1. Gives a wonderfully complete evocation of a prosperous sixteenth century city
2. Flemish fries with mayonnaise make a quick, tasty lunch, and for a sit-down dinner there are any number of ethnic restaurants to choose from
3. St. Anna’s Pedestrian Tunnel
4. The cultured atmosphere and multicultural street scenes of a city that manages to be both big and global, and at the same time cozy and relaxed
5. While away an hour in a bar, and experience how good a beer can really taste
6. An unbelievable number of fashion shops
7. The small streets of the Diamond District, with many Orthodox Jewish shopkeepers and diamond cutters
8. The scents and fragrances of the harbor district
9. Everyone speaks English
10. Delicious chocolates
11. The bits of the city that are already pretty by day look even better when illuminated in the evening
12. The main train station is interesting (a mix of old and new) - supposedly one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.
1. Construction and renovation going on everywhere – many places are construction sites
2. You need an umbrella for when the rain sets in – it rains a lot here, even in summer
3. Sometimes Antwerp can be a stiff, gray, slightly unfriendly and artificial place
4. Everything is closed on a Sunday, while the Diamond District is closed for the whole weekend
5. The sheer range of beers on offer can be confusing, so you end up choosing the Westmalle Tripel again
6. Some streets are strangely full of litter (issue with the trash collection service?)
7. The ethnic diversity can sometimes contrast jarringly with the historic Flemish architecture of the city, and you can feel the tension between the native Flemish and the immigrant population
8. There are too many people crowded into the small historic center
9. The restaurants are very expensive (a three-course dinner for two in a mid-tier restaurant costs about €120)
10. High-heeled shoes are best avoided on account of the cobbled streets
11. Antwerp’s Chinatown is dull
