Antwerp is one of the most important economic and cultural centers in Belgium and Holland. It is one of the three centers of the world diamond industry. Antwerp is Europe’s third largest port, located in the heart of the EU. Many outstanding artists appeared in Antwerp, such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyke, Jacob Jordaens, Brugell and Christopher Pulantin. Antwerp’s Opera House and Rubens Museum are very famous. Since the 1990s, with the graduation students from Van Gogh’s alma mater, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium, which has a history of more than 350 years, gradually becoming internationally successful designers, Antwerp has also become an important fashion design center recognized in the world, ranking among the top three in fashion design.
Antwerp is also an important diamond trading city in the world.

Antwerp has been an important textile industry center in Europe since the Middle Ages, focusing on weaving, dyeing, integration and fabric trading. In the golden age of pursuing exquisite artistic feelings, Antwerp’s rich textile industry and clothing trade continued to flourish until the 17th century. After the rise of elegant and fashionable Paris a few centuries later, Antwerp developed its own distinctive fashion in the second half of the 20th century.

Antwerp is a fashionable and dynamic city, which is highlighted by the fact that The Antwerp Six during the 1980s and many contemporary designers still live and work in this city.Many talented young designers are able to achieve international success because they graduated from the department of costume design of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. What these designers pursue and show is not only a perceptual style, but also respect for technical skills and high-quality materials, as well as highly personalized visionary in fashion.

Antwerp is a fashionable and dynamic city, which is highlighted by the fact that The Antwerp Six during the 1980s and many contemporary designers still live and work in this city.Many talented young designers are able to achieve international success because they graduated from the department of costume design of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. What these designers pursue and show is not only a perceptual style, but also respect for technical skills and high-quality materials, as well as highly personalized visionary in fashion.

The annual graduation exhibition of the department of fashion design is a hall and grand gathering of world fashion, bringing together about 6,000 spectators from all over the world every year. It can not only judge and appreciate students’ collections, but also appreciate this grand and unique fashion atmosphere. Held once a year, this fashion show building is full of friends, fashion lovers, manufacturers, former students, fashion designers, modeling agencies, cultural lovers and news media from all over the world.

Belgium has many varieties and brands of beer, of which Abbey beer is the most famous, especially Trapist beer. Trapist monks use traditional yeast strains in the Abbey to make ale beer. Wheat malt is often used, and the amount of hops is relatively low (sometimes old hops are also used carefully).

In fact, up to now, only 6 kinds of beer are brewed in Abbeys in the world (all in Belgium). The 6 kinds of Abbey beer are: Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westergren and Achel.

Belgium has more than 320 chocolate shops, from Godiva to Leonidas, from Côte d’Or to Neuhaus. Belgium has all kinds of top chocolate brands created by the world’s best chocolate masters. Flanders is often called the “chocolate capital” because the world’s two largest chocolate factories, Callebaut and Puratos, are located here. With such easy access to high-quality raw materials and a long history of making desserts, you will surely enjoy some of the most delicious filled chocolates.

Antwerp has been the center of the global diamond trade for more than 500 years! In Antwerp, you will find people of more than 70 different nationalities active in the diamond industry.84% of the world’s original diamonds and 50% of the cut diamonds flow through this city to cities in many countries. The heart of Antwerp’s diamond industry is located in the diamond district of Antwerp Central Railway Station. It was mainly Jews and Indian diamond dealers who cut the stones into various forms. This melting pot of the world’s nationalities has created a unique atmosphere and a considerable number of multicultural restaurants.

Antwerp has many museums. The most famous of them are Rubens House, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom and Red Star Line Museum, and there are still many museums worth seeing.

Other famous museums: M HKA, The Maidens’ House,
The Museum Mayer van den Bergh houses, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerpen, The Middelheim Museum, FOMU/Photo Museum, the PlanOn-Moretus Museum, DIVA/ Antwerp Home of Diamonds, and many more…

The shopping in Antwerp is fabulous!

ITINERARY 1: MODENATIE
The first itinerary explores the neighbourhood around the ModeNatie that has been known as ‘the heart of Belgian fashion’ since Dries Van Noten opened his Modepaleis in the Nationalestraat. Meanwhile, various designers and stores pursuing an avant-garde profile have settled down here. The Kammenstraat, a side-street of the Nationalestraat, is the place to be when you are looking for stores that offer the latest streetwear collections.

ITINERARY 2: HISTORIC CENTRE
This third itinerary leads the visitor through the historic centre which is still dominated by the Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) and the art deco KBC Tower (Boerentoren). This area is situated between the Groenplaats and the Grote Markt.

ITINERARY 3: THE SOUTH
For several years the South (Het Zuid) has been described as the most trendy district of Antwerp. In the museum district – on walking distance of the ModeNatie – you find numerous special restaurants, bars, galleries and design-stores, stores offering vintage and antique and concept stores. Even the store of Ann Demeulemeester is located in this area. The return route leads you through the Kloosterstraat, a street where fashion, second-hand and vintage stores are happily rubbing shoulders.

ITINERARY 4: MEIR & LEIEN
The ‘Meir’ is the most important commercial shopping street of Antwerp and houses most international clothing and shoe labels. This large street dominates the fourth route. For a couple of years now, the ‘Meir’ is given an extra refined touch with the renewed and glorious ‘stadsfeestzaal’ (the city reception hall).

ITINERARY 5: WILDE ZEE & QUARTIER LATIN
The area around the Schuttershofstraat is known to the Antwerp citizens as the ‘Quartier Latin’. This neighbourhood is dominated mainly by international luxury brands. At the ‘Wilde Zee’, located in and around the Lombardenvest, the first Belgian designers were sold in the eighties.