I was born and raised in a tiny village in Holland close to the Belgian border. Therefore I feel at home in the Flemish part of Belgium too. Often we went to Antwerp on Sunday for a day strolling in the zoo, going to the cinema or doing some sight seeing. Usually we walked the shop-lined Meir, the street that roughly connects the train station to the cathedral, all the way up to de Schelde, Antwerp’s mythical river.
Now, why go to Antwerp? Belgium’s second largest city is first in line for haute couture, selling diamonds and hosting famous artists as Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens. The century long prosperity of Antwerp is still visible through its architectural highlights. The enormous cathedral, de Grote Markt, the town hall or Het Steen are oozing their power up to this day .
But the Belgian city that I used to know is no more, so I recently discovered while visiting the city again after several years. It seems like many creative Antwerpeners are smashing up the image of the ‘diamond city’. The outlook of Antwerp feels a lot more unpolished these days and the city’s edges are pasted with a bit of roughness.
This is especially visible in the neighbourhoods around Willemdok and Kattendijkdok that have been upcoming areas since a couple of years. Disused hangars for shipping containers are transformed into urban beach clubs- where the Antwerpeners with their clean fashion style sip their drinks while babbling in Flemish, French or English- , the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) offers some modern art, the funnel-shaped Red Star Line Museum takes you on a cruise of Belgium’s nautical past, and jazz clubs and funky shops pop up on every corner.
From its cobbled medieval centre to its cool new Willemsdok, Antwerp has become a pleasant mix of architecture, lazy hangouts, design digs, fine Flemish food. One that’s worth visiting. Don’t forget to wash away all of the majestic impression with a couple of Belgium beers, they often come cheaper in here than a bottle of water!
