Belgium has a common theme for having spectacular town centers and Grote Markt is a prime example…read moreof such. While it doesn't quite live up to its neighbor in Brussels, it is still something to see none the less. It is not the largest square, but it boasts plenty to in and around. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, shopping, and a cathedral all nearby, so again plenty to do. During the winter months, it is decked out with Christmas goodies including a full fledged festival, which is oodles of fun. Could you spend a whole day here, possibly, but quite honestly a few hours is all you need before you move onto your next adventure in the beautiful city of Antwerp.

Super great place to visit, eat, stroll and soak-up. Search for the historic alleyway and make…read moreyour way to the canal and visit the historic building and tourist info building.

This city hall was over 600 years old and in open for public visits…read more Most of the first floor was freely accessible. A small gift shop and ticket counter was to the left after entering. After paying admission or scanning the Brugge Museum Card, all backpacks or large bags had to be stored in the free lockers behind the ticket desk before heading to the second floor. The main attraction was the Gothic room which was very ornate with epic paintings of Brugge history that wrapped around all four walls. Worth following along with the explanation placards (available at the entrance). A side room contained a VR map that traced the evolution of Brugge over time. Headphones needed to be set to your preferred language by the staff. After seeing the gothic room then head next door to the Renaissance Room (if it's open) or to the Basilica of the Holy Blood.

City Hall from 1376 in the Burg Square next to the Markt. There were benches & some greenery in…read morethis square. This is where locals get permits & licenses today. The beautiful square was filled with restaurants & shops.

We had some time to kill before our train and this showed up as an option to explore since it is…read moreright across from the station. It was meh. Small, a few asian stores and restaurants and nothing else to do Well on second thought the gate was a little cool.

Chinatown looks to be about one street with one of those traditional Chinatown gates. There's…read morestores on both sides of the street (supermarket, bakery, restaurants, doctors office.) Not super interesting and I'm not sure if there's anywhere really good to eat, but it did feel like a real Chinatown (though very small.)

The Sint-Annatunnel connects the left bank of the Schelde River with the right. It was built in the…read more1930's around the same time New York was building the Lincoln Tunnel and Detroit was building a tunnel to Canada. Tunnels were a thing. But while those American tunnels were strictly for cars, the Sint-Annatunnel was built for walkers and cyclists. I'm staying at a campground on the left bank. In the morning, I decide to ride my bike into Antwerp. It's rush hour, so the elevator down to the tunnel is crammed with bike commuters: little kids in their school uniforms, business guys in suits with their pant legs rolled up, and tough grandmas wearing their game faces. Everyone watches one another out of the corner of their eyes as the elevator descends. Sizing up the competition. When the door slides open, the crowd crashes into the the tunnel in a crazy confusion of arms and legs and bike parts. The grannies take the lead, elbowing past the school kids and sending them wobbling into the walls. The tunnel echoes with the buzz of freewheels and the clatter of cranks. The riding is so fast and furious that I feel like I've stumbled into a bike race. Everyone is trying to unseat the reigning grand champ of the morning commute-- one of the old ladies who's probably wearing the yellow jersey under her cardigan. I fall in with the stragglers: a guy with a cast on his arm, and a little girl whose rear tire is nearly flat. The peloton bolts through the tunnel and piles into the elevator waiting at the far end. Then everything goes quiet till the next wave of commuters blasts out of the elevator behind me. The tunnel is like some giant cyclist-powered piston. The one-cylinder engine that Antwerp is powered by.

This pedestrian tunnel is located right smack in the middle of Antwerp near the Scheldt river and…read moretakes you over to Linkeroever area of the city. While the tunnel is simply just a tunnel, the architecture and building is quite amazing to check out. The tunnel is mainly used by cyclists making their way across the city, the lifts at both ends usually fill up with bikes. Another reason why I find the tunnel so cool is the old wooden escalators at both ends. Wooden escalators are a big rarity in the world, there isn't many left. The only other places I've seen them was Macy's in NYC and a transit station in Sydney Australia. A lot of people won't really find them impressive like I do, mainly because I worked on escalators for over 14 years as a mechanic, but it was cool to see such an old piece of machinery still moving and working. They're in pretty good shape as well.

The floral carpet is one of those things that most visitors to Belgium see on every single…read morepostcard, but rarely get to experience live. It takes a certain degree of planning - first of all, you have to go in an even year (there was one this year, the next is in 2010), then there are the exact dates of the carpet as it only lasts for two weeks. And just when you've cracked all that, turning up to Grand Place and looking at a sea of petals from ground level isn't particularly impressive, so you need to go the final mile and pay EUR3 or so to get into the Town Hall, queue up patiently, climb the steps to the tower and view it from above on the balconies (though to be fair, you pass some excellent and interesting rooms in the Town Hall as you wait to get to a balcony). It's worth it though. The 2006 carpet had rotating flowerbeds on, and when you consider just how many thousands of flowerheads have been diligently pressed into moss, it makes Derbyshire well dressing look like child's play.

É lindo da mais !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!read more

This castle is a short walk from the Antwerp train station! We visited on 10/3/24. It's really nice…read morebecause you can walk around the castle and roof for free. It was a little weird because we expected a very old inside and a old time vibe but the biggest area inside of the castle that's open to the public is a gift shop. It was still a blast to see and I'm glad we went!

Seriously, you have to love a good old medieval castle. Okay, maybe it isn't strictly a medieval…read morecastle, but it still looks like one. Actually, the official title is a gate house, namely because it was used to collect tolls from boats that would stop off in Antwerp as they travelled up the Scheld. The castle was also a prison because, well, what better place to put prisoners than in a cold and dank medieval castle. Apparently it is now a museum, but I didn't get to check out the museum because, well, I couldn't find out where the entrance was located. Still, I did get a change to wander around the castle, which is always something that I love doing, especially since there aren't all that many castles in Australia.

A Must-Visit Gem in Antwerp! MAS was an absolute highlight…read moreof my time in Antwerp. The Compassion exhibit was deeply moving--exactly what I needed and didn't know I was looking for. The museum's location by the port is beautiful, and the experience of exploring each floor was truly special. I loved how each level offered a new perspective--both artistically and visually. The artwork was thoughtfully curated, and taking the escalators between floors revealed stunning views over the city, creating a seamless blend of culture and scenery. Don't miss the panoramic rooftop--it's worth the visit alone.

We did not pay to go inside the museum BUT i will share what you can do for free…read more Walk or ride your bike to this area. If you have a rental bike there is a docking station right in front. There is a children's play area outside as well as plentiful places to sit to enjoy a rest or the sun. Once inside continue to the escalator. There is a free public toilet on the 2nd floor. Very clean. The ladies restroom also has free feminine products for those that need them. The window design blew me away and I wanted to stop on each floor to take photos and have a moment to take in the view. Continue to the roof top. Here you will have a 360 view of the city. Great place for photos. There is a thick plexiglass but you can hold your camera/phone up and reach the top. I cannot get over the glass design and how it continuously curves. Just simply amazing. On the Saturday we were there they had 2 art areas for children to create a photo. There is one free museum entry exhibit that impressed me-it is the storage area of pieces that either are rotated and stored. I do wish that all museums had this. Very neat to see behind the scenes. These items are in cages but you can see them still. Very interesting to also see the labels, tags etc. Definitely do not miss this. Tickets to actually go in the museum are sold on the first floor as soon as you enter the building to the right. There is a cafe and in the area several places you can eat and drink. You can also take a walk and see all the docked boats.