Antwerp is a lovely location to go to for a quick weekend getaway. Even though the city is relatively small and has no major landmarks, the small streets full of charm, the cool shopping boutiques and the wine and dine culture, all give us some good reasons why we should go and visit.
During your stay in Antwerp there are few things you will learn quickly about the locals: they like to enjoy life, they dress very fashionably and they are very nice and humble people. Unlike other European cities that are over-populated with tourists, here you wont feel like you get ripped off with everything you purchased and you will not have the need to push people in order to go through the busy streets. You will also always feel welcome and well treated as the Belgian people like to have visitors in their country. Here are some tips on where you should go out at night, what is the best sushi restaurant in town and which clothing shop you simply cannot miss:
Birds Market
Theaterplein, Antwerp 2000
This is probably the number one attraction in Antwerp. Every Sunday this famous and extremely popular market takes place in the city center. All the local people love to go there and browse through the different stalls for unique things and also simple groceries. The reason for this bizarre name, (The Birds Market) is because this market was initially started in order to allow people buy not only birds, but also dogs, cats and more animals every Sunday. Today, (probably due to some animal rights protests) the market mainly offers different foods, cheap clothing and shoes, DVDs and toys. For those of you who are still interested to experience what the original market was like, just walk around till you reach the animal row where you will find chicken, birds and parrots for sale.
Appelmans Brasserie
Papenstraatje 1, 2000 Antwerpen, 03 226 20 22
This amazing restaurant is a highly recommended for every type of traveler: It is perfect for young people who want to eat and party right after, (thanks to its separate cocktails bar) it is pleasant and relaxed for couples and families, (during lunch time the place has a very chilled-out atmosphere) and it also nice for those of you who just want to have a coffee and cake in the afternoon, (their deserts are just amazing!). The delicious food and trendy design are not the only reasons why customers come back here time after time; the service in the Appelmans is the main factor why this place is so high standard. All the employees at Appelmans are not only super professional and nice; they are also helpful with giving tips on where to go and what to do, even after their working hours. Make sure to eat a lot during dinner as the cocktails in the bar are very strong!
Velvet Lounge
Luikstraat 6 , Antwerp, 2000, +32 3 237 39 78
After you have some shopping in the Birds Market and have had a lovely meal at the Appelmans Brasserie, it is time to party! Velvet Lounge is the perfect place for people who love good music, trendy vibe, quality drinks and beautiful crowd. This hot spot is the most popular club in Antwerp at the moment and from what is seems, it will manage to keep its title for a very long time. The velvet lounge is famous for its amazing finger food, groovy tunes and super stylish interior design. It is defiantly the place to see and be seen so pay attention on what you will be wearing before going out there. As you learned before, dressing up in Antwerp is something people love doing that is why you should respect the place and the culture and put on your best outfit!
Roji Sushi
Historisch Centrum, Oude Koornmarkt 26, 2000 Antwerpen, 03/296.61.33
Roji Sushi is located in what used to be old monastery from the 13th century. The places interior design is so amazing and romantic that it is worth coming here even if you don’t like sushi. The old stone walls, huge chandeliers, fire place in the middle of the restaurant and candles on every table, make a simple dining experience to be a totally unique and exciting one. Aside from the stunning decoration the Roji is also known as the best sushi place in town. If you wish to enjoy this luxury as well, you will need to book your table at least 3 weeks in advance. Aldo most of the chances you will not recognize the local celebrities sitting there, some of them are great artists, painters and musicians.
