A glass of wine or two and a few clicks was all it took for me and two friends to book a one-way ticket to Antwerp. Turns out, I love Antwerp and here are the many reasons why. So many in fact, I had to split the post into two equally fabulous parts. Want to hear about the best sights around the city? Stay here. Looking for nightlife, skip to part 2.
Where to stay in Antwerp
Studios 1,2,3 is a luxurious bed and breakfast close to all the hottest nightspots and restaurants. Upon arrival, we were slightly confused. Having not read any reviews and having clicked “book” based off the 5 star rating on Hotels.com alone, we were unaware that Studios 1,2,3 doubled as a dance studio and a B&B. We were greeted by a couple of dancers and led up the two flights of stairs to our room. The suite we stayed in was titled “Asian Dreams”- a fitting description.
The suite consisted of one bedroom, one pull out couch, a jacuzzi bath, a terrace and a complete kitchen. Plenty of space for three. Our only complaint would have to be the shower head. It was necessary to hold the shower head in place the entire time you showered, not atypical by European standards, but my two American friends did not appreciate this all that much. The breakfast was served in the bedroom when we pleased. Scrumptious croissants, bread, and other pastries complemented by healthier options like yogurt, fruit, OJ and spreads. We didn’t have a chance to visit the sauna, pool, or sundeck but I can imagine they were equally enticing. Both the owners were overly friendly and welcoming. In fact, my friend lost his coat at a bar the night before we were leaving and the owner, Anatoly, ran up to his room and grabbed a coat directly from his closet to give to my friend. Talk about giving someone the shirt off your back! If you are looking for a friendly and convenient place to stay in Antwerp, this is it.
Studios 1,2,3, Lange Lozanastraat 16, 2018 Antwerpen
Beer
Although Antwerp is small, one day in any city is never enough. We arrived at the train station around noon and immediately sought out some eats. Ps, the train station itself is beyond beautiful. Both the old facade and the modern terminal are worthy of a few photos before meandering into town.
Anyways, we used the Triposo App to guide our way into the old city. Starting from Antwerpen Centraal we headed down De Keyserlei for a few blocks until the street turned into Laystraat. After a few statues of unknown men, we ran into Meir. Meir is the shopping district in Antwerp. Here you can find all the designer brands you desire. Apart from some brief window shopping, we didn’t spend too much time here. The quest for food continued. Our first stop was Oud Arsenaal. Oud Arsenaal is a local pub with an extraordinary beer selection at low prices. The walls are plastered in beer advertisements from decades past adding a layer of honesty to the pub. We each ordered a very strong brew, as you must in Belgium, and began to remember the hunger pains. We asked about food but were told by our waitress that she only had cheese and salami. Quickly, we shook our heads to both. She brought out a large platter with cubes of cheese and salami, celery salt for sprinkling, and mustard for dipping. Thank God she did. Warning: Belgian beer does not taste or appear to have 10% alcohol per bottle, but it does.
Oud Arsenaal Maria Pijpelincxstraat 4, 2000 Antwerpen
Snacks
After our light snack, we were determined to find some real grub. Lucky for us, there was a farmers market just a few feet down the road from Oud Arsenaal. This was exactly what we needed. My friends immediately hopped in line to grab some frites and wursts. Decadent as they were, I was on a mission for something else. I wandered around the market snapping photos and observing the hungry patrons delicately slurp oysters and devour what looked like burritos. I approached one stand out of sheer curiosity. I hopped in line when I saw the decadent looking crepe. This crepe was thicker than your ordinary crepe but equally sweet, almost like a dough boy. Inside, the men spread a generous helping of fresh feta onto the wrap. Next, he placed pickled vegetables like eggplant, red peppers, onions, olives, and even stuffed grape leaves on top before drizzling the entire concoction with honey. He wrapped it up and handed it to me as I gave him €4. Confused about what I was about to put in my mouth, I bit in. Heaven. Really, nothing better. The warm bread melted the feta and the honey sweetened all the almost sour vegetables at once to make the ideal bite. I don’t know what you call this thing, but it was damn good.
Zaterdagmarkt (Saturday Market) Oudevaartplaats, 2000 Antwerpen
Sightseeing
The sights listed here we did in two days as opposed to one. It started raining on us in the early afternoon and we had yet to check into Studios 1,2,3 so we called it quits around 5pm Saturday and finished off our sightseeing in the morning. If we had done all the sights in one day, this is the order I would recommend. First go to the Cathedral of Our Lady.
Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in the center of the Old City. It is a Gothic style cathedral and reminded me of many cathedrals I have visited in Spain. Inside, there a number of well known pieces by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens of Antwerp. The Cathedral cost €4 and there is sadly, no bathroom inside. If you have visited thousands of Gothic cathedrals in Europe, I’d say you can skip going inside.
Grote Market
Wander outside the front door of the Cathedral and you are bound to find Grote Market just a few steps away. This is the heart of the old city. The City Hall is the main facade in front of you. In front of that is the famous Brabo fountain. The fountain is based off an old legend. A fabled story about Antigoon, a mythical giant who lived under a bridge in Antwerp. He would charge a fee for everyone who crossed the river. If they did not pay, he would cut off their hand. Eventually the people were fed up with this and his hand was cut off and thrown into the river by a Roman soldier named Brabo. That is the story of the statue.
The Secret Street.
Just beside Grote Market there is an entryway to what some call “The Secret Street”. The street is actually named Vlaeykensgang. It connects the popular Hoogstraat to Oude Koornmarkt and Pelgrimsstraat. It’s a very real street with actual businesses, a few restaurants, and many homes along it. It is only accessible on foot and through large unassuming medieval doors. It is not quite as “Harry Potter-esque” as I had hoped, but it grew on me the longer I spent there.
Het Steen.
Het Steen is a medieval fortress located on the river. It was built after the Vikings showed up in the early Middle ages. Het Steen is the oldest building in Antwerp and is used today as a children’s community center. Great views of the river, but not all that much going on here. The highlight was the odd sculpture standing at the foot of the castle. Apparently his name is Semini. If you can’t guess from the name, Semini is a “phallic saint”. I was unaware these existed until right now, but basically the statue is of a larger man with exposed genitalia and two little boys peering up at it. Odd, I know. I’ve been seeing a lot of penis art in my travels lately.
Sint-Annatunnel
From Het- Steen I recommend you make your way down the riverfront to Sint-Annatunnel. This is a very long underwater tunnel that crosses the river. Don’t worry, Antigoon won’t be there to chop off your hand. Take the elevator down and walk the white insane asylum looking walkway down to the other end before emerging to a fabulous view of the Old City.
Moules-Frites
After a long day of sightseeing you need some moules-frites. That’s mussels and french fries for all you none French speakers. Moules-Frites are very very popular in Belgium, but that doesn’t mean they are always good. I had a very sub-par experience both in Antwerp and in Brussels, so I will not recommend the restaurant I went to. Instead, I will recommend a restaurant my cousin told me about and was packed when I arrived: Grande Café de Rooden Hoed. Let’s just say, there is a reason it was so busy. Arguably the best mussels in the Old City. They don’t take names so just wait it out at the bar if you have the time. You won’t regret it.
Grande Café de Rooden Hoed Oude Koornmarkt 25, 2000 Antwerpen
After a fun-filled day of sightseeing and eating, we needed to discover Antwerp by night. Read Part 2 to find out about the rest of our escapades!
