Antwerp Architecture :From Renaissance to Baroque and Art Nouveau, Antwerp includes in its neighborhoods and buildings almost every style of the history of architecture. The city has been the center of a region of intense economic and political activity. It is no surprise that wars, changes in the region's economy, the new plans of urban designers have transformed its buildings over the centuries. The 19th century introduced an idea of architectural renovation to the city and many old buildings from the Middle Ages were demolished or intensely revamped. Yet, the old styles remain amid the new ones.
Walk along Grote Markt square and find the Renaissance style in the Town Hall, Meat Hall and guild houses. Admire the Gothic in the Cathedral of Our Lady.
Find the Baroque in the church of St Charles Borromeus, designed by architect Pieter Huyssens and Peter Paul Rubens who added his classical views to the conception of the building. Take a taste of the last developments of Gothic in the Church of St. Andrew in the neighborhood named after the church.
In The Latin Quarter, modern architectural styles as Art Noveau mix with old styles creating a blending of times so characteristic of Antwerp. To the east of Antwerp in the Zurenborg quarter, Art Noveau buildings inspire visitors to imagine Belle Epoque era.
Antwerp Tourist Board :
You are about to travel to Antwerp. You go online, you access the official website of Antwerp Tourism Office , and guess what? The image of the Intro: the blue water, sky and land immediately talks about mystery and stories of the past.
People of Antwerp are so proud of their city that they make their best efforts to ensure that the visitor has a vivid experience of this historical city. For that purpose, the office of Tourism organizes walking tours accompanied by experienced guides to the different neighborhoods. If you are interested in , make reservation online in their website, call them at +32 (0)3 232 01 03, or go directly to their office at Market 13 - 2000 Antwerp. The office is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
There are short and long walks. The short ones are one hour long and they cost about 50 Euros.The long ones, three-hour long itineraries, cost about 80 euros per person. The guides speak Dutch, French, English, German. You have the option of being your own guide and the office of Tourism provides the visitor with a brochure that serves as a guide to the different established itineraries. This Summer, a new option was introduced, biking tours with guides.
Antwerp Arriving and Departing :
General information about how to arrive and depart from Antwerp is available from tourist info: www.visitantwerpen.be this site has travel info pages.
Antwerp can be reached from Brussels (Zaventem) airport by a special airline bus. It is a 50 minute drive.
There are also trains departing from the center of Brussels and they'll get you to Antwerp in 30 minutes. A high speed train is available from Paris and Amsterdam, the trip is about 2 hours.
You can get to antwerp from Brussels, Amsterdam or Rotterdam by River boat. For example, www.easycruise.com. Easycruisetwo cabins start from GBP9 per cabin per night. Alternatives include www.tui.com and www.saga.com for passengers over 50 years old. See Inside Page: Cruising the River
Airport: www.antwerpairport.be VLM www.flyvlm.com do flights into Antwerp. Airport is 2km from the city centre
There is a frequent bus service from the airport to the city centre from the airport. source:tripadvisor.com
