This 16th-century Roman Catholic church is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture and contains four important paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, as well as beautiful decorations like ceiling frescoes and stained-glass windows. The belfry is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Indagare insider Tania Beasley-Jolly says Eilandje (or “Little Island”) is the new, trendy area of Antwerp. Formerly the old port area, Eilandje is now full of bars and restaurants, green spaces, and other attractions. Napoleon Bonaparte originally built the docks around Eilandje, and today visitors and locals alike frequent the area. “It has been built up quite a bit over the last decade and the Museum aan de Stroom, MAS, is there,” says Beasley-Jolly. The MAS tells stories about Antwerp and the port, and overseas trading, plus cultural traditions of Europe, Oceania, America, Asia and Africa.

Antwerp's Grote Markt is the city's central square, right in the heart of the old town. Historical and architectural highlights include the Renaissance Town Hall, the bronze Brabo Fountain (reflecting mythology of the nearby river Scheldt) and the guildhalls, with their detailed façades (the majority were reconstructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but a few are intact originals, dating back to the 16th century). Here you will also find typical restaurants for moules frites and cafés, and during the holiday season there are also Christmas markets and an ice-skating rink.

Renowned architect and antique art dealer Axel Vervoordt purchased a 19th-century malting distillery in 1998 and has since transformed it into Kanaal, a mini “city” for design. Kanaal contains a complex of beautifully restored 15th- and 16th-century houses with apartments, offices, galleries and exhibition spaces, an organic market, gardens and much more. Axel Vervoordt's own foundation and gallery are also located here—designed by Vervoordt himself and his longtime collaborator Tatsuro Miki—alongside permanent installations by Anish Kapoor, Tatsuo Miyajima, Marina Abramović and James Turrell.

Indagare Access: Indagare can arrange a private visit to Gravenwezel Castle, Axel’s private residence and home to his own antiques and art collection, for special design-focused trips.

In the heart of Antwerp, Kloosterstraat is a lively street known for its antique and vintage boutiques—as well as interior design shops, galleries and concept stores. Most of the shops are open every Sunday, and you can access the street by car, bike, public transportation or on foot.

After more than 11 years of renovations, the KMSKA Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp finally reopened its doors in 2022. It contains an incredible collection of Old Master paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Brueghel and many others, as well as the largest collection in the world of paintings by Rik Wouters and by James Ensor.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MHKA) was founded by the Flemish community in the 1980s, and today it houses contemporary art, films and more. Subjects include the avant-garde tradition in Antwerp from the 1960s onward, the current “multi-polar” world, a look at performative art, and contemporary art. Events include family activities, art walks, guided tours, lectures, and workshops.

Less of a traditional art museum, MAS is more like an exhibition house, and each of its six floors is home to either a permanent or rotating exhibition. Shows range from “A City at War: Antwerp During WWII” to “ What Makes a Home.” Definitely check what’s on before visiting. Though its rooftop is hailed for its view, the rooftop itself is not particularly impressive and on a gray sky day is likely not worth it.

The most popular shopping street in Antwerp, Meir is full of 18th- and 19th-century palazzos that now house some of the biggest names in fashion. The street is car-free, which makes it easier to meander while shopping. Stadsfeestzaal is a large shopping center with about 40 shops inside, and Galleria Inno is a multi-floor shop similar to the Bijenkorf in Amsterdam. You can also find brands such as Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Hermes, Zara, H&M, Zara and more.

Art and nature collide at the Middleheim Museum, where around 1,800 works of art appear inside and outside for all to enjoy. Works date from 1900 to the present and represent modern and contemporary art. “The Middelheim Museum offers the possibility for a nice walk in a park filled with an interesting collection of sculptures,” says Indagare inside Boris Vervoordt. “On one side of the road, close to the castle is the 19th-century collection, and on the other side, the contemporary sculpture and installations.”

Designer Dries Van Noten has endowed a study center here, and a permanent collection of his works is on display, along with rotating exhibits highlighting the history of fashion and the avant-garde role that the designers of Antwerp played in it.

Christoffer Plantin’s 16th-century printing shop, which was once the world's most prolific, is now one of the country’s finest museums—and it was completely redesigned in 2016. It offers great insight into the working and living conditions of the 16th and 17th centuries, when the wider Flanders region was a leading global center for commerce and culture. This is the only solo museum that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (in 2022) because of its critical role in the history of printing.

The family house belonged to one of the most important printers of maps, religious books and more for centuries. A visit not only tells the story of the commercialization of printing, which revolutionized the spread of ideas, but it also showcases the wealth and taste from 400 years ago, including some of the world’s most beautifully preserved leather-paneled rooms.

Indagare insider Tania Beasley-Jolly suggests trying to catch a senior fashion presentation at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, as the next crop of designers is coming out of here. It’s one of the oldest art schools in the world, dating back to 1663. Students here pursue fashion, fine arts, photography, jewelry design, costume design, printmaking and more.

Located within two adjoining 17th-century townhouses, previously owned and occupied by the artist Frans Snyders and Antwerp mayor Nicolaas Rockox, this museum displays works of art by the Flemish masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. It also hosts temporary exhibitions.

St. Paul’s Church is one of the finest churches of Antwerp, which houses a very rich collection of sculptures (including 63 works that depict the Passion of Christ), as well as 17th-century paintings by Flemish masters. The church also contains one of the most important organs in Flanders.

Antwerp's centrail railway station is one of the four high-speed train stations in Belgium—but it's also a noted architectural landmark in the city. Designed by Louis Delacenserie at the turn of the 20th century, the building mixes a variety of architectural styles, including Art Nouveau, Neo-Baroque, and Neo-Renaissance. It underwent major restoration in the '80s and '90s, largely to repair damage incurred by bombings during World War II. Because of its striking dome feature, the station is locally known as the "spoorwegkathedraal"—or the "railroad cathedral". Inside, there are also boutiques and cafés worth exploring. Travelers should note that there is a greater risk of pick-pocketing here, so please be vigilant and keep an eye on your belongings.

The former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens, which was originally purchased in 1610 and was renovated by the artist (he also died here, in 1640), today displays a large number of works by the master painter, as well as his contemporaries.

The museum is currently closed for an exhaustive renovation that will double the size of the building and protect the house for future generations, with a new research library and garden. A staged reopening will launch in the summer of 2024, with the opening of the new building and garden. The original Rubens House museum is expected to reopen in 2030.

Vlaeykensgang is an old, narrow street with preserved medieval and Renaissance houses, where celebrated Antwerp architect Axel Vervoordt started his career in the late 1960s. He restored these houses and lived there with his family, while also displaying his antiques—creating an immersive home-meets-gallery space. Today, the homes continue to contain private residences, as well as a collection of fantastic restaurants.

In southeast Antwerp, Zurenborg is a must for exploring. “If you like nature and architecture, go walk around Cogels-Osylei, a street full of amazing houses, from Art Nouveau biuldings to Neoclassical palaces,” says Indagare insider Tania Beasley-Jolly. Dageraadplasts square is also a neighborhood must, with pubs, restaurants and a playground.

Indagare insider Tania Beasley-Jolly recommends taking a hike in Middelheimpark, where you can grab a drink or snack. The park has its own sculpture garden, plus exhibitions and landscape art.