Why I love Antwerp (And why you should stop there between Amsterdam and Bruges)
- Yves
- Jul 7
- 6 min read
If you’re planning an Amsterdam to Brussels trip, Antwerp is the easiest cultural stop in Belgium direct trains, great museums, and zero detour stress.
People sometimes base themselves in Amsterdam and then “pop over” to Bruges for a day trip. On paper it sounds romantic. In practice it’s often 3 hours driving there and 3 hours back. Sometimes 4.
Don’t.
Because there’s an often overlooked gem sitting right on that route: Antwerp (Antwerpen). It’s the kind of city that makes you wonder why you ever treated Belgium like a checkbox between Amsterdam and Paris.
The "city” and the “parking lot" - is Antwerp worth a visit?
Antwerpians have a reputation for seeing themselves as “the city” and the rest of Belgium as “the parking lot for those visiting the city.”
And… look, it’s not entirely wrong.
When I was younger, Antwerp lived in my head as the place where my aunts went shopping, where the cool girls from high school disappeared on Saturdays, and where that weirdly fashionable neighbour always came back with bags that looked expensive even when they weren’t.
It simply is one of the most important towns in Belgium, thanks to the many jobs. In the harbour, right next to the harbour, and to serve the town that serves the harbour.
Tourism-wise, Antwerpians also have a point. Antwerp has been hovering around roughly 16 million visitors per year, compared to Bruges’ roughly 9 million.
But here’s the nuance: a big chunk of Antwerp’s visitors are Dutch shoppers hopping over the border (again). Add to that a calendar packed with events like Antwerp Pride, the Bollekesfeesten, international concerts, and the fact that Tomorrowland visitors often use Antwerp as their pre-party base.
And the scale is different too. Those visitors are spread over a city of about 200,000 inhabitants (or 560,000 if you count the wider urban area). Bruges, by comparison, has about
20,000 residents in the historic town (around 120,000 with the wider area).
In other words: Antwerp can handle “busy” in a way that still feels like a real city.
Antwerp is built for travelers: water, rails, and one legendary station
One of Antwerp’s biggest unfair advantages is its location next to the water.
On a cruise, you can often walk straight into town.
Many other European cruise ports require extra transport, shuttles, or long transfers.
Antwerp works for both sea cruises and river cruises.
Then there’s the rail network. Antwerp is a major railroad node, connecting to most Belgian cities and sitting right on the Brussels-Antwerp-Amsterdam line. If you’re planning an Amsterdam to Brussels itinerary, Antwerp is not a detour - it’s a smart stop.
And you get to arrive in Antwerpen-Centraal, which is regularly ranked among the most beautiful train stations in the world. It’s not just a station - it’s a “wait, why is this place so gorgeous?” moment. Fun fact; the guy that made this station look so great... is also the same man that (re)shaped Bruges when the first waves of tourists came in!
Thanks to this easy connection with and the short distance from Brussels, it's an easy town to fly into the country and just hop over to this absolute gem.
A city funded by trade, obsessed with beauty
Antwerp’s wealth didn’t come from being cute. It came from being powerful.
In the 16th century, Antwerp was essentially one of the most important harbours in the world, and the merchant money turned the city into a serious center for art and culture.
Later, when the Catholic Church tried to smother Protestantism with opulence and might, even more money was poured into beauty - paintings, architecture, and grand interiors designed to overwhelm you. It's there that Rubens, Coxie and Van Dyck could flourish.
That old drive for design never really left. Today, Antwerp is still a style capital, home to one of the most influential fashion schools in Europe: the Antwerp Fashion Academy.
If you like art museums, Baroque drama, design, and the feeling that a city has been reinventing itself for centuries, Antwerp delivers.
Antwerp is layered (and that’s why I keep coming back)
When I want to go to Antwerp, it never begins with "how will I go there". It's about the "where in Antwerp will I go".
Antwerp isn’t one neat postcard. It’s a stack of neighborhoods with completely different vibes. And that's absolutely great!
Antwerpen is (among other areas):
’t Eilandje: a rejuvenated dock/harbour area with modern energy and waterside views.
Left Bank (Linkeroever): its own beach, a yacht club, and a totally different perspective on the skyline.
The historic center: little streets that each feel like their own little world, surrounding the town hall and the cathedral
Zuid, with its classic imposing manors
De meir, one of the most impressive shopping streets of Europe
And it's exactly because of this, that this town is so endearing. Because I realised it didn't win me over with a beer in front of the cathedral. It was after a long walk past the shops, through the red light district, over towards the docks that I could sit down after a tour and relax as I watched ships roll by and the wind carress my face.
Because Antwerp is so outstretched and varied, I often recommend it as a base for exploring Belgium, especially if you want evenings that don’t feel like “tourist mode.”
Honestly? I’m not even sure myself whether I prefer Ghent or Antwerp for an overnight stay right now. And that’s saying something.
Short on time? Antwerp still fits beautifully
If you’re really in a rush - say you’re doing Amsterdam to Brussels (or continuing to Paris) - you can do a short tour of Antwerp. But by now you might understand that you'd leave yourself subject to FOMO - and have only seen the surface of this place.
Imagine having gone to Bruges, walk there for 2-3 hours, and then driving back to Amsterdam. You'll pass Antwerp again. And you might wonder if those extra 2 hours in the car wouldn't have brought you more joy sitting in front of Castle 't Steen with a cold glass of wine. Or a "Bolleke" of beer.
A full day of Antwerp
Antwerp is a perfect full-day stop with an absurd amount of variety. A stroll through the streets, an art museum, a viewing of the docks, ... time really flies in this city!
But if you're eager to fit more different beats into one day, I'd say 4 hours makes for a sweet spot. Enough for a light tour, a taste of the local crafts, an peek inside the cathedral. And then?
Half-day of Antwerp
A half-day city tour, combined with a quick trip to Mechelen (small, unique, and quietly charming) makes for a lovely combo if you're a romantic soul. These towns have a history of feuding, but also shaped Belgium together - so it makes sense to go see how those stories intertwine.
A more offbeat combo: the ghost town of Doel plus hikes through the polders (a special kind of nature reserve landscape in Belgium). This way you combine the busy city in your schedule with a moment to breathe and look for silence.
That’s the magic: Antwerp can be your main event, or it can be your “how is this not more famous?” bonus chapter.
History, trade, migration - and yes, tasting tours
Antwerp surprises people because they expect business, trade, and shopping. And sure, it’s all of that.
But it’s also a city for:
Medieval and Renaissance history. I'd say that's what every Belgian city does well. But Antwerp often catches visitors off guard, as they expect only the glass and steel that comes with such metropoles.
Belgian national history, shaped by its harbour and its role as a military fortress in the more recent centuries. Many remains of the military heritage warrant a trip into the countryside!
The history of international trade (this is Antwerp’s DNA)
World War I and World War II stories
The history of migration, communities, and how a port city changes the people who pass through it
And then there’s the delicious part. Antwerp is known as “de koekenstad” (cookie city), which makes it a natural fit for tasting tours.
If you’re searching for Belgian chocolate tastings, you’ll find plenty of options across the country - but Antwerp is a fantastic place to combine sweets with stories, architecture, and museum time.
Explore Belgium from Antwerp with Beardbarian
If Antwerp is on your route (or should be), don’t just pass through it. Let’s make it the day you remember.
Book one of our private Antwerp tours, or use Beardbarian to explore Belgium from Antwerp - from medieval streets and trade stories to museums, tastings, and day trips that actually fit your pace.
Want the easy version? Send me your dates, your interests (history, art, chocolate tastings, beer, WWI/WWII, shopping, hidden gems), and your travel route.
Belgium is too small to waste on rushed itineraries. If Antwerp ends up becoming your favourite Belgian city, don't blame me - I tried to warn you.
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