Antwerp It is the capital of the province of the same name, located in flanders. It is a beautiful city, just 40 kilometers from Brussels, rich, active, very commercial and cultural, with one of the most important European ports. Did we discover the Antwerp tourist attractions?
At the moment, the situation in relation to Covid-19 is the same as in the rest of Europe, from slow and gradual opening. The museums, shops, historic buildings, castles, restaurants and cafes are now open. You can make trips around the country and this July the theaters, cinemas, amusement parks, casinos and swimming pools have already opened.
Antwerp
The city is on the banks of the Scheldt river, as we said only 40 kilometers from Brussels and only 15 from the border with the Netherlands. The Flanders region is a region where Flemish, a dialect of Dutch, is spoken. Throughout history it has varied in size: if in the Middle Ages it was only a county, later it occupied a larger area, crossing Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany.
Today, Flanders occupies three spaces, one part in Belgium, another in France and another in the Netherlands. With regard to Antwerp, the city has its origins in a vice gallo-roman, later, in the XNUMXth century, it became part of the Holy Roman EmpireAfterwards, it grew in brilliance in the XNUMXth century and thus, between revolts, occupations and massacres, it reached the XNUMXth century. Then, it was occupied by Germany and later liberated by the Allies.
Antwerp Tourism
In Antwerp you can choose to see museums, attractions, churches monuments, architectural wonders, parks or sites steeped in history. Let's talk about churches: the city has many historical temples, among churches, synagogues and mosques.
La Cathedral of Our Lady It took 169 years to build and came to dominate the city's skyline in 1521 when its bell tower reached 123 meters high. It is Gothic style and contains many works of art, among Rubens works that today can be seen in the main nave after two decades of restoration. It opens from 12 noon to 3 in the afternoon.
There is also the Church of San Carlos Borromeo, where the Rubens stamp is seen a lot. It was a church commissioned by the Jesuits and was built y entre 1615 1621. The main altar and the chapel of Santa MarÃa are beautiful, with many elaborate wood carvings and a curious and original mechanism above the main altar that serves to change the paintings. It opens from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 to 5 pm.
La San Andrés Church It is another beautiful temple from the 70th century, located in the neighborhood of the same name. It has baroque altars and a monument to Queen Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. The church is in the late Gothic style and was restored in the 36s. Its altar is imposing, tall, beautiful, with a reliquary of XNUMX saints. Then, if you are more interested in churches, there is the Monumental Church of Antwerp, the Church of Saint Paul and the Church of Saint James.
Are you a little less traditional when it comes to sightseeing? Then there is corners in Antwerp that you are going to love it. For example, the Underpass or Santa Ana Tunnel. It is a passage opened in 1933 that cross the river and which is accessed by wooden escalators. Another picturesque corner in the Vlaeykensgang alley dating from 1591.
This alley connects the Hoogstraat and the Oude Koormarkt Pelgrimstraat and when you cross it it is like a walk in time. In the past this alley was inhabited by shoemakers and very poor people. Nowadays there are antique houses and art galleries and even some exclusive restaurant.
There is also the Grote Markt originally it was a square or a kind of forum located outside the medieval residential neighborhood. Fairs and the annual market were organized where English merchants did their business with Italians, Spaniards or those from northern Europe.
Speaking of commerce, today the modern version is the most agitated port of antwerp. It is huge and one way to appreciate its movement is go boating or rent a bike and follow the trail network exploring the port area.
If you go in summer, a possible destination to relax and spend a few hours may be the Saint Anneke beach, on the left bank of the river. You can get there by ferry, on foot or by bike or by bus or tram, and enjoy the panoramic views, eat the local mussels, very famous, sunbathing or splashing in the outdoor pool here.
Beyond these peculiar corners in Antwerp, the city offers us museums that you may not want to overlook. This The Rubens House, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, the House of Literature, the Reede Museum, the Eugeen Van Mieghem Museum, the FOMU Museum of Photography or the Plantin-Moretus Museum.
You can also visit the Museum Butcher's Hall Sounds of the City with six centuries of sound history, or the House of the Maidens which originally functioned as an orphanage for girls, in the XNUMXth century. To see the complete panorama of the museums of Antwerp the best thing is download to the Antwerp Museum app, downloadable on the Play Store or AppStore.
Another option that the city offers you is to buy the Antwerp City Card. There are three versions, 24, 48 and 72 hours and in addition to opening the doors of museums and attractions (15 top museums, 4 historical churches and 2 attractions), discounts of between 10 and 25%, allows you to travel for free through the system of city ​​transport.
Last but not least: Internet WIFI! Antwerp offers its visitors free Internet. There are many Free WiFi zones: Via Sinjoor, the road between Central Station towards Scheldt, Grote Markt, Meirbrug, Schoenmarkt, etc. You just have to register.
Lastly, plan your visit if you have a few days: choose between the Historic Center, the Central Station area, the Theater District, the San Andrés District, the University District, the Red Light District ... A little bit of everything will give you an unforgettable panorama of this city that many Sometimes it remains on the wish list because others win, like witches, for example, or Amsterdam.