Antwerp Pictures

Things to do in Antwerp

You get a good sense of the history of Antwerp, just by walking through the city: up and down main thoroughfares and off on little side streets, in its baroque architecture, cathedrals, and museums. Take a walk through Antwerp’s oldest building, Steen Castle. A medieval fortress on the banks of the River Scheldt, which dates back to the early 13th century. The Onze Lieve Vrouwe Cathedral is an amazing example of Gothic architecture and even exhibits some works of Rubens here.

There are more than 20 museums in Antwerp, many of which you can get into for free or a very nominal fee. In addition to the Royal Museum of Art, the hometown of Rubens and Van Dyck also has a modern photography museum where you can sample the greats like Steiglitz and Adams. The Mayer van den Bergh Museum is home to a great collection of Flemish handicraft, and the Museum of Diamonds has an extensive, glittering display.

Tired of people-watching? Talk to the animals at the Antwerp Zoo. Located by the Centraal Station, it’s one of the oldest and most famous zoos in Europe. The Scheldt is Antwerp’s main river, and is home to one of the largest, busiest harbors in the world. It also provides a wonderful view of the city when you take a boat ride down to the port area. A lovely three-hour evening cruise is available as well.

The arts are well-celebrated here, as in the other major cities of Belgium, and there are numerous dance, theater, music, and film festivals in Antwerp and the region of Flanders year-round. Pick up the local monthly paper, Antwerpen, or a listing at the tourist office to find out what’s happening around the city. Belgium’s National Day is July 21, celebrated with all kinds of festivities.

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Nightlife in Antwerp

There is plenty to do at night in Antwerp, and many clubs are known for staying open till daybreak. Clubs, discos, and gay bars cluster around the Centraal Station. You can find lots of theatres, bars, and cafes around Grote Markt and Groenplaats. If you’re in the mood for some jazz or the ambiance of a cozy bistro, try the area around Hoogstraat, Pelgrimstraat, Pieter Potstraat – also known as High Town – for some cool clubs. For a punk fix, check out the area around Stadwaag. The Riverside Quarter functions as the red-light district, and is much more run-down than Amsterdam’s, so watch your step if you choose to venture there.

Dining in Antwerp

Belgium claims the origins of frites (fried potatoes served with mayonnaise), and you can find them here in abundance. If you’re hungry for breakfast, there’s no better way to start the day than with Belgian waffles. Try them here with or without the many different kinds of toppings offered. Antwerp’s chef’’s take advantage of the proximity to the sea, with wonderful mussels at places like Leons. In addition, Oude Koornmark has plenty of inexpensive takeout spots serving things like falafel and kebab.

Shopping in Antwerp

The world’s largest diamond industry is right here in Antwerp, tucked discreetly into the Jewish quarter, near the Centraal Station. Take a walk down Meir, a pedestrian walk way filled with little shops, mini-malls, and department stores – all housed in 19th century buildings.

Antwerp Travel Tips

• Antwerp has its own brewery, De Koninck (The King), so take a break and have a beer!
• The most interesting hotels are located in the Oude Square, most of them offering great weekend rates.
• If needed, there is a great internet café called 2zones located in Oude Square.

Brussels Pictures

Things to do in Brussels

There are several well-known landmarks in Brussels. One that is a must see is the Grand Place, or the Grote Markt as it is called in Dutch. This breathtaking spot is surrounded by the city tower and 300 year old buildings. The Manneken Pis, which can be found just a short walk from the Grand Place is a well-known statue of a little boy peeing. Have you ever seen a sculpture of an atomic unit cell? The Atomium is truly unique and to many, the Eiffel tower of Brussels which is definitely worth a visit. Brussels is also great when it comes to museums, with more than 10 museums worth visiting. A few fun ones worth mentioning is the Filmmuseum, the Belgian Comic Strip Center, and the Autoworld. If you have time you can also travel to the Waterloo battlefield, which is right outside the city.

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Nightlife in Brussels

Brussels has a lot to offer, both in tradition and variety. As a result of the long tradition there are several great pubs and bars in Brussels. If someone asks you if you want a “half-en-half” it’s good to know that it is a unique drink made up of white whine and champagne. Also, jazz is popular for nightlife with constant live bands in many of the bars and clubs.

Dining in Brussels

We’ve all heard about Belgian waffles (for good reason) and Belgian beers, but there are really three classics that you need to enjoy while you’re in Brussels: Mussels, Frites and Chocolate. Because of the number of diplomats visiting Brussels there are a lot of fantastic restaurants in the city, that’s not to say that those work when you’re on a student budget, but if you feel like treating yourself one night, you won’t be hard pressed finding something really good. Don’t worry though, you’ll find plenty of cozy restaurants that serve great local and international dishes.

Shopping in Brussels

Brussels had the world’s first shopping mall called Galeries Saint Hubert and it opened in 1847. Shopping in Brussels is a fun thing to do when there, but remember that most stores don’t open before 10AM and a lot of the stores are closed on Sunday and even Monday. If you would like to check out some of the most popular shopping areas, go shopping around Grand Place and on Rue Neuve, where you’ll find department stores and great boutiques.

BrusselsTravel Tips

• Brussels is a bilingual city with the official languages being French and Dutch so you might want to bring both kinds of dictionaries.
• Belgium is known for having some of the best chocolate in the world, so don’t miss out!
• Brussels is relatively central to other great locations: Paris is only an hour and a half and London is only about 3 hours away; both by train.

Bruges Pictures

Things to do in Bruges

There are some who say the city itself is a museum, and once you get there, surrounded by gothic and medieval architecture you’ll understand why. However, there are a lot of museums and known buildings in Bruges too, one being the the Holy Savior Cathedral, the oldest parish church in Bruges.

Bruges is where Flemish painting began. Jan Van Eyck discovered painting with oils in the 1420s. Many of his works are on display at local museums. If you’re coming for the art, you can’t miss the Groeninge Museum (Museum of Fine Art), which displays Belgian and Dutch art over the span of 600 years. If you’re craving something different from a museum, go to the Gruuthuse Museum which has artifacts dating back to the 6th century, as well as weapons, tapestries, musical instruments, and coins. The Museum Combo ticket covers your entrance to these two, plus a couple of others.
Summer is high season in Bruges, so it gets pretty touristy (particularly on the weekends) during July and August (same time as the National Day festivals). Locals will tell you that Bruges is always lovely, even in the winter, when temperatures hover just around the freezing mark, but spring appears to be your best bet, despite the rain. You can get cheap flights to Brussels, and from there Bruges is a quick train ride or a ride in a rental car.

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Nightlife in Bruges

Bruges is a good town for taking quiet walks at sunset, or stopping in for a beer at one of the bars or cafes, with your sweetheart. The free monthly brochures, Exit and Agenda Brugge, will tell you what’s going on after the sun goes down. Pick one up at the tourist office or your hotel. Among other things, Bruges is also known for it’s homemade beer, which you can find in bars and cafés throughout the city. Several breweries, like Straffe Hendrick, will take you on a tour of their family establishment that goes back generations.

There are plenty of friendly bars and cafés filled with locals (and tourists) to chat with, a night club or two, but this is a pretty quiet city as far as nightlife goes. A better time may be had walking with your sweetheart after a glass of wine at a cafe, counting the stars, or seeing them reflected in the waters of the canals.

Dining in Bruges

Bruges is a good town for taking quiet walks at sunset, or stopping in for a beer at one of the bars or cafes, with your sweetheart. The free monthly brochures Exit and Agenda Brugge will tell you what’s going on after the sun goes down. Pick one up at the tourist office or your hotel. Among other things, Bruges is also known for it’s homemade beer, which you can find in bars and cafés throughout the city. Several breweries, like Straffe Hendrick, will take you on a tour of their family establishment that goes back generations.
There are plenty of friendly bars and cafés filled with locals (and tourists) to chat with, a night club or two, but this is a pretty quiet city as far as nightlife goes. A better time may be had walking with your sweetheart after a glass of wine at a cafe, counting the stars, or seeing them reflected in the waters of the canals.

Shopping in Bruges

You can find the more posh shops and boutiques around the Markt and ‘t Zand, and, of course, there are souvenir shops everywhere. Besides handmade lace (which is available everywhere, but expensive), Bruges is known for its diamond polishing technique. So if you’re in the market for one, this may be a good place to make that once in a lifetime purchase. Upmarket shops and boutiques can be found in the streets around the Markt and ‘t Zand, including Geldmuntstraat, Noordzandstraat, Steenstraat, Zuidzandstraat, and Vlamingstraat. There are souvenir, lace, and small specialty shops all over.

Bruges Travel Tips

• Most of the narrow streets are cobble stone so make sure you bring comfortable shoes.
• Some of the roads in Bruges are one-way for cars but two-way for bikes so be aware whether in a car on or a bike.
• Horse-drawn carriages are a popular way to get around and stroll down the historic center.