Antwerp

Perhaps not the first city that comes to mind for a break, but read on and you will realise why Antwerp city breaks have their own special appeal. A ‘capital of diamonds’, a centre of high fashion, wonderful gin bars, beautiful Flemish buildings,  Europe’s second largest port, home to arguably the greatest baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, and its very own moules frites (mussels and chips) it is a city that really will surprise and delight you. With direct flights from London City and Manchester, Antwerp can also be reached by Eurostar via Brussels in just over 3 hours.

What to see...
If arriving by train then Central station with its vast soaring dome is regarded as the finest station in Belgium. A short walk away is the Grote Markt or main square at the heart of the city, dominated by the gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, which features a number of significant works by Rubens and others. More of Rubens work is on show at the Museum of Fine Art (Rockoxhuis), the church of St Jakobs (where he is buried) and even his house, Rubenshuis. The diamond district is a must see. Diamondland not only sells, but has a workshop where you can see diamond cutters at work, or the diamond museum which houses some of the most expensive diamonds in the world. Over the last 25 years Antwerp has become a fashion rival to London, Paris and Milan with several leading designers based here. Although there are showrooms to visit fashion here is more of an art form than hard sell, and celebrated at the city’s fashion museum, Momu. Belgian beers are famous but also popular in Antwerp bars is genever, from which our gin evolved. What better way to spend a dark winter’s evening? 

Where to stay...
As Cities Direct has years of experience in matching clients to the right Antwerp city break, we can recommend a selection of quality hotels from our portfolio to suit you. A great little 2 star hotel is the Century hotel, with clean but basic rooms and good location is a good choice for those on a budget. For a well recommended 3 star option right in the heart city by the diamond quarter, Atlanta hotel is the choice for you, or for a 4 star located right in the old town the Residence hotel offers all you would expect. We feature many alternative hotels in Antwerp. Call one of our dedicated reservations team to plan your trip. 

Click here to see all our special offers for Antwerp City Breaks