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Antwerp
Antwerp
Antwerp (Antwerpen in Dutch, Anvers in French) is Belgium's up-and-coming "second city" — and the de facto capital of Flanders, Belgium's Dutch-speaking region. Once Europe's most important trading city, and later the hometown of Peter Paul Rubens, Antwerp had a sluggish air of heavy industry for decades after its WWII bombing. But it's recently regained an edgy, creative spirit as a center for avant-garde fashion, while boasting a soaring cathedral and a collection of top-tier museums. And yet, Antwerp is equally enjoyable without a sightseeing agenda, offering fun-to-explore neighborhoods, abundant al fresco café tables, and an inviting main market square with a carillon that jingles the hour.
At a Glance
▲▲ Cathedral of Our Lady Cavernous church packed with fine artwork, including paintings by Rubens.
▲▲ Museum Plantin-Moretus Early printing presses, workshops, and memorabilia from Antwerp's Golden Age.
▲ Red Star Line Museum Illustrates the "other end" of the Ellis Island experience, where emigrants were processed on their way to the New World.
▲ Snijders-Rockox House Museum Aristocratic 17th-century home with impressive art, furniture, and delightful garden courtyard.
▲ Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) Displays focusing on Antwerp's and Belgium's history of trade and cultural exchange — plus a rooftop viewpoint.
▲ Royal Museum of Fine Arts Many of Antwerp's art treasures, all under one roof.
ModeMuseum (MoMu) Rotating exhibits celebrating Antwerp's role in the world of fashion and design.
Rubens House The richly decorated home, studio, and garden of Peter Paul Rubens, with a few of his paintings to boot. Closed for a multiyear renovation.
