Romantic Antwerp: A Two-Evening Plan for Couples

Give Antwerp two evenings and it repays you with a candlelit alley, a river crossing and a view of the whole port. The days are for slow wandering and the nights are where the city shines. Below is a plan for two nights, with opening details and prices in euros.

Evening one: old town

Afternoon: Kloosterstraat. Browse the antique shops, vintage furniture and coffee bars on the street that links the centre to Het Zuid. It is liveliest at weekends.

Early evening: the cathedral and Grote Markt. The cathedral spire is 123 metres tall and lit after dark. Inside, Rubens’ altarpieces are on view for €12 per adult (Saturday 10:00 to 15:00, Sunday 13:00 to 17:00), so go in before closing. See dekathedraal.be .

Dinner: Vlaeykensgang. This cobbled alley dates from 1591 and is only a few steps from the cathedral. Restaurants and taverns around it change, so look at the menus before sitting down.

Evening two: the river and the docklands

Late afternoon: KMSKA. The museum costs €20 per adult (€10 under 26) and requires a timed slot. On Thursdays it stays open until 22:00. Book at kmska.be .

Sunset: the Sint-Anna ferry. It leaves from Het Steen and is free. Daytime sailings are every 15 minutes, and evening ones every 30. Stand at the rail and watch the skyline slide away.

Late evening: the MAS rooftop. Open until midnight from 1 April to 31 October (last entry 23:30) and until 22:00 in the other months, it is free to visit and closed on Mondays. The terraces around the Willemdok marina nearby are the place for a final drink.

A daytime alternative

If rain spoils the evening plans, walk the Sint-Annatunnel together. It is free, open 24 hours, and its wooden escalators date from 1933. Trams do not cross the Scheldt until about March 2027, so the tunnel and ferry are the way over to the left bank in any case, and the Linkeroever promenade is peaceful at dusk.

Where to stay

A room near the old centre makes the evening walks short. You can look at Antwerp hotels on Booking.com and choose by neighbourhood. For city information, visit visit.antwerpen.be . A day ticket on De Lijn costs €9 if you want to cover more ground.

Keep in mind

Pickpockets work around Centraal station, De Keyserlei and the Meir, so take a quiet route on arrival. For further ideas, the attraction tours page lists museum tickets and opening hours.

Tip: book the ferry hour for just after sunset, then dinner at 20:30.

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