Antwerp, the grand tour

Ready for a brisk tour of Antwerp? We assume that you come by public transport and leave at Central Station (V1). If you do come by car, park on the Left Bank and take the pedestrian tunnel at the end of Blancefloerlaan. Then you pick up at the second starting point, the Sint-Jansvliet (V2).

Multicultural
We start right away in the multicultural city. With your back to the station you cross the Astridplein and past the Chinese gate the part of Chinatown from the Van Wesenbekestraat to the De Coninckplein with its Permeke library. Walk straight ahead into Rotterdamstraat, which you keep following on the left at the fork until you reach Sint-Jansplein. On the right of that square the statue Pepto Bismo 2003 by Panamarenko, just like Willy Vandersteen and Jan Fabre a working-class boy from the Seefhoek behind. Follow right onto Sint-Gummarusstraat and at the T-junction left onto Dambruggestraat. The district gets North African allure here. Turn right again into the Van Kerckhovenstraat and past the St.-Amanduskerk into the second street on the left, the Gasstraat, which ends in the St.-Jobstraat. Now comes a more boring bit. You take the fourth street on the right, the Oranjestraat, and cross the Viséstraat at the end. To the left of the car park you walk on a path into the Park Spoor Noord (1). In good weather a nice place to take a break or have a picnic.

Now walk left through the entire park, so under two bridges. You will pass sports grounds, a BMX and skate bowl, a playground and the Cargo Summer Bar. You leave the park again at the Kempenstraat, which you enter on the left. On the other side there are quite a few pleasure yachts in the Kempisch Dok. At the end of the Kempenstraat, turn left, past the vacant Porsche garage, and at the traffic lights turn right into Londenstraat. Cross the technical school on the left past and into Napolistraat. At the Willemdok, first follow straight ahead onto Entrepotkaai and then right onto Godefriduskaai. Clean people who can afford a loft here, in the vicinity of the MAS (2) (see also Tip 1).

On the waterfront
Opposite the MAS you walk across the Van Schoonbekeplein and then take the second street on the right, the Brouwersvliet (see also tip 2). At the end you walk on the other side on the left onto the Orteliuskaai and further on via the stairs onto the Noorderterras. From above you can enjoy the Scheldt. At the end - at the memorial and plaques for the Liberation of Antwerp in WW II - back down and through Het Steen (3) (see also box 1914-1918). A little further you take the cobblestones of the Zuiderterras uphill between the two lions, to descend the stairs at the end of it and cross the square of the St.-Jansvliet (V2) (Here the walk starts for those who left the car on the Left Bank).

If you find 12.5 km too long, it can also be shorter (-1.3 km). Cross the St.-Jansvliet and walk straight ahead into the Steenhouwersvest. At the traffic lights turn right in front of you into Kammenstraat. There you pick up again at the long walking route. This way you avoid the loop to the South.
At the end of the St.-Jansvliet you take the Oever on the right and follow the Kloosterstraat with its brocanteries. At the square with statue of Tsar Peter the Great, keep following the Kloosterstraat on the left, turn right and at the traffic lights go straight on to the Vlaamse Kaai.

Artistic South
Take the Verlatstraat - second left - and you will arrive at the Leopold De Waelplaats with the Museum of Fine Arts, terraces and galleries (closed for several years due to recirculation). When crossing the street you will notice the buildings of the new courthouse on the right. Straight ahead into the Schildersstraat with at number 2 the beautiful Art Nouveau building 't Bootje (4). Across the street, you'll see a completely renovated Baroque building used by the university's interpreting school. A little further, just before the Amerikalei you step sharply left into the De Vrièrestraat, further on the Marnixplaats and via the Geuzenstraat to the intersection with the reconstructed Nationalestraat. At the beginning of this you can see the buildings of the Tropical Institute. At the Modenatie you take the Theodoor van Rijswijckplaats on the right and you pass the IJzerenwaag at the Kammenstraat.

Here you pick up again, if you chose road shortening 1.

That trendy fashion street on the right and at the second street turn left, onto the Oudaan with the police tower of architect Renaat Braem. On the Lange Gasthuisstraat just left into the Huidevettersstraat and – watch out for the tram – right into the Komedieplaats. You will pass the Bourla theatre and follow the Leopoldstraat on the right with its better antique dealers and the Botanical Garden (5) (see tip 3).

Road shortening 2. You can make it even shorter (-2 km) by not walking right into the Komedieplaats in the Huidevettersstraat, but the Schuttershofstraat, a chic shopping street. There you take the second street on the left, the Wapper. You then leave the green loop of the Stadspark and the Theaterplein on the right.

City Park
At the end - at the Leopoldplaats - turn left into the Bourlastraat (you walk on the right past the National Bank), over the busy Frankrijklei and through the Maria-Henriettalei to the Stadspark. Take the gravel path to the right of the monument to the fallen of both world wars (6). This way you get to the pond, where you take the asphalt uphill on the left at a fork. At the top you cross the bridge on the left and then turn right and descend again to the edge of the pond. Down by the water, take the sandy path on the left to the exit of the park. Cross the Rubenslei, the Louiza-Marialei and again cross the Frankrijklei via the zebra crossing.

Regal final
Along the Stoopstraat you come to the Theaterplein with its covered market, southern and exotic on Saturday, Vogelenmarkt on Sunday. You cross the square diagonally and step - to the left of the theater - through the Maria Pijpelinckxstraat to the Wapper with its Rubens house.

This is where you pick up, if you chose road shortening 2.

At the end of the Wapper you come to the Meir with on the left on the corner the Palace on the Meir (7), a vorstelyck huys from 1771, later also used by Napoleon, William I and our royal house (see box 1914-1918). Guided tours are possible upon reservation. The luxury shops that have installed themselves royally beckon to your wallet all day long. The end is in sight. As a reward, we immerse you in the city's best shopping boulevard: turn right onto Meir, you can usually walk over the heads. Cross the Frankrijklei for the last time and via the now pedestrian-friendly De Keyserlei with its terraces you walk right on the Central Station. Those who came by car will pick up further at the beginning of this urban walk.