Entertainment

Antwerp is one of the major European art cities but besides visiting museums and theatre you'll have a great time shopping in this civilized and cosmopolitan city.

Fashion

Antwerp has recently become a fashion centre in the same league as Milan and Paris thanks to some young designers who have brought refreshing ideas to the fashion scene. Besides these avant-garde boutiques around Nationalestraat, the totally renovated Meir is one of the most prestigious shopping streets in Europe offering a wide range of department stores and shops. The Groenplaats and Huidevetterstraat are also worthwhile for the really demanding bargain-hunters but if you have a more specialized shopping list you can head straight for the various streets and districts with their own specific profile.

Diamonds are Forever

If you want to buy diamonds it makes sense to visit the certified shops in the vicinity of Antwerp's renowned diamond center near the Central Station. You can also visit the Diamond Museum for an exciting day out.

Wining and dining

The streets around the Cathedral swarm with people— young and old alike. There are many streets where you can do a short pub crawl: Pieter Potstraat and Reyndersstraat are just two. You'll find plenty of thriving restaurants and cafes here as well.

The Arts

Antwerp has acquired a reputation for innovative and exciting ballet, and its school is internationally renowned. The principal ballet company is the Royal Flanders Ballet (Koninklijk Ballet van Vlaanderen).

The Royal Flanders Philharmonic (Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest) is also well-known and can be heard at the Singel concert hall where mostly modern and contemporary music are performed.

The flagship for over two dozen theatres in Antwerp is the Stadsschouwburg but there are many others including Arenberg and a multitude of smaller theatres where independent companies fill the stage a few nights per week, all year long.

For art lovers, Antwerp offers an array of galleries and museums to fit everyone's taste. The most popular art museum is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in the south district called 't Zuid. Contemporary artists are exhibited at the Muhka or the Museum for Contemporary Arts. You should also check out the smaller galleries, some are private, and the auction houses.

A Night on the Town

Going out in Antwerp can be fun and lively. In addition to the loads of cafes, taverns, and restaurants that the city has, there is a decent amount of nightlife. The mood in the streets around the Cathedral is very special and it's always very busy in the weekends. You might even find a concert going on in the streets there. This area is a great place to meet friends. Other areas of the city like near the Central Station and the Schipperskwartier red light district are also very lively but not so pleasant once it gets late.

One of the most famous taverns in Antwerp is Bierhuis Kulminator, which stocks, cools and pours about 550 different kinds of beer but there are many more like Den Engel, De Vagant, etc. There's a wide choice of discos including the trendy house and techno Cafe d'Anvers. The Swingcafe have live rock and pop and the Muze some very good jazz bands.

If you want to see a film you can go to the UGC Antwerpen multiplex near the Central Station or for even larger screens the Metropolis which is just outside the city centre and until recently was among the largest cinema multiplexes in the world. Cinema buffs can see the latest art house movies at Cartoon's. Throughout the summer months you should check with the tourist office to find out where various concerts and events are organised—there are plenty in Antwerp and some are free.