish art, rather than as a memorial museum for the artist. But I still liked it here, to a large extent, because at the entrance they give out a very detailed and interesting audio guide.

The original furnishings from Rubens' time have not been preserved, but museum workers have tried to restore authentic interiors of that era. In my opinion, this was quite successful.

The coziest room in the house is the family dining room. If I'm not mistaken, a portrait of Rubens' second wife, Elena Furman, hangs above the chair.

Rubens' bedroom. What always amazes me about Flemish and Dutch houses is their wardrobe beds. The funny thing is that when Peter I lived in Zaandam, he also had to spend the night in such a little box, given his height.

This painting by Jordaens caught my attention. It's not often you see a picture of a black saint. The character in the foreground is immediately recognizable; who else can hold stone tablets in their hands? Of course, Moses. But the black girl turned out to be his... wife Zipporah. The museum guide dubbed this painting Jordaens' anti-racist demonstration. Allegedly, the Protestant artist was discriminated against in Catholic Flanders, and thus expressed his indignation. Well, I don’t know, maybe he just wanted to portray a black model?

The only surviving original part of Rubens's house, which he himself designed after the Palazzo of Genoa, is the portico in the courtyard.

Rubens collected an impressive collection of paintings in his house. Alas, they have now scattered to various museums and private collections. But still, the Belgians managed to get hold of several famous paintings, in particular the original painting by Rubens himself, “Adam and Eve in Paradise.”

And finally, the main place in Rubens’s house is his workshop. Many of his famous paintings were created here. The room is very spacious, which is not surprising, because... Usually several people worked on one painting. His team included individual specialists in depicting animals, plants or entire landscapes. Some of his assistants later also became famous, for example, Van Dyck.

After Rubens' house I visited more Church of St. Jacob, but I’ll tell you about it separately. In the meantime, let's continue our journey to the center of Antwerp. One of the signs of the streets of Antwerp is the numerous statues depicting the Madonna and Child.

On the way I looked at another interesting place Sint-Nicolaasplaats(St. Nicholas Square). It is not noted in guidebooks as something worthy of attention, but I really liked this quiet and gothic corner of Antwerp. The location of the square is not entirely obvious; you walk along Lange Nieuwstraat from the Church of St. Jacob towards the cathedral, and at one point you need to turn into the gate next to the church.

Inside you will find a very cozy and ancient courtyard, which is actually an entire square.

The facade of the Noordteater theater overlooks the square, but at the same time there is still a very quiet and peaceful atmosphere all around.

The trams are not like Lisbon, of course, but that’s okay too.

The most important square in Antwerp is the GroteMarkt. It is considered a pearl of 16th century architecture. There are many historical buildings here. In the middle of the square there is a statue-fountain of Brabo - the winner of the giant (built in 1887). Guild buildings are decorated with gilded statues. The Town Hall (Stadhuis) was built in 1564 in the Renaissance style and has many Flemish Gothic elements that prevent it from standing out too much among other buildings.

Sten Castle(HetSteen) - the oldest building in Antwerp. It was built in the 13th century. Its name literally means stone. This is the first building that was built of stone. The rest of the building was made of wood at that time. The main role of the fortress was to protect the city from ill-wishers who could come from the sea.
In 1963, a monument to Lanky Whopper was erected in front of the castle entrance. This is a character from local folklore, who, according to legend, turns into a dwarf or a giant and scares naughty children. Nowadays the archaeological museum and the National Maritime Museum are located here. It is located near main square, on Suikerrui street 7.

There are many other attractions in Antwerp around the main market square.

At the Plantin-Moretus Museum you can see the entire history of printing since the 16th century. Large collection printing equipment, includes the oldest printing presses in the world. The museum is located south of the town hall.
Another interesting building can be seen 100 meters north of the town hall. This is the Butcher's House (Vleeshuis) - the main headquarters of all butchers from the 14th century. Once upon a time, this house was the only place in the city where you could buy meat. You can visit Vleeshuis every day except Mondays from 10:00 to 17:00.

In the church of St. Jacob (Sint-Jacobskerk) was buried by all the noble bourgeois of the city. It was built between 1491 and 1656. The church has more than 20 tomb chapels. In one of them rests the ashes of Peter Paul Rubens. In the same chapel you can see his painting “The Virgin Mary Surrounded by Saints.” The author himself is depicted in the picture in the image of St. George.

The Rockoxhuis house in 1603-1625 belonged to NicolaasRockox, who was the mayor of Antwerp. Now it houses collections of paintings by Jordaens, Brueghel, Van Dyck, Matsijs, and of course Rubens. It is open every day from 10am to 5pm except Monday.

Meir Street is the noisiest street in the city. Here is the Torengebouw skyscraper, which was first built in Europe (1932).
Also on Meir Street is the New Exchange. This building served as the world's first stock exchange. In 1858, the Exchange was heavily damaged by fire, after which it was reconstructed in the neo-Gothic style.

The most famous shopping streets of Antwerp, Schuttershofstraat and Hopland, are located opposite each other, and are connected by the large Wapper square. Here you can find boutiques of all famous brands.
In the square there is the Royal Palace (KoninklijkPaleis) and the Rubens House.

The Royal Palace amazes with its extraordinary architecture. Now it is the residence of the king. But, despite this, the Palace is open to tourists. The Large Gallery, the Throne Hall and the Hall of Mirrors will not leave any visitor indifferent. In the gallery you can see large number paintings by both old and modern artists. There is a beautiful garden around the Royal Palace.

(Rubenshuis) built in Baroque style. The great artist created his masterpieces here. He is rightly called the founder of the Baroque style. Now this house houses a municipal museum, which is dedicated to the life and work of the famous artist. Here you can see the master’s sketches, portraits, copies and originals of his paintings. The museum can be visited every day from 9:00 to 1700. Monday is a day off.

Antwerp has its own “golden quarter”. It is located near the Central Railway Station, on Pelikaanstraat. The diamond center employs approximately 30,000 workers. More than 50% of the world's diamond turnover passes through this center.

The Diamond Museum is located on Queen Astrid Square (KoninginAstridplein). You can see in it various samples jewelry art, starting from the 16th century. You can visit the museum every day except Wednesday. From 10:00 to 17:00. Entrance costs 6 euros for adults. Children under 12 years old have free admission.

Around Central Station there are shops where they conduct retail trade diamonds. This place was chosen specifically so that many buyers would not attract special attention. We came, we bought, we left.

Antwerp is home to one of the oldest zoos in the world (founded back in 1843). More than 5,000 animals and birds of 950 species live on 10.5 hectares of land. About one and a half million people visit the zoo every year. In a green oasis, almost in the middle of the city center, animal and flora becomes as close as ever. All zoo residents are under the protection of the Royal Zoological Society (KDMA). The zoo can be visited every day from 10:00. From November to February it closes at 16:45, in March, April and October at 17:30, in May, June and September it closes at 18:00, in August at 19:00 in the evening. The ticket price for adults is 12 euros, and for children from 3 to 11 years old - 9.5 euros.

The port is called the heart of the city. It ranks first in Europe. It is Antwerp's largest employer and taxpayer. Traditionally, there is a red light district near the port.

The city is very compact, so the sights can be explored on foot. For long trips you can use public transport.

Buses, trams and metro run regularly from six in the morning to one in the morning. On Friday and Saturday night buses operate, and trams run an hour longer. Buses depart at 01:25 and 03:30 from the Antwerpen-Zuid stop and at 01:45 and 03:30 at night from the Fr stop. Rooseveltplaats.

All public transport is numbered through. During the repair of tram tracks, a bus with the same number is launched along its route. Suburban buses have three-digit numbering.

Free maps with public transport maps can be obtained at the train station, tourist offices or at the metro information desk.

Public transport map

Tickets

Antwerp serves transport company De Lijn. Company tickets purchased in other cities (for example, Bruges or Ostend) are valid in the city.

A single ticket costs 3 €. It gives the right to a free transfer to another mode of transport within an hour. Tickets can be purchased from a machine or from the bus driver (you cannot pay with a banknote exceeding 10 €).

A ticket for 10 trips is called Lijn card and costs 14 €. Not sold by the driver. Children under 6 years old - free.

If you plan to take a taxi after the bus, you can buy from the bus driver TOV-biljet. The ticket costs half a euro more than a standard ticket, but gives a 2 € discount in a taxi. The discount is summed up by the number of tickets (no more than one ticket per passenger). Almost all taxi services in Antwerp work with this ticket.

Travel cards

Unlimited passes give you the right to an unlimited number of trips during the day. The activated ticket is valid until 04:00 am the next day.

The child ticket is valid for ages 6 to 12 years.

Brussels tickets are also valid in Antwerp.

Premetro in Antwerp

The pre-metro in the center of Antwerp runs underground; in the suburbs, the tram runs on rails separated from the main transport. There are five routes and 12 stations in total. Several more stations have been built but not opened. In the future, it is planned to transform the underground tram into a full-fledged metro.

After entering the carriage, you need to attach the ticket to the validator. The trains do not have turnstiles, and a validator is located near each door.

Trams in Antwerp

Antwerp's tram network operates with late XIX century and covers the entire city center and suburbs.

The tram stops on request. Standing at a bus stop, just wave your hand, and once inside, press the button on the door. When entering the tram, you can use any door.

Bicycle rental in Antwerp

The historical center is small and covered with paving stones, so it is not very convenient to move around by bicycle in the center. It would be more comfortable to rent a bicycle for daily rent and go to see the suburbs or the North Sea coast. You can read more about renting a bicycle in Antwerp.

Buses in the city

Buses in Antwerp connect tram lines with each other. There are also many routes through the suburbs and the coast. Entrance to the bus is through the front door.