Making the most of Antwerp
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Since 2020, cruise ships have used Antwerp’s new terminal beside the fortress of “Het Steen”. Passengers disembark in the historic centre, within reach of medieval architecture, Breughel and Rubens, chocolate and famous Belgian beers. Het Steen (The Stone), at Steenplein 1, is a small medieval castle on the River Schelde. Formerly a city fortification, it now contains a naval museum, open air only with the interior closed. It is also the starting point for Wandelterrassen, a scenic boardwalk with a café/restaurant at each end.
For embarkation and disembarkation passengers:
Most Belgian and Dutch airports have good rail links. From Antwerp’s spectacularly renovated Central Station, the terminal is a 5-10-minute taxi journey.
Antwerp is a lively, down-to-earth cosmopolitan city, combining magnificent architecture, fashionable shop fronts, beer-filled pubs, striking monuments, jazzed-up clubs, inspired art and excellent Belgian and multicultural food. Home to the Flemish Baroque master Rubens, it has outstanding museums, picturesque galleries, sculpted streets and fine buildings, alongside green spaces and urban haunts. Its culture, history, nightlife and world-class shopping are all easy to reach thanks to excellent…
City Hall/Old Market Square (Stadhuis/Grote Markt) is the town’s historic centre. Typical medieval guild houses, found in many Flemish historic towns, surround the market square.
Rubenshuis, once the home of painter Peter Paul Rubens, is now a museum devoted to his life and art. Its rooms contain paintings and works by Rubens and his contemporaries, along with furniture from his period. His early Adam and Eve is among the paintings.
Getting around
Antwerp is best explored on foot. Head towards Central Station and the main sites and shops appear along the way; the renovated station itself is now considered one of the world’s greatest.
Food and shopping
Walk from the ship towards the city centre and Central Station and you will pass more shops than expected, selling not only chocolate, lace and diamonds.
Money
The Euro.
Staying connected
Dutch is mainly spoken in Antwerp, although English is widely understood.
Opening Hours and
Shops generally open 9am - 18pm Mon-Sat. Some larger stores remain open later.