Things to do in Antwerp, Belgium: sights, districts and what’s on

The districts

What to see

• The Grote Markt — the triangular main square, ringed by guild houses with the city hall on one side. Public, always open, and the natural starting point.
• The Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) — the Gothic cathedral begun in the 14th century, whose single completed tower defines the skyline. Still an active cathedral, and open to visitors outside services.
• Antwerpen-Centraal — the working main station, an early-20th-century building of stone, glass and iron that is worth walking into even if you are not catching a train.
• The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) — the tall red museum in Het Eilandje, with a free spiral walkway up the outside of the building to a rooftop view over the docks and the city.
• Het Steen — the medieval stone fortress on the riverbank, now the city’s visitor centre.
• The Sint-Anna pedestrian tunnel — the 1930s tunnel under the Scheldt, with its original wooden escalators, connecting the centre to the left bank and the skyline view back across the river. Free.
• The fashion district — the streets around Nationalestraat, where the city’s design reputation lives.

Live music, theatre and going out

Antwerp carries the second-heaviest events calendar in Belgium. The Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen is the workhorse — Dutch-language theatre, cabaret, musicals and concert bookings, several nights a week through the season. AFAS Dome and the Lotto Arena cover the arena tours, family spectacle and the big seasonal shows, and the Koningin Elisabethzaal is the city’s concert hall for classical and seated bookings. Kavka runs the smaller, grassroots end.

Going out is centred on Het Zuid and the streets around the Grote Markt, with the docklands at Het Eilandje adding a later, more club-oriented strand. As in Brussels, club programming is announced close to the date through promoters rather than months ahead, so check near your travel dates.

Almost all spoken-word programming here is in Dutch — Antwerp is in Flanders. Music, ballet, classical and family spectacle cross the language line without issue.

• Live music in Antwerp — full listings
• Culture and theatre in Antwerp

Practical notes

• Antwerp is under an hour from Brussels by intercity train, and the station is a short walk from the centre — it works as a day trip, but the evening calendar is the reason to stay over.
• The centre is compact and walkable; trams cover the longer hops to Het Zuid, Het Eilandje and the station quarter.
• The Sint-Anna tunnel is the cheapest way to get the classic skyline photograph, from the left bank looking back across the Scheldt.
• Museums here run long closures for refurbishment more often than you would expect, and a few of the best-known names are shut for months at a time. Check the individual museum’s own site for the dates you are travelling rather than trusting a round-up.
• Antwerp is Dutch-speaking. English is widely spoken, but assume event titles and stage programmes in Dutch mean a Dutch-language performance.
• Sunday is a quiet day for shopping and a good one for museums and the riverfront.

FAQ

What is Antwerp best known for?

The port, the diamond trade concentrated in the streets around Centraal station, its fashion and design scene, and a compact medieval centre around the Grote Markt and the Gothic cathedral.

Is Antwerp worth visiting as a day trip from Brussels?

Yes — it is under an hour by intercity train and the station is a short walk from the historic centre. That said, Antwerp runs the second-busiest events calendar in Belgium, so an overnight stay lets you take in a show as well as the sights.

How many days do you need in Antwerp?

One full day covers the historic centre, the station quarter and the waterfront. Two lets you add Het Eilandje and Het Zuid properly, plus an evening at one of the theatres or concert halls.

Where do you go out at night in Antwerp?

Het Zuid has the strongest concentration of bars and restaurants, the streets around the Grote Markt cover the central night, and Het Eilandje in the docklands runs later and more club-oriented. Ticketed shows are concentrated at the Stadsschouwburg, AFAS Dome, Lotto Arena and the Koningin Elisabethzaal.

What language is spoken in Antwerp?

Dutch — Antwerp is in Flanders. English is very widely spoken, but theatre, cabaret and comedy are performed in Dutch and are rarely surtitled.