Antwerp in 3 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Antwerp in 3 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Three days is enough for Antwerp’s free-and-cheap essentials: the old town, the cathedral, the MAS rooftop, and the diamond trade streets, all on foot or a short tram ride. Expect to spend roughly €35-40 a day on food and tickets, hotel not included. Staying longer? Compare this against the 4 day , 5 day , and 7 day versions of this same route.
Book these before you go:
- Hotel near Centraal or the old town on Booking.com
- Cathedral of Our Lady tickets on GetYourGuide (€12, skip the walk-up line)
| Day | Focus | Est. spend |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Old town on foot | €35-42 |
| Day 2 | Diamonds and the MAS | €20-30 |
| Day 3 | Printing history and Het Zuid | €32-37 |
Day 1: Old town on foot
Land at Antwerpen-Centraal, the “railway cathedral” itself, worth ten free minutes under its dome before you go anywhere else. Buy a De Lijn day pass for about €9 if you’ll ride more than three times today; otherwise pay per trip at €3 each. Walk Meir toward Grote Markt (20-25 minutes) or take the tram.
Grote Markt, the guild houses, and the Brabo Fountain cost nothing to see. Step into the Cathedral of Our Lady (€12 adult, €10 concession, free under 18) for Rubens’ Descent from the Cross and Elevation of the Cross altarpieces, since the Rubenshuis itself has been closed since January 2023 and won’t reopen before 2030. Lunch is a frituur cone, €3-5.
In the afternoon, Het Steen’s courtyard and rooftop viewpoint are free; skip the €7 Antwerp Story exhibit unless it’s raining. A budget bistro dinner with a Bolleke runs €20-25.
Day 1 spend: roughly €35-42, hotel not included. Verify current cathedral hours at dekathedraal.be and the Rubenshuis closure timeline at rubenshuis.be .
Day 2: Diamonds and the MAS
Start at the MAS rooftop panorama, free, a 360-degree view over the port and river. Decide on the paid galleries, €10 plus €2 for temporary exhibitions, only if the view alone doesn’t satisfy.
Walk the Diamond District respectfully and for free; much of it closes Saturdays and Jewish holidays given the neighborhood’s large Orthodox Jewish community. Want a guided angle instead? The Diamond and Jewish Quarter walking tour runs about €45 from Centraal Station. Lunch from an Eilandje food stall, €8-10.
In the evening, a Bolleke at a real De Koninck cafe, €2.50-3.50, beats booking the interactive brewery tour if the budget’s tight.
Day 2 spend: roughly €20-30 without the tour, €65-75 with it. Check current MAS hours at mas.be .
Day 3: Printing history and Het Zuid
The Plantin-Moretus Museum, €12 (free on select Wednesdays each month, confirm the current date at museumplantinmoretus.be ), is the only museum in the world individually UNESCO-listed, holding the world’s oldest surviving printing presses.
Walk to Het Zuid, Antwerp’s quieter arts district, in the afternoon. KMSKA runs timed online entry, €12, worth booking a slot ahead rather than risking a walk-up. A casual dinner in Het Zuid runs €20-25.
Day 3 spend: roughly €32-37.
Before you leave, check delijn.be for the current tram fares. If your dates fall between May 2026 and roughly the end of March 2027, the premetro tunnel under the Scheldt is closed for renovation; don’t route yourself onto a tram to cross to Linkeroever during that window.