maitaitom

We will be in Bruges (2 1/2 days with a day trip to Ghent) this September and am contemplating adding a couple of days in Antwerp afterward before heading to Paris. I fully admit I am ignorant when it comes to Antwerp (had not been on my radar), but it looks interesting, and truthfully after perusing the hotel prices in Paris, I don't mind reducing our stay there for a couple of days. If we take an early train from Bruges, would two full days in Antwerp give us a decent taste of the city? Thanks!

lavandula

Yes, there is quite a bit to do in Antwerp - Red Star Line Museum, KMSKA (the art museum), Plantin-Moretus museum, the diamond district, plus it's a buzzy little city with fantastic shopping and nightlife, centred on pubs that serve jenever (gin). I would absolutely do two days there, no question!

Lavandula

ms_go

IMHO, yes. We just spent about 2.5 days in Antwerp at New Year's and really enjoyed our time there. There's plenty to see and do. We covered a lot of ground but didn't get to everything we wanted to do. Don't miss the Museum Plantin-Moretus (printing and publishing from the 16th C) - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tulips

2 full days in Antwerp would be great. Here's an article from 2022 in the Guardian that describes the city well;
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...de-to-the-city

maitaitom

Thanks lavandula, ms_go and tulips. I have been convinced. Antwerp is on the agenda.

Michael

There's a;so the Maritime museum


and the Rubens house

MyriamC

@Michael
Rubenshuis is closed for renovation. Estimated opening of the new Rubenshuis is 2030 at the earliest.

Tulips

I've read that too, though the website for Rubenshuis still talks about a festive opening in the summer of 2024...
https://rubenshuis.be/
The renovation of the fine arts museum KMSKA eventually took 11 years. It reopened last year.
Some of the Rubens paintings can be seen in the KMSKA, and Plantin-Moretus.

MyriamC

It's the reception building that will re-open this summer.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you can see the timing of the new museum.
The Rubens House renews | Rubenshuis

maitaitom

We're all set with a hotel and looking forward to September. Looks like the gardens at Rubenshuis will be open, which will make Tracy happy. Thanks all!

MyriamC

maitaitom Just wanted to inform you that the beautiful Nottebohm Room in Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library is exceptionally open this summer (from June 15 upto Sep 15).
Don't miss it if you have some time left.
Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library | Erfgoed Hendrik Conscience (consciencebibliotheek.be)

maitaitom

"Just wanted to inform you that the beautiful Nottebohm Room in Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library is exceptionally open this summer (from June 15 up to Sep 15)."

Thanks for the heads up Myriam. We'll just make it.

Madam397

Plus Antwerp offers one of the great cathedrals of Europe. It is an awesome destination. We stopped there several years ago to visit the cathedral while driving from Amsterdam to Bruges. There is a modern square on one side of the cathedral which references the medieval square on the other side, plus close to the riverfront.