Antwerp

Antwerp (Dutch: Antwerpen, French: Anvers) is the capital of the eponymous province in the region of Flanders in Belgium. At a population of just over half a million people (2018), it is the second largest city in Belgium (after Brussels), and it has a major European port. Due to its long and culturally rich history, the city of Antwerp houses many interesting historical buildings from different historical periods, and many interesting museums. Antwerp is also known as the global diamond trade hub: more than 70% of all diamonds are traded in Antwerp.

Antwerp has grown to become a trendy city, attracting many Flemish and foreign artists, writers, intellectuals, and actors. This is reflected in the city's many trendy bars and shops. Antwerp is a city with many faces. While it may not be as historically preserved as Bruges or Ghent, it is a very dynamic city, offering a perfect mix of history and present-day modern life. The friendliness of the people of Antwerp and their innate penchant for good food and good living, combined with their low stress lifestyle, makes it a desirable and relaxing place to visit.



Understand
The origins of the name of Antwerp comes from aan de werpe, which is Dutch for "at the throw", referring to where the river throws its sand. The name also has a funny anecdote saying it comes from Hand werpen, which translated is "throwing hands". In the city flag, the castle "het Steen" and the hand of Antwerp are shown.

In the 16th century, Antwerp was one of the most important financial centres of the world, where traders from all over Europe and Asia sold and bought their goods. After the siege of Antwerp in 1585 by the Spanish, this role as a financial centre was taken over by Amsterdam. Nevertheless, since the 19th century and especially the 20th century, Antwerp has made a serious economic comeback.
 * Visit Antwerp tourism website

By plane

 * Brussels Airport
 * Hourly direct trains link Antwerpen Centraal station with this airport in 25 minutes (45 minutes on weekends and public holidays). Single adult tickets are €11.30.
 * There is also a direct bus between Brussels Airport and Antwerp which costs €10 and has two stops in Antwerp at Hotel Crowne Plaza and in the city centre, at Franklin Rooseveltplaats at platform B5. A schedule can be found here
 * There is also a direct bus between Brussels Airport and Antwerp which costs €10 and has two stops in Antwerp at Hotel Crowne Plaza and in the city centre, at Franklin Rooseveltplaats at platform B5. A schedule can be found here


 * Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a high-speed train station on the Amsterdam-Brussels line directly underneath the terminal, which allows for two different railway connections to Antwerp:
 * There is a regular intercity train Amsterdam — Brussels that connects Schiphol Airport directly with Antwerpen Centraal station in approximately 1 hr 50 min. You can buy tickets with credit card at the automatic ticket booths in the Schiphol arrival hall. Payment with cash is also possible at the counter. Or you can book through Belgian Railways (SNCB/NMBS) or NS International. A single ticket costs about €25.
 * A second option is the bright red high-speed Eurostar train Amsterdam - Paris, which stops at Schiphol and Antwerpen Centraal station, in about half the time it takes the regular train, but at double the price. Contrary to regular trains, reservations on Eurostar are required. Best reserve your seat a week or so beforehand, since buying a ticket on the spot will turn out to be even more expensive. The Eurostar journey from Schiphol to Antwerpen Centraal can also be booked as a part of a SkyTeam flight (IATA code for Antwerpen Centraal is ), usually costing less than when booking the flight and the Eurostar ride separately.
 * KLM also maintains a direct shuttle bus connection between Antwerpen Centraal and Schiphol Airport, which can be booked as a KLM flight segment under the code KL320/KL321. The bus takes 2½ hr to get between Antwerp and Schiphol, but there is usually no difference in price between flight tickets using the bus and the Eurostar, so book carefully.

By train
Belgium has an extensive rail network, and for intercity travel within Belgium, trains are always the best option. Tickets can be bought on the website of the Belgian railways and at the ticket counters in most stations. There are good train connections to and from Brussels Airport and Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. To plan your trip, you can consult the website of NMBS (SNCB) for national and international travels. If you cross multiple borders, it is often possible to book your entire trip at once through Deutsche Bahn.



Antwerp-Central is a major stop on the Paris-Amsterdam high-speed line. International trains from France and the Netherlands stop in Antwerp-Central station only, and not in Antwerp-Berchem anymore. The same train services that call at Schiphol Airport also call at Amsterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal. Tickets for train journeys originating from the Netherlands are bookable through Belgian Railways (NMBS/SNCB), Eurostar, or NS International but remember that some tickets (especially Eurostar tickets) are valid only on specific trains. Passengers coming from the UK via Eurostar can transfer at Brussel-Zuid to any regular NMBS-operated train bound for Antwerp provided that at the time of booking, Antwerp was selected as the final destination. Through Brussel-Zuid railway station, there are also high-speed connections to other destinations in France with TGV, or destinations in Germany with ICE. If you have a mobile device, the SNCB (Belgian Railways) App (in English) is useful and also shows you how to get to the station.

By bus
Several bus operators offer long-distance connections to Antwerp:





By car
The overall city centre of Antwerp is a low-emission zone and foreign vehicles require registration which should generally be made before entering and can exceptionally be made up to one day after the first move into the city. You will need your registration details and potentially car documents; depending on the age of the car you will need exception permits which are €35 per day (valid until 06:00 next morning). For more information see the information by the relevant authorities here. Driving into the (video surveilled) LEZ without registration is subject to fine ranging from €150 to €350.

Many streets in the centre are narrow and driving there is slow and rather uncomfortable anyway. The Ring road around Antwerp is often congested. Works at the Oosterweellink are in progress since 2021, some exits are closed till 2030.

By bicycle

 * From Brussels: exit Brussels towards the north via the Havenlaan and the Willebroek Canal bike route, up to the tall iron Buda Bridge. Cross the canal and continue on the other side through the town of Vilvoorde, until you reach the river Zenne. The F1 cycle superhighway (Fietssnelweg) continues towards Mechelen along the Zenne. Past Mechelen, the F1 runs along the Antwerp-Brussels railway and terminates at Antwerp-Central Station. Total distance from Brussels to Antwerp is around 50 km.
 * From Ghent: the F4 cycle superhighway (55 km) starts at Gent-Dampoort railway station. The first part runs on ordinary roads, but once in the countryside outside of Ghent, it runs on a dedicated bike lane along the Antwerp-Ghent railway. It passes through Lokeren and Sint-Niklaas, the capital of the Waasland (the region between Antwerp and Ghent). For the time being, the F4 terminates at Zwijndrecht railway station, 4 km short of Antwerp. From there, follow the street and path towards the Blancefloerlaan, which has good bike lanes and leads straight to the St.-Anna Pedestrian Tunnel on the Antwerp Left Bank - with its quaint historic wooden escalators, through which you can cycle underneath the river Schelde into central Antwerp.
 * From the seaside: the nearest town on the Belgian coast is Knokke-Heist (100 km), although some towns on the Dutch coast (Cadzand at 90 km and Breskens at 75 km) are even closer to Antwerp. Anyway, the shortest, most scenic and most comfortable bike route to Antwerp passes partly through the Netherlands (Zeelandic Flanders). From Knokke, a fabulous bicycle path runs around the Zwin nature reserve at the NL border, continuing along the Dutch seaside via Cadzand towards Breskens. The bike path runs right on top of the dunes, with great views over the beach and sea on your one side and the polders on your other. Past Breskens, the bike lane leaves the North Sea and continues along the Westerschelde, which is over 5 km wide at this point. Once you reach the industries around the port of Terneuzen, following the river becomes impossible, so you have to turn inland and continue to and through Terneuzen. From Terneuzen, follow ordinary roads with good Dutch bike lanes to Hulst. From Hulst, take the former railway bike path (F411 cycle superhighway) to Sint-Niklaas. From Sint-Niklaas, follow the F4 to Antwerp as described above.
 * From NL/Holland: from wherever you are in Holland (e.g. Amsterdam, Rotterdam), first make your way south to the border town of Roosendaal. Continue for another 10 km south to the Belgian border town of Essen. From there, the F14 cycle superhighway gets you to Antwerp in no time, running along the old Antwerp-Amsterdam railway. It terminates at Luchtbal, from where you can complete the last few kilometres into central Antwerp on ordinary roads. From more eastern parts of the Netherlands, it will be shorter to travel via Tilburg (NL), starting point of the 'Bels Lijntje' — a 30-km disused railway bike trail through the curious Belgian exclave Baarle-Hertog — to Turnhout (B), from where you can follow the F15 cycle superhighway along the canal to Antwerp.
 * From Germany: the nearest German city is Aachen (143 km), right next to the border tripoint of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. From Aachen, cross into the Netherlands at Vaals and continue to Maastricht. Cross Maastricht towards the west and cross into Belgium at Lanaken, where you reach the Albert Canal. From this point, a cycle superhighway runs along the Albert Canal all the way to Antwerp, through the Belgian Limburg and the Kempen (the region east of Antwerp). It is numbered as the F72 until Hasselt, then as the F5 Hasselt-Antwerpen.
 * From Luxemburg: follow the award-winning Vennbahn bike path, one of the longest bicycle trails on disused railway tracks in Europe (125 km). Starting in northern Luxemburg, it leads through East Belgium, the German-speaking and highest part of the country (it actually snows there in winter). After a long descent through forested hills, the Vennbahn terminates in Aachen, Germany. From there, continue to Antwerp as described above.
 * From Wallonia: from Charleroi, follow the Ravel bike lane along the Brussels-Charleroi Canal to and through Brussels until you reach the F1 to Antwerp. From Liège, follow the Ravel bike lane along the river Meuse and Albert Canal, until you reach the F72 and F5 to Antwerp.
 * From France: France is not so bicycle-friendly; (intercity) bike lanes are almost non-existent. If you really must travel from France by bicycle, the nearest major French city is Lille. From there, make your way to Kortrijk in Belgium, from where the F7 cycle superhighway (still partly under construction) gets you to Ghent. From there, follow the F4 as described above to reach Antwerp.
 * From the United Kingdom: take your bike on the ferry from Dover to Dunkerque (France, 20 km from the Belgian border, from the ferry port is actually over 30 km) and follow the coastal road from there until you reach De Panne (Belgium). Continue along the Belgian coast until Knokke and continue to Antwerp as described above, or (shorter) cut through via Diksmuide towards Deinze, then F7 to Ghent followed by F4 to Antwerp.

By public transportation
The public transportation company De Lijn has a dense network of buses, trams, and pre-metro (underground tram) connections in the city and wide area around it. Tickets can be purchased through the mobile app. You can also buy cards of €17 (10 fares) or alternatively 1- or 3-day tickets at fixed points in town; inside transportation payment of tickets is only possible via contactless payment (cards or via smartphone); buying tickets in cash is not possible anymore. For one fare, you can ride up to an hour.

The tram system operates with low-floor articulated units (refer to the above photo), mostly in tunnels under the centre, & older high-floor tramcars, mostly on ground-level routes.

The central bus station is the Franklin Roosevelt plaats, near the central train station. Most buses leave from there or from the train station. Maps of the bus/tram network in the entire region can be found in PDF format here.

By taxi
Taxis are available, but they can be quite expensive. They await customers at specific locations around town (waving your hand will seldom work) like the Groenplaats or the railway station. You can recognize these places by an orange TAXI sign. The prices are fixed in the taximeter.

Mabo Taxi Antwerpen provides taxi rides in Antwerp for those who wish to avoid public transportation.

By car
Driving in Antwerp is not as difficult as many big cities in the world, but crossroads can seem very chaotic for foreigners. There are few free parking spaces, but many spaces where you have to pay (on the street or in underground car parks). The underground car parks are well-signposted. The prices are typically €2 to per hour, depending on the area. As of August 2023, parking on the streets is only allowed for residents and permit holders; visitors have to park in a car park downtown, or at one of the 9 park-and-rides (€1) at the border of the city, with connections on public transport to the centre.

There are many one-way roads, that can make it difficult to get to a specific place. Try to park your car as close as possible and go on foot.

Antwerp has introduced a Low Emission Zone, which applies to domestic and foreign registered cars. The latter have to jump through hoops to demonstrate their emission status. The zone seems to be inside but excluding the ring-road, but the official map is dreadful, so beware.

By bicycle
The city has many special paths for cyclists. Most one-way roads can be accessed both ways. Make sure to lock your bike to a fixed object, however, or it will be stolen! Around town there are a few places that are specially prepared for hosting bicycles for free, like at the Groenplaats.

Antwerp's bike-sharing scheme is called Velo. You can get a day pass for these bikes in the Central Station and pick up your bike at more than 80 places in Antwerp. The first 15 minutes are free, then the price gradually increases. Bicycles can also be rented at several places in town like Ligfiets, Windroos, Fietsdokter (verschransingsstraat), or Fietshaven (government initiative, under the central station).

By kick scooter
Shared electric kick scooters that can be used in combination with an app, are available from 3 operators: Bird, Lime and Poppy. Minimum age is 16, some areas are no go, no park or low-speed zones (8 km/h). Follow the same traffic rules as cyclists and drop the scooter after use in a drop-off zone or at a convenient spot.

On foot
Most things to see are near or within the Boulevards, the half-moon of avenues where there were once 16th-century city walls. This old town centre, with a diameter of about 1.5 km, can be walked, and there is also excellent public transport. The centre is densely signposted to aid those discovering it on foot.

By horse tram
A "Horse tram" (i.e. a horse and carriage) leaves from the Grote Markt every hour. It is an approximately 40-minute/2.5-km ride through the city.

Other buildings of note

 * Central Station is worth a look even if you're not travelling by train. In 2014, the British-American magazine Mashable has chosen Antwerpen-Centraal to be the most beautiful railway station in the world.
 * Central Station is worth a look even if you're not travelling by train. In 2014, the British-American magazine Mashable has chosen Antwerpen-Centraal to be the most beautiful railway station in the world.
 * Central Station is worth a look even if you're not travelling by train. In 2014, the British-American magazine Mashable has chosen Antwerpen-Centraal to be the most beautiful railway station in the world.
 * Central Station is worth a look even if you're not travelling by train. In 2014, the British-American magazine Mashable has chosen Antwerpen-Centraal to be the most beautiful railway station in the world.

South of Antwerp
Since the restoration a couple of years ago, the south of the city is known as the trendy part.

The centre of this piece of the city is a huge square called de gedempte zuiderdokken which simply means, 'the filled-up southern docks'. In the 1960s, this was an abandoned trade dock. They filled up the dock in an attempt to expand the city. The high crime rate in the region made it a very cheap place to live. This was a blessing for the local art world, which started to flourish, making the region trendy and safe over the years. Today, it is known as a "yuppie stronghold".

Do

 * Antwerp by Bike — Discover Antwerp with a bike. The inner city is perhaps too crowded, but the green outskirts are really worth visiting. For bike rental, see and "Vélo". "Antwerp by Bike"  has a charming tour with all the highlights of Antwerp, like the cathedral, the Butterfly Palace and the MAS museum (from July till September). For other tours, see
 * Football: Royal Antwerp play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground Bosuilstadion (capacity 16,100) is 5 km east of city centre.
 * Beerschot were promoted in 2024 so they too play in Pro League. Their Olympisch Stadion (capacity 12,700) is 5 km southwest of city centre.
 * Football: Royal Antwerp play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground Bosuilstadion (capacity 16,100) is 5 km east of city centre.
 * Beerschot were promoted in 2024 so they too play in Pro League. Their Olympisch Stadion (capacity 12,700) is 5 km southwest of city centre.
 * Football: Royal Antwerp play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground Bosuilstadion (capacity 16,100) is 5 km east of city centre.
 * Beerschot were promoted in 2024 so they too play in Pro League. Their Olympisch Stadion (capacity 12,700) is 5 km southwest of city centre.

Buy

 * The main shopping area is the Meir, a street that stretches out from the Keyserlei (close to the central station) to the Groenplaats. It is one of the most famous shopping streets in Belgium. Don't forget to visit the mall Stadsfeestzaal (between Meir and Hopland), which was beautifully restored and reopened in 2007 after it was partially destroyed by a fire ten years earlier. You will see a lot of gold on the ceiling, and all sorts of stores. The streets Hopland and Schuttershofstraat are the shopping terrain of the rich and famous with exclusive fashion shops like Cartier, Hermes, Scapa, and Armani. The Huidevettersstraat, Nationalestraat, and Kammenstraat (all close to the Meir) are also very interesting shopping streets to visit.
 * Purchasing a diamond at one of the many tourist jewelry shops around the Central station can be an unpleasant experience. Like any big diamond city in the world, there are many tourist trap diamond shops around the actual diamond district centre, though it is fair to say that if you are prepared to bargain you can purchase jewellery here for significantly less than in countries such as the UK. Wealthy diamond buyers should do their investigative shopping online prior to visiting Antwerp. For tips on buying diamond rings, see Diamond rings in Antwerp. If you're less wealthy and someone asks you to bring back some diamonds from Antwerp, buy diamond-shaped chocolate pralines at e.g. Burie (Korte Gasthuisstraat 3), Château Blanc (Torfbrug 1) or Del Rey (Appelmansstraat 5).
 * Trendy shopping can be done in the Kammenstraat and surroundings. In this area, you will also find the Fashion Museum and many shops of famous Antwerp fashion designers, such as Walter van Beirendonck and Dries van Noten.
 * The Kloosterstraat has many antique shops, with often bizarre items for sale.
 * Chinatown can be found about 300 m north of the Central Station (see also Eat). A lot of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese products can be found here.
 * Weekend Markets take place on the Theaterplein Square (follow Wapper or Meistraat south from the Meir) in front of the Stadsschouwburg theatre. The markets are very popular with stalls offering everything from food (fruit and veg, meat, fish, nuts, cheese ethnic specialities) to household goods to bicycles to antiques to clothes. Sunday tends to see a lot more stalls compared to Saturday. Take a break from browsing at the stall at the centre of the square, where you can buy a cheese roll with a glass of chilled cava to wash it down, most convivial!
 * At Ploegstraat 25 you can find a "give-away shop", where you can bring and take stuff as you please without any monetary interaction. Open M-F 14:00-18:00.

Learn
Antwerp has several colleges and a university.
 * University of Antwerp.
 * Artesis (formerly Hogeschool Antwerpen).
 * KU Leuven campus Carolus and Sint-Andries (formerly Lessius Hogeschool).
 * Karel de Grote Hogeschool.
 * Antwerp Maritime Academy.

Due to very strict language requirements imposed by the Flemish government, all Bachelor courses are offered in Dutch only (except for the Maritime Academy which enjoys a special international status). However, the University of Antwerp offers 9 fully English-taught Master programmes, 7 advanced Master programmes, and 7 postgraduate degrees, in topics ranging from Linguistics and Computer Science to Marine Transport.

Antwerp hosts over 30,000 students, and therefore boasts a vibrant student life that also has many traditional aspects. Well-connected in the centre of Europe, offering a varied city day- and nightlife, and having a very reasonable cost of living compared to the surrounding capitals, it's a popular destination for Erasmus students. Current and prospective Erasmus students should get in touch with ESN Antwerp, part of the global Erasmus Student Network and very active in organizing activities to help international students find their way around.

Eat
Antwerpse handjes are little biscuits or chocolates in the shape of a hand. Invented by a Jewish baker in 1932.

As with most Flemish towns, you can find many frietkoten in the city. These are places of which the Belgians are really proud of. Here you can buy the famous Belgian fries and other fried food for a reasonable price.

For lunch people often go eat a "smos", a sandwich with several layers of garniture in it. The name refers to the mess you make when trying to eat it. You can find them in several stores like Panos or Foodmaker.

De Keyserlei (the street that runs west from Central Station) is a street with a varied choice of restaurants. The side streets on the north side of De Keyserlei offer even more options, with Lebanese, South-African, Mexican, Italian and Vietnamese (to name but a few) restaurants all rubbing shoulders with each other. With so many restaurants in a small area the prices tend to be pretty competitive.

Chinatown takes up a couple of streets on the north side of Koningin-Astrid-plein (the large square to the north of Central Station). Look for the 2 lions guarding the entrance to Van Wesenbekestraat. Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai and Nepalese restaurants are here as well as lots of Chinese options.

Budget
Broodje/Boterkoken (sandwiches) are local and inexpensive.



Mid-range
Try one of the Indian restaurants on Lange Herentalsestraat.



Drink
Wherever you are in Antwerp, you will always be near a pub or another drinking facility. Not surprising in the city that has the most pubs per capita in the world. The pubs do not have a closing hour.

Drinks originating here are De Koninck (commonly called "Bolleke") beer, and Elixir d'Anvers – a liquor based on plants.


 * Den Engel — Most famous traditional cafe in Antwerp. Situated at Grote Markt.
 * De Vagant — A famous Belgian cafe serving about 300 kinds of Jenever.
 * De Muze — A jazz café in Melkmarkt. Relaxed atmosphere and live (jazz) music played on a regular basis. Beyond typical Belgian beers, coffee lovers can enjoy a true Italian Espresso or, if willing to drink something bigger, a "Koffie Verkeerd".
 * Caffénation — Most friendly bar in Antwerp. They have very nice specialized coffee creations and a cozy outdoor with lots of green. Good music. Say hi from "TheKitt" for a special, double shot cappuccino.
 * Paeters Vaetje, (in the Cathedral Square). Here you can order more than 100 kinds of beer. In summertime, you can also sit outside.
 * Kassa4, in the student neighbourhood, on the Ossenmarkt. Very popular student pub with a good choice of alternative music. Can be very crowded at times.
 * Den Hovenier — Typical Antwerp pub near the Sint-Jacob Church.
 * Café Beveren, near the river. Enjoy the automatic Decap Organ.
 * Stanny — Non-smoking café close to the station of Antwerp-Berchem.
 * Copa Cava — a cava bar on the vlasmarkt, with a cosy atmosphere and which serves relatively cheap and exclusive cava from Barcelona.
 * La Treille — intimate wine bar and shop at Haarstraat 23, close to the Grote Markt, serves and sells authentic wines (straight form the vineyard) out of Italy, Belgium and France.
 * t Vervolg — between the "groenplaats" and the "Grote Markt", very friendly prices mixed with house & RnB always ensures there's something going on Monday through Saturday evening.
 * Witzli-Poetzli (Blauwmoezelstraat 8, Meir. From 10:00 daily.) The Witzli-Poetzli is a very small café in the centre of city centre. It is next to the great cathedral. In the summer there's a unique terras in the shadow of the cathedral. In the winter it is a cosy place where people come to drink coffee and read a newspaper.
 * t Vervolg — between the "groenplaats" and the "Grote Markt", very friendly prices mixed with house & RnB always ensures there's something going on Monday through Saturday evening.
 * Witzli-Poetzli (Blauwmoezelstraat 8, Meir. From 10:00 daily.) The Witzli-Poetzli is a very small café in the centre of city centre. It is next to the great cathedral. In the summer there's a unique terras in the shadow of the cathedral. In the winter it is a cosy place where people come to drink coffee and read a newspaper.
 * Witzli-Poetzli (Blauwmoezelstraat 8, Meir. From 10:00 daily.) The Witzli-Poetzli is a very small café in the centre of city centre. It is next to the great cathedral. In the summer there's a unique terras in the shadow of the cathedral. In the winter it is a cosy place where people come to drink coffee and read a newspaper.

Splurge

 * Hotel Firean

Connect
As of July 2022, Antwerp has 5G from all Belgian carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Stay safe
Most parts of Antwerp are safe, but some neighborhoods are to be avoided in the evening, especially the area around De Coninckplein and the neighborhoods of Borgerhout, Seefhoek and the Schipperskwartier. Still, these neighbourhoods have a very lively atmosphere and so are definitely worth a visit during the day.

Moreover, it is of utmost importance to lock your bike properly if left outside on the street throughout the city. If you need police assistance, the direct police number is 101. If you need a non-urgent police inquiry or the most nearby police station you can dial 0800/12312 for free. Most police officers in Antwerp are friendly and professional.

Antwerp used to be a major stronghold of Flemish independence. Though most people are indifferent towards this movement nowadays, do not be surprised if you get occasional death stares if you speak any amount of French. This only concerns a minority (mostly older people and ultra-nationalists), but do refrain from assuming that everyone in the Antwerp area speaks (or is willing to speak) French.

Like most of the rest of Europe, the number for emergencies (ambulance, police and fire) is 112.

Go next
Antwerp is a key railway hub on the high-speed line from the Netherlands to France, so you can get relatively quickly and easily not only around Belgium, but also to its two neighbours.

Belgium
Getting around Belgium is relatively easy from Antwerp, as the country is small and featuring one of the densest railway networks in the world. Some of the more popular destinations that can be visited on a day trip from Antwerp are:


 * Bruges (Brugge) — Very nice medieval town. Often called "Venice of the North", because of the many canals that flow through and under it. Well worth an overnight stay, since it is most romantic at night and very safe.
 * Brussels — The capital of Belgium and some say, the capital of Europe. Multicultural and multilingual. Unfortunately, some of the city's historic (medieval) centre was destroyed at the end of the 19th century when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands and Brussels was made capital of the new country. Nonetheless, Brussels is known as a city of "hidden gems," where you can turn a street corner in a less-than-breathtaking area and come face-to-face with an opulent and unexpected Art Deco or Art Nouveau building. Its popularity with tourists has been steadily increasing.
 * Ghent — A medieval town a bit like Bruges, with more emphasis on cathedrals and other big buildings. Great centre of medieval paintings exhibited in and around the cathedral of Sint-Baafs.
 * Namur — The regional capital of Wallonia.
 * Leuven — Nearly as lively as Antwerp or Brussels is this college town, home to one of the world's oldest universities is here. Many hotels also cater to businessmen who find Brussels too expensive.

Netherlands

 * Amsterdam — You can take a direct train to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. There is about one train an hour and it will take you about two hours to get there. Amsterdam is well known for its grachten, many bicycles, and coffee-shops. There also is the Eurostar high-speed train which is a bit more expensive but you will get there a lot faster.
 * Rotterdam — You can take a direct train to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. There is about one train an hour and it will take you about one hour to get there. Rotterdam is well known for its harbour.
 * Den Bosch — You can go by train to this medieval city (change trains in Roosendaal).
 * Zeeland — Where the Schelde reaches the ocean. It's about two hours by train and you will have to change in Roosendaal.
 * Hulst — A very well-preserved historic fortified city very near Antwerp, which attracts lots of day-trippers from Belgium.
 * Saeftinghe — Nature reserve known as The Drowned Land of Saeftinghe, on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands.

France

 * Lille — Lille is in the North of France just off the Belgian border. It is famous among others for having the largest bookstore in Europe ("Le furet du Nord"). The train ride is pretty long (sometimes over two hours) making it less easy for a day trip. The Dutch (Flemish) name is Rijsel and the town is not to be confused with another Flemish town called "Lille" in Dutch!
 * Paris — With the Eurostar, you can be there in about two hours.