• Antwerp, Belgium
    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

▲▲ Rubens House The richly decorated home, studio, and garden of Peter Paul Rubens, with a few of his paintings to boot.

▲▲ 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.

▲ ModeMuseum (MoMu) Rotating exhibits showcasing contemporary Belgian fashion and designers, and home of the Antwerp Fashion Academy.

▲ Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) Displays focusing on Antwerp's and Belgium's history of trade and cultural exchange — plus a rooftop viewpoint.

Musical Instruments Museum Well-presented exhibits of instruments and old music manuscripts.

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