Where to stay · Antwerp · Belgium
Where to stay in Antwerp
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Klaus Graf, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Oude Stad. Guildhouses, the cathedral and cobbled lanes around the Grote Markt. Best alternatives — families: Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter; budget: Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter.
Key facts
- First visit
- Oude Stad
- Families
- Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter
- Budget
- Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter
- Nightlife
- Oude Stad
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Oude Stad | Guildhouses, the cathedral and cobbled lanes around the Grote Markt |
| Families | Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter | The grand Central Station, the zoo and the diamond trade's streets |
| Couples | Oude Stad | Guildhouses, the cathedral and cobbled lanes around the Grote Markt |
| Budget | Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter | The grand Central Station, the zoo and the diamond trade's streets |
| Luxury | Het Zuid | Wide 19th-century avenues, the KMSKA and stylish restaurants |
| Nightlife | Oude Stad | Guildhouses, the cathedral and cobbled lanes around the Grote Markt |
| Food lovers | Sint-Andries | The fashion district of designer boutiques, vintage shops and MoMu |
| Shopping | Sint-Andries | The fashion district of designer boutiques, vintage shops and MoMu |
| Quiet stays | Zurenborg | Art Nouveau and eclectic townhouses around Dageraadplaats |
Antwerp neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and nightlife
Oude Stad
The old town fans out from the Grote Markt with its Renaissance City Hall and Brabo fountain, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Groenplaats. Narrow streets lead to the Vleeshuis, Het Steen and the Scheldt quays, and the Meir shopping street starts a few minutes east. Hotels range from boutique properties in old townhouses to chains near the Groenplaats.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights; Restaurants and bars everywhere; Premetro stop at Groenplaats
- Watch out
- Busy and touristy around the Grote Markt; Some streets are noisy at night
- Nearby
- Grote Markt, Cathedral of Our Lady, Het Steen, Vleeshuis
$$$ · Best for shopping, couples and food lovers
Sint-Andries
South of the old town, Sint-Andries is Antwerp's fashion quarter, with the MoMu fashion museum and the Royal Academy's fashion department on Nationalestraat, designer boutiques on Kammenstraat and Lombardenvest, and antiques and vintage on Kloosterstraat. Small hotels and guesthouses sit among local cafés.
- Good
- Best boutique shopping in the city; Short walk to the old town; Good cafés
- Watch out
- Few large hotels; Quiet on Sundays when many shops close
- Nearby
- MoMu, Nationalestraat, Kloosterstraat, Plantin-Moretus
$$$ · Best for food lovers, culture, couples and luxury
Het Zuid
Built over former docks in the late 19th century, Het Zuid has broad boulevards and squares such as the Leopold De Waelplaats, home to the KMSKA fine arts museum, with the FOMU photography museum and M HKA contemporary art museum nearby. Its restaurants and wine bars draw a smart local crowd, and trams reach the old town in about 10 minutes.
- Good
- Museums on the doorstep; Excellent restaurants; Calmer than the old town
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels; Walk or tram to the station
- Nearby
- KMSKA, FOMU, M HKA, Kloosterstraat
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers and nightlife
Eilandje
The 'little island' north of the old town is a former dock district of warehouses and quays now lined with apartments, restaurants and the MAS museum tower, the Red Star Line emigration museum and marinas. Zaha Hadid's Port House stands a short walk further north. It is a growing area with modern hotels and waterside terraces.
- Good
- Waterfront views; Modern hotels and restaurants; Walk to the old town
- Watch out
- Windy and quiet on winter evenings; Fewer traditional sights
- Nearby
- MAS, Red Star Line Museum, Port House, Willemdok
$$ · Best for first-timers, families and budget
Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter
Around Antwerp Central Station, the Diamond Quarter's Hoveniersstraat and Pelikaanstraat hold diamond exchanges and jewellers, and the zoo is right next to the station. It is the most practical base for train travel, with many mid-range hotels, and the Meir leads straight into the old town in about 15 minutes on foot.
- Good
- Next to the station for day trips; Good-value hotels; Zoo on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Some streets feel rough at night; Busy traffic around Koningin Astridplein
- Nearby
- Antwerp Central Station, Antwerp Zoo, DIVA, Meir
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples, culture and food lovers
Zurenborg
Zurenborg, near Berchem station, has one of the richest collections of late-19th and early-20th-century townhouses in Belgium, especially along the Cogels-Osylei and Waterloostraat, in Art Nouveau, neo-Gothic and eclectic styles. The Dageraadplaats and Draakplaats squares have café terraces popular with locals.
- Good
- Beautiful residential streets; Local café culture; Close to Berchem station
- Watch out
- Mostly B&Bs and apartments; Tram needed to the old town
- Nearby
- Cogels-Osylei, Dageraadplaats, Berchem station
$ · Best for budget, quiet stays and families
Linkeroever
Linkeroever, the left bank, is a mostly residential district reached on foot through the 1930s Sint-Annatunnel under the river or by tram. Its main draw is the view back across the Scheldt to the cathedral spire and old town, and the small sandy river beach, Sint-Anneke, where locals walk and drink on summer evenings.
- Good
- Cheaper accommodation; Classic skyline views; Green riverside space
- Watch out
- Few restaurants and shops; Feels cut off from the centre at night
- Nearby
- Sint-Annatunnel, Sint-Anneke riverside, Old town skyline
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Oude Stad | $$$ | Grote Markt, Cathedral of Our Lady, Het Steen, Vleeshuis |
| Sint-Andries | $$$ | MoMu, Nationalestraat, Kloosterstraat, Plantin-Moretus |
| Het Zuid | $$$ | KMSKA, FOMU, M HKA, Kloosterstraat |
| Eilandje | $$$ | MAS, Red Star Line Museum, Port House, Willemdok |
| Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter | $$ | Antwerp Central Station, Antwerp Zoo, DIVA, Meir |
| Zurenborg | $$ | Cogels-Osylei, Dageraadplaats, Berchem station |
| Linkeroever | $ | Sint-Annatunnel, Sint-Anneke riverside, Old town skyline |
Getting to your hotel
Brussels Airport is about 40 km south; direct trains reach Antwerp Central in about 35–40 minutes. Antwerp's small airport (ANR) is a short bus or taxi ride from the centre. Brussels South Charleroi is about two hours away by coach or train via Brussels.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Antwerp for first-time visitors?
Oude Stad. The old town fans out from the Grote Markt with its Renaissance City Hall and Brabo fountain, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Groenplaats.
+Where should families stay in Antwerp?
Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter: Next to the station for day trips.
+Which area of Antwerp is best for a budget stay?
Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter ($$): The grand Central Station, the zoo and the diamond trade's streets.