A Day in Antwerp as a Local

Antwerp rarely gets the attention given to Belgium’s more famous cities, but there's plenty to discover beyond its historic landmarks. After a year of living here, our local contributor Thysia takes us to the places she keeps returning to, from neighborhood cafés and fashion boutiques to Chinatown grocery shops and her favorite waterfront hangouts.

By Thysia - Local Contributor, Antwerp, Belgium

I've lived in Antwerp for a little over a year, and I'm still discovering new places. There are restaurants I want to try, neighborhoods I haven't properly explored, and shops I keep meaning to visit.

Antwerp often gets less attention than Brussels, Bruges or Ghent, which I think is a shame. What I particularly like about living here is the variety. I can spend a morning in a neighborhood café, browse designer shops, pick up ingredients from an Asian supermarket, and meet friends for dinner by the old docks.

Over the past year, a few places have become part of my regular routine. Here's how I like to spend a day in the city I now call home.

Starting the Day at a Local Coffee Bar

Antwerp has plenty of independent coffee bars, and I've developed a few favorites since moving here. On weekends, I like finding a table by the window, ordering fresh mint tea and something sweet, and watching people come and go.

Some people stop for a quick coffee, while others settle in with newspapers or meet friends for breakfast. When I have nowhere to rush, I can easily spend longer than planned.

I'm always curious to try another café, but I also enjoy returning to familiar places. It's become one of my favorite ways to spend a slow morning in Antwerp.

Window Shopping in Antwerp's Fashion District

I love fashion, although my taste doesn't always agree with my budget. That's why I spend quite a lot of time window shopping around Nationalestraat.

The street is full of Belgian designer stores and independent boutiques. I enjoy looking at the collections, occasionally stepping inside to see what's new, and admiring the buildings along the way.

Antwerp has an important place in international fashion, particularly because of the Antwerp Six, a group of designers that included Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester. You can learn more about the city's fashion history at MoMu, the fashion museum on Nationalestraat.

As for the designer clothes themselves, most are still beyond what I'm willing to spend. For now, I'm happy admiring them through the windows. Maybe one day!

A Quiet Break at the Plantentuin

The first time I visited the Plantentuin, I was surprised by how peaceful it felt. This small botanical garden sits on Leopoldstraat, just minutes from some of Antwerp's busiest shopping streets.

I particularly enjoy coming here in spring and summer, when the flowers are blooming. Sometimes I bring a book and sit on one of the benches. Other times I just walk through when I'm nearby.

I don't have to plan an entire afternoon around it. Even half an hour among the trees and flowers is enough to make me want to return. It's become one of my favorite little corners of the city.

Grocery Shopping in Chinatown

After traveling around Asia, I've become fond of cooking some of the dishes we tried on our trips. Luckily, Antwerp has Chinatown, just a short walk from Central Station.

My usual stop is Sun Wah, an Asian supermarket on Van Wesenbekestraat. It has shelves full of sauces, noodles, snacks and ingredients from different countries.

I generally arrive with a shopping list, but I rarely stick to it.

Crispy chili oil and sriracha almost always end up in my basket. Then I'll spot an unfamiliar snack or something I remember eating in Japan or another country we visited, and suddenly I'm buying more than I planned.

Finding those familiar products brings back memories of traveling and gives me ideas for things to cook at home.

I know grocery shopping isn't everyone's idea of an enjoyable afternoon, but I genuinely look forward to these visits.

Along the Waterfront at Het Eilandje

When the weather is good, I like heading north to Het Eilandje, Antwerp's old harbor district. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods for a walk or meeting friends.

Former warehouses now house restaurants and bars, while the old docks remain part of the landscape. It's quite different from the historic city center.

One place I always recommend is the MAS, the large red museum overlooking the docks. You can take the escalators to its rooftop for free, where there's a panoramic view across Antwerp.

I've been up several times since moving here, and I still end up taking far too many photos. From the top, you can see the Cathedral of Our Lady, the surrounding docks and parts of the port.

I usually spend a while walking around the rooftop, looking at the city from different angles. Afterwards, I like taking a walk along the waterfront or meeting friends for a drink, especially when the sun is out.

Dinner with Friends at WOLF Food Market

One of my favorite places to meet friends for dinner is WOLF Food Market in Het Eilandje.

It's inside Felix Pakhuis, a former warehouse with high ceilings, an industrial interior and large communal seating areas. I love how they've used the old building.

Instead of choosing one restaurant, everyone can order from different food stalls serving Asian, Mexican, Indian and other cuisines. It's particularly convenient when nobody can agree on what to eat.

You order by scanning a QR code at your table and receive a notification when your food is ready to collect.

I especially enjoy coming here in the evenings. It gets busy and sometimes quite noisy, but I don't mind. We can order different dishes, have a few drinks and spend hours catching up without anyone having to compromise on dinner.

It's often where I'd choose to finish a day out in Antwerp.

After just over a year here, I still have plenty of places left to explore. But I've also found the places I naturally return to: a café for a slow morning, the Plantentuin when I want some quiet, Sun Wah when I'm planning to cook, or Het Eilandje when I'm meeting friends.

These are the places that have gradually become part of my life here. And they're a big reason why Antwerp already feels like home.

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