Antwerp

[vistaman]

Regent  is having a few calls in my hometown Antwerpen. If you want information feel free and ask ...

[liptastic]

Thank you Vistaman. We will have an overnight stay in June next year whilst on Navigator.  We are able to book excursions this May if I remember correctly. Quite a few of the offerings look interesting to us. I may well ask for your opinion nearer the time.  Jean. 

[Trunkabella]

Vistaman, we are staying 8n Antwerp for two nights before our July cruise on Voyager.  I haven’t started my research yet, but if you could provide any must see sights and any dining suggestions, I would be grateful.  Thanks.

[vistaman]

9 hours ago, Trunkabella said:

Vistaman, we are staying 8n Antwerp for two nights before our July cruise on Voyager.  I haven’t started my research yet, but if you could provide any must see sights and any dining suggestions, I would be grateful.  Thanks.

I am booked on that cruise as well - I will send information asap - are you staying in the Hilton ?

[Trunkabella]

Yes, we are staying at the Hilton.

[vistaman]

11th July is the holiday of the Flemish Community :  so on Groenplaats before the hotel and on Grote markt - Market Place - some festivities are being organised. 

The hotel is somewhat 400 meter from the cruise terminal.  

The Rubens mansion is closed for refurbishment  until 2030 ( yes it seems very complicated ) 

You can go to the cathedral with 4 world famous paintings by Rubens   entrance 12 € 

You can go to Vrijdagmarkt  where the Plantin Moretus museum is located - Unesco item an old printing house where several " fast " portrets by Rubens are shown  and also the small store 

A lovely small museum is Mayer van den Bergh with a famous  old Brueghel  "Mad Meggie "- lange Gasthuisstraat -   close to the hotel   - you can see a Rubens for free in the Carolus church  on a pleasant square  Conscienceplein near the hotel   

Do not miss to visit the Vlaeykensgang - a small street near Oude Koornmarkt 

Worth to see  the Central Station  - take tram 9 or 15 in the metro and leave in Diamant  

The Royal Museum of Arts  is further   away   : take tram 4  direction Zwaantjes on Groenplaats in front of hotel 

2 other museums  : museum aan stroom  MAS  a 66 meter high building  on top the most famous and most expensive restaurant in Antwerp  ZILTE  with 3 Michelin stars  ( only 2 in Belgium )  

and Red Star Museum  about imigration to the US    -  both to reach by tram 7  

in front of the hotel you can buy a basket of real fries  "Max"  with one of the 15 sauces 😁

for restaurants you can  consult Michelin guide or Gault Millau on line 

difficult to make recommendations   : real belgian food is aside the Town Hall  - Zeven Schaken 

generous portions   -  Maritime on Suikerrui is good if you like fish 

 

[Trunkabella]

Thanks for the great tips.  Do you have any recommendation for transportation from BRU?

[vistaman]

cheapest way is the so called Airport express at 10 €  by coach every  2 hours as from 4 am 

calling at the Crowne plaza hotel - outside the center by request and  in the center at Rooseveltplaats ( not so convenient )   with luggage and taxi ?? 

direct train from airport 2 trains every hour direct to Antwerpen centraal  at 11 and 41 past the hour    first class is 17 € ( take first class  !! ) 

the taxis in Antwerp for the moment do practice a rate of 90 €  - biggest and most serious company is Antwerp tax ( they have a website )   taxis in Brussels do charge far more !!!

personal transfer by van   : for many years i do use annlivens.be   75€  website is in Dutch but you can send an email for info 

 

 

[Bruce61]

I have a different question.  Our July cruise on Splendor has an overnight in Antwerp.  We booked a day trip to Bruges for the first day and then an excursion advertised as follows on the second day in Antwerp (which does seem to reflect the cathedral you recommended above):  

 

"Immerse yourself in medieval splendor on this guided tour with special focus on the priceless artworks housed within a pair of landmark Antwerp churches. Anchoring the center of the Skipper’s Quarter (where the bordellos are!) St. Paul’s Church was first a Dominican abbey. Its splendid interior houses paintings by Flemish masters Van Dyck and Rubens as well as some 200 sculptures and furniture pieces ranked among the most beautiful in the world. The magnificent (and magnificently huge) Cathedral of Our Lady was begun in 1352 and took some 170 years to complete. Inside, you’ll be introduced to a collection of the world’s most revered Rubens paintings – most notably his Elevation of the Cross and Descent from the Cross. Elsewhere on the tour you’ll stroll a street so tiny and hidden, you have to know what ancient doorway to walk through to even fine it. And, on a visit to guildhall-surrounded Market Square, you’ll encounter a Town Hall building so imposingly ornate, it rivals anything any other European city has to offer."

 

Is this something you would recommend for people who have never been to your country, or are there better things to do/see.

 

Thanks,  

 

 

[vistaman]

9 hours ago, Bruce61 said:

I have a different question.  Our July cruise on Splendor has an overnight in Antwerp.  We booked a day trip to Bruges for the first day and then an excursion advertised as follows on the second day in Antwerp (which does seem to reflect the cathedral you recommended above):  

 

"Immerse yourself in medieval splendor on this guided tour with special focus on the priceless artworks housed within a pair of landmark Antwerp churches. Anchoring the center of the Skipper’s Quarter (where the bordellos are!) St. Paul’s Church was first a Dominican abbey. Its splendid interior houses paintings by Flemish masters Van Dyck and Rubens as well as some 200 sculptures and furniture pieces ranked among the most beautiful in the world. The magnificent (and magnificently huge) Cathedral of Our Lady was begun in 1352 and took some 170 years to complete. Inside, you’ll be introduced to a collection of the world’s most revered Rubens paintings – most notably his Elevation of the Cross and Descent from the Cross. Elsewhere on the tour you’ll stroll a street so tiny and hidden, you have to know what ancient doorway to walk through to even fine it. And, on a visit to guildhall-surrounded Market Square, you’ll encounter a Town Hall building so imposingly ornate, it rivals anything any other European city has to offer."

 

Is this something you would recommend for people who have never been to your country, or are there better things to do/see.

 

Thanks,  

 

 

yes i do recommend that excursion !  the small street is Vlaeykensgang  with a very good restaurant  

the " red light " district   is reduced to 2 streets  and there is  window prostitution as well 

I will not deny the beauties of Bruges -  but it is always extremely crowded   - if you have the bad luck  2  sea  monsters are in the port of Zeebrugge  ( so + 3000 pax ships ) ...not fun !

if you are looking for a drink after the tour there are plenty occasions on the market place 

the Town hall is a flemish Renaissance building ( see the contrast with the gothic  cathedral ) 

and in summer with plenty of flags  -  all the flags of the European Union + all the flags of the countries with a consul in Antwerp ... 

[Bruce61]

Thank you Vistaman!

[vistaman]

I forgot to mention tickets for trams are not sold on the tram or bus anymore

pay by bank card of CC in the whithe small automat