Antwerp is arguably the larger well renowned province in Belgium. The compass is peerless for its light-hearted citizens who wouldn't mind giving a helping hand to a needy tourist if need be. One thought-provoking fact about the neighborhood is that it is widely considered as the diamond capital of the world, with the trade within Antwerp consisting of nearly 3/4ths of the diamond trade of the world.



You may inaugurate your "Antwerpen excursion" by seeing the Antwerp Zoo. This zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world. Since it was founded in 1843, it continued to collect exotic animal species from Belgium's African colonies. You can still see the lion panels from the 1800's. The Grote Market in the dated city centre is an icon of medieval lifestyle in Flanders. The triangular area that covers the market is lined with guild halls straight from the Renaissance, and you can also spot the Brabo fountain in the middle of the market.

The early thing that comes to mind when one deliberates of what to do in Antwerp is to take advantage of the magnificent tours in the center. The Port of Antwerp offers the largest well popular tour in the province. It is the fifth largest port in the world, and it takes every one of of three hours to fully appreciate the vastness and first-rate of the area. There is also the Ghostly Nighttime journey, which allows tourists to experience and learn about the allegedly haunted past events of the municipality. This is especially enthralling because of the past of the hamlet - it gives the stories a little more credence. Finally, if one is going to Antwerp in the summer, it is vital to go to Zomer van Antwerpen, which is the leading summer festival of the province.

Antwerp has its own brand of distraction found in the old town centre. The Cafe Beveren is a quaint shop frequented by university students, singles, and sailors. There is also an antique organ and jukebox that is played by local talents. The Bourlaschouwburg is a round theatre that was once assembled for the French elite in the 1830's. Today, you can watch the Het Toneelhuis theatre company display their talent in this theatre. Cartoons is a cinema house for foreign films and independently produced features. You could sit down and take in the cosy aura of the cinema house with your date.

Antwerp stands out from the rest of Belgium when it comes to food. While Brussels is leadng for its chocolate, Antwerp has a delicacy named "smos" which is made out of bread. It is difficult to say where the most "smos" is, as every character in Antwerp has a unlike opinion about it, but one accepted store is Jean-Pierre. The friendly people of Antwerp will gladly direct the tourists to a suburb near the university where the notorious, "smos" is served. The preferable restaurants in Antwerp do not offer Belgian food, unfortunately. The common food offered is just like the other spots with regard to ethnic food.

Antwerp has been under the radar for so long, so expect this borough to emerge as a prime tourist trap in the coming years. The prime style to get around Antwerp is with bikes. Look in museums, royal houses, and the famed Cathedral of our Lady.