Historical center
It corresponds to the oldest district of the city, which extends around the Notre-Dame Cathedral. In this guide we arbitrarily delimit it to the east by the Sint-Katelijnevest street (opposite the Meir district), to the west by the river Scheldt. To the south by Steenhouwersvest (opposite the St. Andrew's district), to the north by Sint-Paulusstraat, behind St. Paul's Church (opposite the district of the old port of Antwerp). The historical centre concentrates the old houses with gabled facades, most of the museums, old churches, and the most touristic and typical sites of Antwerp. It is therefore full of tourists in summer. Nevertheless, it is not impossible to find a quiet alley or square to stroll down. It has a multitude of restaurants and bars, which are rather traditional, the trendy places being out of the way.
Central Station
The area around the monumental railway station (which can be visited on its own) is multicultural and very lively. It can be extended to the "city park", a small triangular green lung that is very busy. This is where the zoo is located, and the diamond center of the city and therefore historically where the orthodox Jews live and where all the good kosher restaurants to try out are located! This neighbourhood - with the adjacent Klein Antwerpen - is not unlike Borough Park in Brooklyn, for the number of its inhabitants in traditional religious dress on its streets, schools, synagogues, bakeries and kosher mini-markets. As everywhere else in the world, the immediate surroundings of the station are nevertheless a little gloomy after dark, as they are not well frequented.
Het Zuid
It is bounded to the north by the Saint-André district, to the east by Amerikalei boulevards, to the south by a motorway junction and to the west by the Scheldt river. It is the trendy district of Antwerp, where the Museum of Fine Arts (under renovation until 2020), the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Photography are located. But also many hipe restaurants, concept stores and cocktail bars à la brooklynienne. It is the most representative of Antwerp as a contemporary, cosmopolitan and sophisticated city. It is undoubtedly the ideal place to stay if you want to discover Antwerp by night. The accommodation is nevertheless all quietly located when the residential streets of the area, including many guest rooms and boutique hotels.
Meir, Latin Quarter and Saint-André
The Meir is adjacent to the historic centre to the west, bounded by the wide Frankrijklei boulevards to the east (part of which is under redevelopment until 2020). The Meir is the centre of the eponymous pedestrian shopping street, where all the international shopping chains are concentrated and where all Antwerp residents meet at all hours of the day. To the south of the historic centre, which is more trendy and upmarket, the St. Andrew's district is more dedicated to the many antique shops and trendy designer boutiques. It also boasts the Fashion Museum (due to reopen after renovation work at the end of 2020).
Northern neighbourhoods
Former port of Antwerp, this district is in the process of being rehabilitated and is becoming one of the city's "places to be". It is less than 15 minutes walk from the historic centre. Once past St. Paul's Church, you will find yourself on the outskirts of the huge museum of modern art, the MAS, which stands out on the horizon and separates the city from a multitude of canals and locks leading to the port of Antwerp.
