Antwerp - city of art

What to expect

Antwerp inside and out
You will learn about the city's history and discover many interesting facts: why we have a river but no bridges, why Pushkin's great-grandfather sat on the highest spire of the Cathedral, how the expression 'raspberry bell' is connected to Belgium and Peter the Great, and why women here always wear diamonds. During the walk we will visit:

• 12th-century castle-fortress;
• the stunning railway station, known as the temple;
• Meir street with Belle Époque style houses;
• the medieval part of the city with churches and cathedrals, the Royal Palace, the Old Exchange, Grote Markt square, medieval streets, the city's quay, the Butchers' House and Steen Castle.

Rubens' places
In addition, I will show you Antwerp as a city of art and Rubens' homeland, where everything reminds of the 'Golden Age', the age of wealth, prosperity, and painting. We will see where Van Dyck, Teniers, and Jordaens lived and worked. I will show you Rubens' house, his studio-workshop, 'Ruben's church' with his canvases, the church where he is buried, and the Cathedral with its grand paintings. You will understand why he is still called the 'King of painters and painter of kings' and why he is depicted with a sword in hand on the monument, rather than a palette.

The city today
And of course, I will tell you about Belgians, their habits, traditions, preferences, and what their neighbors - the French and Dutch - say about them. We will also talk about Belgium's gastronomic symbols: beer, oysters, chocolate - and if desired, we can taste them!
To feel the rhythm and life of today's Antwerp, we can walk along the main shopping street (I will explain where the different shops are and their prices) and visit the real diamond 'Mecca' on Pelikaanstraat. I will recommend establishments with authentic Flemish or Belgian cuisine, which is considered one of the best in Europe alongside French cuisine.

If you have any preferences, we can together tailor the route accordingly.