ANTWERP IS A VERY COOL PLACE
With bold architecture and designer stores aplenty, trendsetting Antwerp is one of Europe’s coolest cities
Belgium has become fashionable – and here’s why.
WITH its cobbled lanes, quaint architecture and impeccable sense of style, the charming city of Antwerp is Belgium’s capital of cool.
It’s the country’s second-biggest city, home to around 500,000 inhabitants. It’s also one of Europe’s biggest fashion and design hubs.
As a man who avoids buying clothes until his jeans are almost threadbare, my sense of fashion could (at best) be described as inept.
So as my train rolls into Antwerp, I begin to wish I’d invested a bit more time and effort in my wardrobe.
The journey takes three hours from London via Brussels on the Eurostar. And from Scotland, you can fly with KLM from Edinburgh in about three-and-a-half hours, so it’s within pretty easy, hassle-free reach.
I disembark at Central Station, rated as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world for its striking interior. Although originally built in the late 19th Century, it’s a mishmash of architectural styles.
I choose a bike to get around as it’s one of the best and cheapest transport options in a cycling-friendly city.
Walking or hopping aboard a city bus tour is just as easy, and you won’t have to go far to find something to see.
From the Plantin-Moretus Museum to the Town Hall and St Paul’s Church, there are plenty of pitstops to keep you occupied.
I pop out to the river’s left bank, which is quieter and boasts spectacular views across to the old town and Antwerp’s port. An old derelict fire station has been transformed into
new headquarters The Port House – and the building is simply stunning.
Rising high above the building tops is the spire of the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady. The adjacent tower was never finished, only reaching a third of its intended height.
In a country as flat as Belgium, anything tall is a major attraction, and Antwerp’s cathedral is no exception. It’s possible to climb the tower’s 500 steps on a guided tour.
The viewing platform atop the Museum aan de Stroom is far more accessible. The building is a prime example of contemporary architecture and reflects the city’s trading history and modern industrial focus.
Seeking refreshments, I join my friends in Bar Burbure, a copper-chromed bar which reminds me of 1930s New York. The tipples of choice here are locally-distilled bio-gins.
Beer, however, is ubiquitous in Belgium, so I’m happy to be heading to De Koninck
brewery. It has been pumping out a fine selection of liquid amber since 1833, and the tour ends in a bar where I need no encouragement to sample its products.
But if you’re more of a foodie, try Fiskebar, a seafood restaurant where there’s no formal menu and the catch is different every day.
And be sure to sample frites and waffles, two of the culinary creations for which Antwerp is famous.
Cartoon’s also offers a cosy, laid-back cafe combined with a cinema where you can watch alternative and European film. And the Café de Muze, a jazz haunt, represents everything the city stands for; artists and forgotten writers, up-and-coming musicians and those who have already made it.
Back in the city centre, walking off my liquid lunch, I stroll along Schuttershofstraat, where Chanel and Burberry sit alongside local designer stores Natanand Coccodrillo.
However, if you want to bag some bargains, The Stadsfeestzaal is probably more up your street. It’s one of the most beautiful shopping centres you’ll ever see, with a grand entrance, sweeping marble staircase and gilded gold-leaf facades, all housed under an enormous glass dome.
The famous Vrijdagse secondhand market, filled with knick knacks you never knew you wanted, is also worth checking out.
I laugh aloud when I overhear a tour guide declare locals would “rather not eat than have bad shoes”.
Perhaps I don’t fully appreciate the city’s concept stores and trendsetting designs, but what I’ve discovered in Antwerp is style, innovation and imagination to boot.
Next time though, I must bring a personal shopper to help plan my wardrobe. And an extra suitcase too.