Question 1

Antwerp on Your Own

Accepted Answer

Antwerp's oldest quarter grew up around Het Steen, and the Grote Markt is within walking distance of the river. From the cathedral's square, the Groenplaats, the Meir shopping street leads toward Antwerpen-Centraal and the zoo beside it. The Grote Markt: The Renaissance city hall was built from 1561 to 1565. Most of the guildhalls around the square are 19th- and early 20th-century reconstructions, but a few, such as Sint-Joris at number 7, are 16th-century originals. The Brabo Fountain of 1887 stands in front of the city hall. The cathedral: The Cathedral of Our Lady, begun in 1352, is the largest Gothic church in Belgium, and its tower rises 123 meters. Inside are several works by Peter Paul Rubens. Along the river: Follow the Scheldt to the Eilandje district and the MAS museum, a 60-meter tower whose rooftop viewing platform has been open without a museum ticket. Under the river: The Sint-Anna pedestrian tunnel starts at Sint-Jansvliet, some of its escalators are the original wooden ones, and the walk through takes about nine minutes. The Left Bank has a view back across to the old city. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. Carry your passport: Belgian rules require visitors to carry their passport at all times. Pickpocketing is common in crowded places and on public transport, so keep it secure.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

De Lijn runs Antwerp's buses and trams, including a pre-metro of trams in tunnels under the center. Tickets are sold in the De Lijn app and at fixed sales points, and on board you can pay only by contactless card or phone. Ten-ride cards and one-day and three-day tickets are sold at fixed points in town, so check fares before you go. The main bus station is at Franklin Rooseveltplaats, near Antwerpen-Centraal. The Velo bike-share scheme has bikes at more than 300 points in the city, and day passes are sold. De Waterbus river boats stop on both banks of the Scheldt between Fort Lilo in the north and Hemiksem in the south, and bicycles are allowed on board.

Question 3

Food and Drink

Accepted Answer

Antwerp's own treats are small ones: Antwerpse handjes, hand-shaped biscuits or chocolates, and De Koninck beer, which locals order as a bolleke. Belgian fries come from frietkoten, the small fry shops found in every Flemish town. Antwerpse handjes were created by a Jewish baker in 1932. Elixir d'Anvers is a herbal liqueur made in the city. De Keyserlei, the street running west from Antwerpen-Centraal, and the small Chinatown just north of the station have many restaurants close together. Weekend markets on Theaterplein sell food alongside everything else, and Sunday has more stalls than Saturday. The MAS has a café at its foot and a restaurant on its top floor.

Question 4

Tipping in Belgium

Accepted Answer

Service is included in restaurant bills in Belgium, so tipping is generally not expected. A small extra for good service is a way to show appreciation, but it is up to you. The usual way to show appreciation is to pay a little more than the bill and tell the server to keep the change.

Question 5

Culture and Local Life

Accepted Answer

Antwerp's culture rests on its Baroque painters, its printing houses and the diamond trade, which still runs from a district beside the main station. Locals are nicknamed Sinjoren, from the Spanish word for lord, a reminder of the Spanish nobles who ruled the city in the 17th century. Rubens bought his house at Wapper 9 to 11 in 1610 and rebuilt it in the style of an Italian palace. A visitor center about Rubens, his garden and a library are part of the site. The Plantin-Moretus Museum on the Vrijdagmarkt was the home and printing works of the Plantin and Moretus families for generations, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. It holds two printing presses from about 1650, the oldest known to survive. About 85 percent of the world's rough diamonds pass through Antwerp's diamond district, south and southwest of Antwerpen-Centraal. The Grote Markt holds a Christmas market and an ice rink every winter.

Question 6

History

Accepted Answer

Antwerp grew up around a fortress on the Scheldt and became one of Europe's richest trading cities in the 16th century, then lost its trade when the river was closed in 1648. It came back as one of the largest ports in the world, and it lived through siege in 1914 and missile attacks in 1944 and 1945. 1200 to 1225, Het Steen: The surviving fortress was built as the gateway to a larger castle of the Dukes of Brabant. It is the city's oldest building and served as a prison from 1303 to 1827. 1352, the cathedral: Work began on the Cathedral of Our Lady. The first phase ended in 1521, and the building was never fully completed. The 1500s, a golden age: By 1504 the Portuguese had made Antwerp a main base for the spice trade, the population doubled between 1500 and 1569, and the city built a purpose-made commodity exchange in 1531. November 4, 1576, the Spanish Fury: Unpaid Spanish soldiers sacked the city and killed thousands of its people. 1585, the siege: Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, took Antwerp after a long siege. Its Protestant citizens were given two years to leave, and most moved north to the Dutch Republic. 1648, the river closes: The Treaty of Münster closed the Scheldt to shipping, which ruined Antwerp's trade. The river did not fully reopen until 1863. 1920, the Olympics: Antwerp hosted the Summer Olympic Games, with boxing and wrestling held at the zoo's hall. 1940 to 1945, war: German forces occupied the city on May 18, 1940, and British troops liberated it on September 4, 1944. Germany then fired thousands of V-1 and V-2 missiles at the city and its port. To learn more ashore: The MAS, at Hanzestedenplaats 1 in the Eilandje district, is the city's largest museum and tells the story of Antwerp, its port and its ties to the world. The Red Star Line Museum, at Montevideostraat 3, follows the emigrants who sailed from Antwerp to New York.

Question 7

Antwerp with Children

Accepted Answer

Antwerp has a zoo in the middle of the city, a museum roof with views over the port, and a tunnel under the river that children can walk through. Pick one or two for a port day. Younger children: Antwerp Zoo, founded in 1843 next to Antwerpen-Centraal, is one of the oldest zoos in the world and opens every day of the year. At the Grote Markt, the Brabo Fountain shows the legend of a Roman soldier throwing a giant's severed hand into the river. School age: Ride the old wooden escalators down into the Sint-Anna tunnel and walk under the Scheldt to the Left Bank. At the MAS, the "visible store" shows thousands of the museum's objects on open shelves. Teenagers: Het Steen itself, a medieval fortress beside the pontoon, is the city's oldest building. The Red Star Line Museum follows the emigrants who left Antwerp for a new life in America, through their own stories. Opening hours vary by season, so check before you go.

Question 8

Shopping

Accepted Answer

The Meir, which runs from near Antwerpen-Centraal to the Groenplaats, is Antwerp's main shopping street. Diamond jewelers crowd the streets around the station, and that is where buyers need the most care. The Stadsfeestzaal, a restored hall between the Meir and the Hopland, reopened as a shopping center in 2007 after a fire. Many jewelry shops around the station cater to tourists rather than the trade, so compare prices and be ready to bargain before you buy a diamond. Weekend markets on Theaterplein sell food, household goods, antiques and clothing.

Antwerp

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