A Weekend in Antwerp, Off the Beaten Path

Two days is enough to see Antwerp’s old town properly and still spend a whole afternoon on things that cost nothing. Day 1 covers the Grote Markt and the Cathedral of Our Lady; Day 2 is built entirely around the river, including a free rooftop and a free tunnel most visitors never hear about. Staying longer? See the 3 day , 4 day , 5 day , 6 day and full week versions, or the guide to Antwerp’s hidden gems .

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Day 1: Grote Markt and the railway cathedral

Start at the Grote Markt, ringed by guild houses and the 1564 Stadhuis. The Brabo Fountain in the middle depicts the city’s founding legend: the giant Antigoon, who tolled the Scheldt crossing by cutting off travelers’ hands, defeated by the Roman soldier Brabo, who threw the giant’s own severed hand into the river, the folk origin of “Antwerpen.” The same story names the Antwerpse Handjes biscuit, worth picking up from Philip’s Biscuits before you leave the square.

Walk up to Antwerpen-Centraal next, nicknamed the “spoorwegkathedraal” (railway cathedral) for the vast dome over its 1905 waiting hall. It genuinely earns the comparison: Mashable named it the world’s most beautiful railway station in 2014, and it remains a working through-station, not a museum piece.

In the afternoon, visit the Cathedral of Our Lady (EUR 12, free under 18), home to Rubens’ own Descent from the Cross and Elevation of the Cross triptychs. This stands in for the Rubenshuis, which has been closed since January 2023 and will not reopen in full until 2030. Close the day with a Bolleke, a round glass of De Koninck’s amber Speciale Belge, at an ordinary cafe near the square (roughly EUR 2.50-3.50).

Day 2: The river, for free

Head to the Eilandje district and the MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) first. The rooftop panorama is free with no ticket needed; only the galleries below charge, EUR 10 plus EUR 2 for temporary exhibitions. From there, walk to Het Steen, Antwerp’s oldest surviving building: the courtyard and rooftop are free, and the ticketed “Antwerp Story” exhibit inside runs EUR 7 if you want it.

In the afternoon, walk the free Sint-Annatunnel under the Scheldt, 572 meters of tiled corridor built in 1933, reached by working wooden escalators, and come back across on the Sint-Anna ferry, running free and 24/7 since September 2025. Note that De Lijn’s premetro tram tunnel under the river is closed for renovation from May 2026 to roughly the end of March 2027, so this pedestrian route is the reliable way to cross this year, not a tram.

Day Focus
Day 1 Grote Markt, Antwerpen-Centraal, Cathedral of Our Lady
Day 2 MAS free rooftop, Het Steen, the free Sint-Anna tunnel and ferry

Finish Day 2 with dinner in Eilandje and an early night if you are moving on; if two days turns into three, the 3 day itinerary picks up here with the Diamond District and the Plantin-Moretus print house.