One day in Antwerp

Day by day

1. Day 1: Cathedral of Our Lady and Grote Markt and City Hall

   Cathedral of Our Lady, Grote Markt and City Hall, Museum Plantin-Moretus and Het Steen, then Around the cathedral in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cathedral of Our Lady

      Stand in front of the two Rubens triptychs in the transepts, then step outside to the Handschoenmarkt for the best view of the spire. Allow 1 hour.

   2. Late morning

      Grote Markt and City Hall

      Come at dusk, when the guildhouses are lit and terraces fill up. Allow 30 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Belgian fries

      Frituur (fry shops) across the city, including around the Groenplaats and the Meir.

   4. Afternoon

      Museum Plantin-Moretus

      Allow at least two hours and pick up the audio guide for the print workshops. Allow 2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Het Steen

      Walk the raised riverside promenade beside it for views along the Scheldt. Allow 45 minutes.

   6. Evening

      Around the cathedral

      Historic beer cafés and pubs in the old town lanes.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) (Eilandje): Even if you skip the galleries, ride the free escalators to the rooftop at sunset.
• Swap in KMSKA (Royal Museum of Fine Arts) (Het Zuid): Start in the Rubens rooms, then move to the bright modern galleries built inside the old building's courtyards.
• Swap in Red Star Line Museum (Eilandje): Climb the museum's tower for a view over the Eilandje and the river.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 4–4 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.9 hours in December to 16.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The Meir links Central Station to the old town; the Grote Markt, cathedral, Plantin-Moretus, Het Steen and the fashion district are all within 10–15 minutes of each other.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Antwerp
• 3 days in Antwerp

Questions travellers ask