24h in Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerp is the ultimate playground for those who enjoy the finer things in life. It’s the world’s diamond capital with an industry dating back to the 1500s, and 80% of the globe’s rough diamonds still pass through the city today. On top of that, it’s Belgium’s fashion epicentre, bringing names like Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela to the industry.

In down-to-earth Belgium, Antwerp is a real outlier. Its ornate renaissance and gothic buildings are worlds away from the “ugly Belgian houses” popularised online, but it balances this old world glamour with cutting-edge design – perhaps best depicted through the iconic Zaha Hadid-designed Havenhuis.

Antwerp is abuzz with a thriving culinary scene, a host of emerging artists and designers, and has a fiercely independent spirit, showcased through some truly unique luxury accommodation options.

Your 24h in Antwerp will be chic, fun, and just a bit fancy.

The warehouses at Antwerp’s port store more coffee than anywhere else in the world (~400,000 beans) so you won’t risk going without your caffeine fix. Black and Yellow is a nice independent option near the museum, inexplicably named after the song of the same title. You know what it is.
Black and Yellow Coffeebar, Nassaustraat 7

MAS is worth visiting even if only to admire the building, which stretches 60m high and pays homage to the industrial warehouses typically found here, in the city’s old dockyard. The museum is home to a host of interesting artefacts and exhibitions, but the real highlight has to be the 360° view from its panoramic top deck, offering a visual city tour the length and breadth of Antwerp.
MAS, Hanzestedenplaats 1

You’d need a whole day to fully appreciate MAS but with this limited 24h we suggest you head south to take in some of Antwerp’s world-renowned fashion scene. The city’s Fashion District is concentrated around the Nationalestraat, where among the stores you’ll find reference to the Antwerp Six – the fashion collective formed in the 1980s by six of Belgium’s best-loved designers including Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten and Walter Van Beirendonck. If the real deal is too much of a splurge, the fashion district also has plenty of good thrift shops and excellent high street options such as Vier (pictured), which keeps all your shopping needs (clothes, wine, snowboards…) under one roof.
Vier, Theodoor van Rijswijckplaats 4

Afternoon

By now you’ll definitely have worked up an appetite so it’s time to stop for some lunch.

A short walk away, near the botanic gardens, you can try something you may never have experienced before: Belgian wine. Despite its proximity, Belgium doesn’t enjoy the same conditions for wine cultivation as its French neighbour to the west. However, Belgian wine production is gaining popularity and the country already has a number of vineyards producing cold-climate wines, mainly of the white and sparkling varieties. You can sample some of this new export with friendly explanation at the eponymous Belgian Wines.
Belgian Wines, Oudevaartplaats 24

The cultural journey continues deeper into south Antwerp, where the modern art scene is thriving. MoMu pays tribute to the city’s history of fashion design; M HKA, the Museum of Contemporary Art, houses an impressive collection and hosts exciting events; and smaller independent galleries like Tim Van Laere and Gallery Sofie Van de Velde examples of Belgium’s freshest artistic talent to the fore.
MoMu, Nationalestraat 28
M HKA, Leuvenstraat 32
Tim Van Laere Gallery, Jos Smolderenstraat 50
Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Léon Stynenstraat 21

For your pre-dinner aperitif head to Marnixplaats, a roundabout of bars and restaurants surrounding the Schelde Vrij monument, which commemorates the liberation of Antwerp’s Schelde river in 1863. It’s a great place to sit on a terrace and watch the world go by with a glass of wine. Our favourite people-watching spot is Café Vitrin.
Café Vitrin, Marnixplaats 14

Evening

The day may be long but the night – and Antwerp – is young. This is a city that comes alive at night, stretching from early evening apéro right through to the next morning. You’re highly likely to stumble upon a late-night gallery party or an impromptu DJ set wherever you go in the city centre. For now, our 24h tour will leave you at your hotel, but we recommend keeping your plans fluid and seeing where the night takes you.

Guesthouse Cabosse, with its appreciation for design, art and the finer things in life, feels like the perfect place to conclude this tour of Antwerp, a city where illustrious history collides with the avant-garde. As elegant and timeless as its famous diamonds.

Incredibly, most tourists’ itineraries omit Antwerp altogether, despite all that it has to offer. They’re missing out; we can’t get enough of this vibrant city and will continue to return again and again.