Shopping · Antwerp · Belgium
Shopping in Antwerp
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Antwerp is Belgium's fashion capital, with designer boutiques, vintage shops and the long Meir high street, plus diamond and jewellery shops near the station. Best souvenirs: Antwerpse handjes, Belgian chocolate and Elixir d'Anvers.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Antwerpse handjes
Where to shop
Meir
The main shopping street from the station towards the old town, with big brands in grand buildings.
Nationalestraat and Kammenstraat
Belgian designer boutiques, streetwear and concept stores in the fashion district.
Kloosterstraat
Antiques, vintage furniture and design shops south of the old town.
Schuttershofstraat
Luxury fashion labels in a short, smart street near the Meir.
Diamond Quarter
Jewellers and diamond dealers around Hoveniersstraat and Pelikaanstraat.
Markets
Vogelenmarkt
A Sunday market on the Theaterplein selling food, flowers and clothes.
Vrijdagmarkt
A traditional second-hand auction and flea market held on Friday mornings next to Plantin-Moretus.
What to buy
Antwerpse handjes
Hand-shaped biscuits or chocolates in a gift box.
Belgian chocolate
Pralines from chocolatiers, best eaten within a couple of weeks.
Elixir d'Anvers
A bottle of the city's sweet herbal liqueur, sold in liquor shops and delis.
Belgian designer fashion
Pieces from Antwerp designers in the fashion district.
Bolleke glass
The round De Koninck glass, sold at the brewery and in shops.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Museum · Sint-Andries
MoMu Fashion Museum
Antwerp's fashion museum on Nationalestraat shares a building with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts' fashion department, which produced the 'Antwerp Six' designers in the 1980s.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Street · Zurenborg
Cogels-Osylei and Zurenborg
The Cogels-Osylei and nearby Waterloostraat and Transvaalstraat are lined with exuberant townhouses built around 1900 in Art Nouveau, neo-Renaissance and eclectic styles, including the Huis Zonnebloem and the houses of the Vier Seizoenen (Four Seasons) at the Waterloostraat junction.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Shrimp croquettes, Antwerpse handjes, Belgian chocolate and Belgian waffles. Brasseries and cafés as a starter. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Sint-Andries | $$$ | The fashion district of designer boutiques, vintage shops and MoMu |
| Het Zuid | $$$ | Wide 19th-century avenues, the KMSKA and stylish restaurants |
| Eilandje | $$$ | Converted docks with the MAS, the Red Star Line Museum and waterfront bars |
| Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter | $$ | The grand Central Station, the zoo and the diamond trade's streets |
| Zurenborg | $$ | Art Nouveau and eclectic townhouses around Dageraadplaats |
| Linkeroever | $ | The left bank across the Scheldt, with skyline views and a riverside beach |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in Belgium. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected.
- Greet staff with 'Dag' or 'Goeiedag' when entering shops.
- The Antwerp City Card pays off if you visit several museums over one or two days.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–March and November; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- January: Winter sales in shops (usually from early January)
- May: Sinksenfoor — Pentecost funfair (usually May–June)
- July: Tomorrowland electronic music festival in nearby Boom (usually late July)
- August: Jazz Middelheim festival (usually August)
- December: Christmas market on the Groenplaats and Grote Markt (usually December to early January)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for shopping, couples and food lovers
Sint-Andries
The fashion district of designer boutiques, vintage shops and MoMu
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Antwerp?
Antwerpse handjes, Belgian chocolate, Elixir d'Anvers and Belgian designer fashion.
+Where is the best shopping in Antwerp?
Meir: The main shopping street from the station towards the old town, with big brands in grand buildings.
+What are the best markets in Antwerp?
Vogelenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt.