One Day in Antwerp – Ten Things to Do

Antwerp is a popular tourist destination in Belgium and once you’re here, it can be easy to see why. There’s gorgeous architecture and plenty to do to keep you busy. I had one day in Antwerp, so my time was limited. However, even with limited time, I think it’s possible to have a great day and see the highlights of Antwerp. It won’t be possible to see everything, but as long as you understand that, I think you’ll be fine.

The Best of Antwerp

Antwerp Central Station (Antwerpen Centraal)

I know this seems like a weird place to start for your one day in Antwerp, but hear me out.

Odds are good that you’ll come through this station anyway. If you’re traveling by train, you absolutely will come through here. But if you’re traveling by any other mode of transportation, make sure you visit the train station anyway.

So what’s so good about a train station? This is arguably one of the most, if not the most, beautiful train station in Europe. Not just Belgium, but all of Europe. Admittedly, I haven’t been to every train station in Europe, but I feel pretty confident in saying that this is one of the best on the continent.

This train station was built at the start of the 1900s and has a very eclectic style. Take your time and appreciate this building. Yes, look at the decor, but also take a look at how the trains come into the station. Rather than a series of horizontal tracks like you’ll find at many stations, Antwerp’s trains arrive on different levels and make efficient use of space. Plus on the lowest level, trains can speed straight on through without stopping. Now, that’s efficient!

Brado’s Monument

This statue looks ridiculous, but it has a deeper story behind it. The story stems from Flemish Folklore and tells the story of a giant who collected tolls on the Schedlt River. If you couldn’t pay the toll, then the giant cut off your hand. Eventually a young Roman soldier named Silvius Brado defeated the giant. But defeating the giant wasn’t enough and Brado cut off the giant’s hand as well. The statue is of Sivlius Brado with the giant’s hand in his own, ready to fling the hand into the river.

Stop by for a quick photo, but also appreciate all of the architecture in the square, because that’s the third thing on this list.

Grote Markt

In Belgium, every city has a Great Market square. In every Grote Markt square I visited in Belgium, I had to stop and turn a complete 360 degrees. There’s never a bad view, and Antwerp was no exception. From this square, you’ll see the City Hall, guild houses, and of course, Brado’s Monument.

I think no matter which Belgian city you visit, a visit to the Grote Markt is a must. Even those traveling to Antwerp for just one day should plan to visit at some point.

Stadsfeetzaal

Stadsfeetzaal is a shopping mall and while I’m not really a shopper, I think this should be on your list. Yes, you could come shopping here, but it’s better to come here for the architecture. The interior of the building is just beautiful and is worth a quick stop. But feel free to stick around a little longer and do some shopping.

The Chocolate Line

You’re in Belgium, so you should sample chocolate at some point. I was in Belgium in 2023 and that same year “The Chocolate Line” was named the best chocolatier in Belgium. I had actually visited their shop in Bruges the day before, but I think their store in Paleis op de Meir is worth a stop. Yes, buy some chocolate, but also look at the beautiful building they are operating out of.

The building is a former palace that was built by an aristocrat in the 1700s. Later, it was purchased by Napoleon and when Belgium gained its independence, it became a residence for the King of Belgium. Now, it’s one of the fanciest looking chocolate stores I’ve ever visited and it was totally worth a stop on my one day in Antwerp.

Cathedral of Our Lady

It’s not a list of things to do in Europe without a cathedral, so I’m including Antwerp’s biggest church. Construction started on this church in the 1300s, but it wasn’t consecrated until nearly 200 years later, in 1521. At the time, there were plans to make it even bigger, but a fire broke out and destroyed the interior in 1533. Then, in 1576 Spaniards raided Antwerp and many people fled to nearby Amsterdam. Needless to say, those plans to make the church bigger never came to fruition.

Step inside and you’ll find an extravagantly decorated interior as well as several paintings by Peter Paul Ruebens.

Museum Vleehis

Most of Antwerp was destroyed by the bombs of World War II, but this building is one of the few that survived. In fact, this is the only building in this part of the city that survived the bombs.

You can step inside to see the Musical Instrument Museum, but I skipped this and just saw the building from the outside to get an idea of what this area might have looked like before World War II.

Het Steen

Down along the riverfront you’ll find Het Steen, which is Antwerp’s old castle. This is nowhere near as magnificent as some of the other castles you’ll find in Europe, but it’s worth a quick visit (although not a long one if you only have one day in Antwerp). Since you’re at the river, you’re in the perfect position for the next item on this list.

Antwerp Riverfront

I would have loved to spend more time walking along Antwerp’s riverfront, but my one day in the city was cold and rainy. It had been raining on and off for most of the morning and started raining again when I reached the riverfront. The rain, mixed with the cold made me call it an earlier day that expected.

But if you have a nice day, this looks like it would be a nice area to wander. You will pass Het Steen, but if you keep walking north, you’ll eventually hit a few more museums.

Go Shopping

If you start at the train station, and head west, you’ll have plenty of shopping opportunities. First you’ll walk through the Diamond Quarter. It’s called the Diamond Quarter because it’s one of the biggest centers of diamond commerce anywhere in the world. Some experts guess that as many as 4 out of every 5 of the world’s rough diamonds sold pass through this small area of Antwerp.

If you keep walking and cross the tram tracks, you’ll be in a pedestrian only shopping area. You’ll find a lot of international brands here, so it can feel like any other big city. But sometimes I find that these shopping areas are the best place to people watch.

Bonus

The items I listed above were all things I either did or tried to do (looking at you Antwerp Riverfront). But there’s plenty more that you can do in Antwerp (even if you only have one day). If you have more time, or if some of the things on the above list don’t sound that interesting, try some of these options.

Plantin-Moretus Museum – If you have an interest in printing, check out this museum for printing presses.

Rubenshuis – If you want to learn more about artist Peter Paul Rubens, you visit the house where he lived and worked.

Red Star Line Museum – This is an emigration museum that focuses on what it was like for people who were traveling to the New World.

Chocolate Nation – Described as the largest chocolate museum in the world, this museum features exhibits, tastings, and the history of chocolate making.

My Experience in Antwerp

Antwerp was the fourth city I visited in Belgium. I arrived in Brussels and spent a half day exploring. The next day, I visited both Bruges and Ghent. Finally, I took a train to Antwerp to explore. I did enjoy my time in Antwerp and I’m really glad I gave it one day in my itinerary. However, I must say that by the fourth Belgian city, it started to feel repetitive. The architecture is beautiful, don’t get me wrong, and I look back now at some of my photos and say “wow!”.

The weather definitely impacted my feelings of this city, though. I can’t deny it. It was rainy and cold and that’s just not conducive to sightseeing. So while I’d love to say I braved the rain and made the most of my day and explored as much as I could, that’s not reality. I did visit everything on this list (except the bonus items), but the weather, and the fast pace of exploring over the last week wore me down.

One day I’ll come back to Antwerp when the weather cooperates and I’ll visit some of the museums I skipped. But for now, I have memories of a quick visit to Antwerp and a cozy evening curled up in my hotel room with a really good book.

How Long Do You Need In Antwerp

I did everything on this list in a little over a half day. I had given myself a full day to explore Antwerp, but the rain and cold weather wore me down. The more museums you plan to visit, the more time you’ll need in Antwerp.

Getting to Antwerp

Antwerp is well connected with many other cities. Trains depart frequently

Antwerp to Brussels: 1 hour
Antwerp to Bruges: 1 hour 30 minutes
Antwerp to Ghent: 1 hour
Antwerp to Rotterdam: 1 hour

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed Antwerp, but I really wish the weather would have cooperated. There are some fun things to do in this city, but even I’ll admit, after several other Belgian cities, it starts to feel repetitive. So if you want more of those wow moments, pick two Belgian cities (I recommend Bruges and Antwerp) and explore them deeper.

Continue Your Adventure

Belgium: Beyond Antwerp, there’s several other cities that you can look to include in your itinerary. Consider adding Bruges, Ghent, or Brussels to your itinerary. Combine all of these cities into one epic long weekend in Belgium.

Belgium Travel Guide: Start planning your trip to Belgium with my Belgium Travel Guide.

Paris: I visited Belgium after a trip through Paris, which is just a short train ride away from many Belgian destinations.

Amsterdam: After Belgium, I continued on to Netherlands, which included a stop in Amsterdam, a city with so much to do. But on my way to Amsterdam, I transferred trains and made a stop in Rotterdam.

Europe in 10 Days: Starting in Paris, travel to Belgium before finishing in Amsterdam on this amazing 10 Days in Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam Itinerary.