Known for diamonds, fashion and its beautiful historic old town, Antwerp is one of Europe’s most captivating cities. It sits in Belgium’s Flanders region, with its old centre widely recognised as one of the country’s best examples of a historical Flemish town. It’s also celebrated as the birthplace of baroque painting, with legendary Flemish artist Pieter Paul Rubens growing up in the city.
Gleaming and glittering, diamonds are what Antwerp does best. More than 70% of the world’s diamonds are traded in the city, with its central business district stepping up as the heart and soul of the market. Beyond diamonds, Antwerp City Centre offers visitors a fascinating glimpse at old world Europe. Its picturesque streets are lined with a string of magnificent old buildings, medieval churches, cathedrals, museums and market squares.
Antwerp is serviced by a train station, located in the heart of the city centre. There are daily connections to Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and beyond. Antwerp International Airport is a 15-minute drive from the city centre or 20 minutes by public bus. Once in the city, the best way to soak up the charm and ambience of Antwerp’s old town is by exploring the streets on foot.
While today Antwerp is considered the diamond capital of the world, it once dominated all trade markets. In the 16th century, it was one of the most important financial centres on the planet, with the port of Antwerp fuelling its booming economy.