Visiting Antwerp for the first time (plus day trips)

I wrote this guide to visiting Antwerp for the first time after visiting Antwerp for the second time 😉

My first visit to Antwerp was on a day trip from Brussels. That was a few years ago, and I realised that one day in Antwerp wasn’t quite enough.

You can definitely see quite a few things in one day, but there’s a lot more to do and see in Antwerp.

So when I had a chance, I booked a longer trip to Antwerp. On my second visit, I stayed for four weeks (I love slow travel).

I got to see a lot of what Antwerp has to offer, while also using it as a base for day trips around Belgium.

In this Antwerp travel guide, I cover general things to do in Antwerp, Antwerp tourist attractions, day trips from Antwerp, and some useful Antwerp travel tips.

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Why visit Antwerp?

I found Antwerp to be a wonderful base in Belgium.

It’s very easy to reach from just about anywhere in Belgium or The Netherlands.

For that same reason, it’s perfect as a base for easy day trips.

For me, Antwerp is just the right size – not too big and not too small. Plenty to do and see, but never overwhelming

As it’s not too big, you can get around on foot or on a bike. It’s flat, very walkable and has cycling lanes everywhere.

And as it’s not too small, there’s a lot to do and you never get bored.

Where to stay in Antwerp?

I stayed fairly close to the central train station because I took a lot of day trips from Antwerp.

If you want to do the same and use the city as a base to explore Belgium, stay near the station. You’ll also be conveniently close to the main shopping street in Antwerp.

Antwerp isn’t a super touristy city, but its touristy part is around the central square (Grote Markt). If you want to see all the main historic sights easily on foot, stay by the main square.

Getting to know the city

Antwerp is the second largest city in Belgium after the capital, Brussels.

It’s not a massive city, so you can get to know many of its main places of interest on foot.

I took a free walking tour in Antwerp on my second day there. I normally use these tours to get to know any city in just a couple of hours.

The tour covers the highlights, and then you can decide what you want to explore later on.

The guide also told us many historical stories and anecdotes that made the tour very interesting.

I recommend you sign up for the free tour if it fits your schedule. Otherwise, you can take other tours that cover the main attractions:

Sightseeing in Antwerp

If you arrive in Antwerp by train, you’re going to start your sightseeing as you get off the train.

The magnificent Antwerpen-Centraal train station is famous for its dome and Baroque Revival architecture. It’s certainly one of the most beautiful railway stations I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world.

Another famous spot in Antwerp is the main square, Grote Markt. This is a must-see. It was also the meeting point of the free walking tour.

The square dates back to 1220 and was used as a marketplace for local and European traders.

The beautiful buildings you’ll see around the square are old guild houses, and the largest building is the Antwerp City Hall.

The statue in the middle of the square of a man throwing a giant hand is a bit bizarre, but there’s a famous local legend behind it.

Other popular attractions in Antwerp include:

Rubens House
Royal Museum of Fine Arts
MAS Museum
Plantin-Moretus Museum
Het Steen
Museum De Reede
MoMu Fashion Museum
Cathedral of Our Lady

Self-guided walks in Antwerp

I created some self-guided walks in Antwerp around specific cultural interests that are unique to the city: art, design and architecture.

Antwerp gallery walk: The Het Zuid district has many art galleries, great museums, and cool cafés.
Antwerp design guide: Antwerp is a design lover’s paradise! Walk through the streets with the best design and vintage shops.
Antwerp architecture tour: The most beautiful buildings in Antwerp are in two different parts of the city and I created two routes for this walk.

Day trips from Antwerp

Here are some easy day trips I took from Antwerp:

Ghent

Ghent was my favourite day trip destination from Antwerp.

It’s a charming medieval city with a lively student atmosphere, famous for the iconic Ghent Belfry and the beautiful Gravensteen castle.

Ghent (or Gent, which is the Flemish spelling) is an easy day trip from Antwerp. It takes 1 hour by train.

The train station (St Peter’s) is outside the city centre. It’s very close to Ghent’s art museums though: SMAK – Contemporary Art and MSK – the Museum of Fine Art, which are right next to each other.

When I took that day trip I visited the museums first and then moved on to the city centre. If you want to skip those museums, just hop on a tram directly to the city centre.

I walked from the station to the museums along a charming street called Prinses Clemantina Laan. It has some beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, so that was a pleasant start for my visit.

After visiting the museums, I walked along the canal to the beautiful historic centre.

When you reach the historic centre, the main attractions are within a very short walking distance from each other.

To see all the main places of interest in context, you can take a free walking tour. You can also take a boat trip.

A lot of the charm of Ghent lies in wandering its old streets, walking along the water, and seeing the views from the bridges.

Bruges

It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Bruges from Antwerp on the train.

The “Venice of the North,” Bruges (or Brugge) is a super popular Belgian destination. There were so many tourists when I took a day trip there in June, that it was a bit overwhelming.

It’s a small fairy-tale town with lovely canals, cobblestone streets, and historic houses.

Back in 2008, a film set in Bruges called “In Bruges” made it world-famous. Regardless of that film, the entire medieval historic centre of the city was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

I took a free walking tour in Bruges with a great guide who showed us all the picturesque spots and told us about the history of the city.

Boat tours are very popular in Bruges, but be prepared to wait in line for them.

Other famous attractions in Bruges include:

Rotterdam

You can also take day trips from Antwerp to destinations in the Netherlands, such as Rotterdam, Maastricht, and Leiden.

I took a day trip from Antwerp to Rotterdam with a quick and easy 1-hour train ride. You can see quite a lot in one day in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam is an amazing city for art and architecture lovers. Here are my top recommendations for Rotterdam:

Walk along the Westersingel Sculpture Route by the canal from the train station into the city.
See the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen – it’s a massive mirror ball! You can also go up to the rooftop for a lovely panoramic view of the city from above.
Visit the iconic Cube Houses. You can go inside and visit one of them, it’s pretty incredible.
Wander around Witte de Withstraat, a street with some great art galleries and cool places to eat and drink.
Visit the market hall. It’s the most spectacular central market I’ve seen with a mural covering the ceiling and walls.

Amsterdam is an optional day trip from Antwerp, but you’d need more than one day to see it.

Brussels

You can reach Brussels from Antwerp in about 50 minutes by train and make a plan for a day trip.

Belgium’s capital offers a lot to do and see, so a day trip would never be enough to experience it, but you can get a taste of it.

The Brussels free walking tour will give you a quick overview of the main attractions.

Antwerp travel tips and FAQ

How to get to Antwerp?

By plane: Fly to Brussels Airport or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and take a train to Antwerp.

By train: Antwerp-Central station is easy to reach from many other destinations in Belgium, as well as nearby countries such as the Netherlands, France, or the UK (via Brussels).

By bus: There are buses to Antwerp from many other European countries.

I use Omio to do a combined search of flights, trains and buses.

Trainline is also very useful to find the best rates for train trips.

How many days to spend in Antwerp?

I’d recommend you stay at least 3-4 days in Antwerp.

Another popular option, especially if you’re short on time, is visiting Antwerp on a day trip from Brussels.

You can also stay longer as I did and use Antwerp as a base to explore the rest of Belgium and some other destinations in the Netherlands on easy day trips.

How to save money in Antwerp

Go on a free walking tour in Antwerp and tip the guide as much as you like at the end.
Use the Antwerp City Card for free admission to popular attractions and free public transport.
If you’re going to visit many museums in Belgium, I recommend the Belgium Museum Pass.

How to get around Antwerp?

Antwerp is a walkable and bicycle-friendly city.

The Antwerp public transportation company is De Lijn. It runs buses, trams, and underground trains.