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The third edition! “Antwerp is the perfect city if you want to start something cool, young and creative”, says Sebastiaan of VRbeeld, one of the four living examples of how this inspiration colours Antwerp. To show off the city’s spacious parks and vibrant urban culture, we’re taking you on a bike tour to discover and really feel the vibe of the city. Also, this summer, Antwerp is all about contemporary art, and we found the perfecthidden jewels to lift this experience to a higher level. We went on a search for the best burger in town (boy, was that tasty), and listed the coolest markets and urban sports places for you. To top it off, we decided to unravel the coolest on trend shops you probably wouldn’t have found without us. You can thank us later! This Is Antwerp is a guide to discover the city with the benefit of insider knowledge. The magazine and the accompanying app are full of tips from people who know the city, and addresses to help you get the maximum out of your city trip.
Citation preview
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WELCOME TO ANTWERP
INSPIRING ANTWERP
‘MAN WITH DOG’ONLY AT THE MIDDELHEIMMUSEUM
From Saturday May 26th onwards
DISCOVER THE NEWLY RENOVATED MUSEUM
Middelheimmuseum enjoys the generous support of Middelheim Promotors vzw and Ackermans & van Haaren, Allen & Overy, BASF Antwerpen, BNP Paribas Fortis, CMB, Deme, Ernst & Young bedrijfsrevisoren, Gimv, Inno.com, KBC, Leasinvest Real Estate, Sea-invest, Umicore, Vanbreda Risk & Benefi ts
© L
uc
Del
eu,
Orb
ino,
200
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www.middelheimmuseum.be
03 288 33 60
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ANTWERP BY BIKE
INSTANTWERPEN
INSPIRING ANTWERP
BuRGER KING
fREE WIfI
coNTEmPoRARY ART
ANTWERP BY BIKE
oN ThE mARKET
INSTANTWERPEN
SToRES WITh SToRIES
uRBAN SPoRTSPoTS
SlEEP IN STYlE
SToRESWITh SToRIES
BuRGER KING
oN ThE mARKET
uRBAN SPoRTSPoTS
INSPIRING ANTWERP
coNTEmPoRARYART
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This Is Antwerp
Like us on facebook
facebook.com/thisisantwerp
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We went on a search for the best burger in
town (boy, was that tasty), and listed the
coolest markets and urban sports places
for you. To top it off, we decided to unravel
the coolest on trend shops you probably
wouldn’t have found without us. You can
thank us later!
This Is Antwerp is a guide to discover the
city with the benefit of insider knowledge.
The magazine and the accompanying app
are full of tips from people who know the
city, and addresses to help you get the
maximum out of your city trip. You can
track most hotspots on the ‘Antwerp by
bike’ map that you find in this magazine.
Don’t wait. Plan your trip now, so you can
experience the spirit of the city yourself.
Cartography
Nick Van Hee
Translation
Alphatrad
Flyer.eu
Depotnumber
D/2012/0306/134
THIS ISANTWERPStylish & confident. Vibrant & cosmopolitan. Heart-warming & relaxed.
Colophon
This magazine is a publication of the city of Antwerp and
Antwerp Tourism & Convention. It was edited with great
care. Antwerp Tourism & Convention cannot be held re-
sponsible for printing errors or changes. No part of this pub-
lication may be used by third parties without prior written
consent of Antwerp Tourism & Convention.
None of the adresses mentioned in this magazine paid for
their mentioning in it any way.
With its countless cultural sights, eye-
catching architecture, and high-fashion
character, the least you can say is that
Antwerp is both an inspirational and aspi-
rational city. “Antwerp is the perfect city if
you want to start something cool, young
and creative”, says Sebastiaan of VRbeeld,
one of the four living examples of how this
inspiration colours Antwerp. To show off
the city’s spacious parks and vibrant urban
culture, we’re taking you on a bike tour to
discover and really feel the vibe of the city.
Also, this summer, Antwerp is all about
contemporary art, and we found the per-
fect hidden jewels to lift this experience to
a higher level.
Publisher
Antwerp Tourism & Convention – Annik Bogaert,
Grote Markt 15, BE2000 Antwerp
Editors in chief
Antwerp Tourism & Convention,
Trendwolves
Design & Illustration
We Make Graphics
Photography
Ellen Goegebuer
Trendwolves
Antwerp Tourism & Convention
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Inspiring AntwerpHotspots: Wijnbostro Patine
leopold De Waelplaats 1, 2000 Antwerp Café Zurich
Verlatstraat 2, 2000 Antwerp Brasserie Nero
leopold De Waelplaats 34, 2000 Antwerp Park Spoor Noord
Grote Markt
and challenging, a combination of aspects
that you can find in my work as well. Our
urban opera performance ‘Is It Love?’
(2010) is a good example. That year I
took the metro next to the impressive
opera house almost every day. I saw it as
a challenge to break down those ‘elitist’
walls and to ensure that our production
could be performed there. Mission
accomplished!”
“The next project that ‘Let’s Go Urban’
has lined up is the ‘Urban culture and
sports hall’ that will open on the 1st of
July. In this indoor city, young people will
be able to engage in urban sports seven
days a week (see page 30). It will be THE
urban spot of the summer”, says Sihame
enthusiastically. “But that is not all: In
August, we perform the show ‘Cinderella,
an urban fairy tale’, 10 times, and on
September 1st, we launch the urban
music project.” It will definitely be a busy
summer for Sihame!
Let’s Go UrbanNobody knows the urban dance scene
in Antwerp better than Sihame El
Kaouakibi (25). In 2009, she founded the
‘Let’s Go Urban’ dance school. Sihame
explains: “this school quickly evolved
into something more”. “Today we have
become an urban culture organisation,
responsive to the needs of many young
people in Antwerp. In the past 1½ years,
I have focused on the development of
several new urban trends such as urban
sports (free running, freestyle basketball,
freestyle football, ...), and urban music
(producing, slam poetry, MC’ing). Young
people are the key aspect of ‘Let’s Go
Urban’: “dance, music and sport are
an expression of their world, here in
Antwerp.”
Sihame explains that she finds the
city inspiring. “For me, space is very
important. Antwerp is dynamic, diverse
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Leon, at Krugerplein in Borgerhout. Each
1st Friday of the month, an illustrator and
a band team up here. The illustrator gets
his or her inspiration for the evening from
the music played live by the band, thus
creating a new work. ‘B A S T A A R D’ is
free and takes place every month until the
end of 2012.
‘IwonderU’ also handles the bookings of
three young Antwerp bands Dóttir Slonza,
Crippled Nerdface and Soldier’s Heart,
and they also provide production support
for a number of events in Antwerp such as
BorgerRio in Borgerhout.
Hotspots: Bar Leon
Reuzenstraat 23, 2140 Borgerhout Cafés at Mechelseplein Zeezicht
Dageraadplaats, 2018 Antwerp Caffènation
mechelsesteenweg 16, 2000 Antwerp Barnini
oude Vaartplaats 10, 2000 Antwerp
IwonderUIn 2012 Marjolijn van Boxel and Margot
Herman founded ‘IwonderU’. Marjolijn
and Margot both studied culture
management at the University of Antwerp
and then decided to continue working in
that sector, no matter how difficult that
may be. They both combine their work for
‘IwonderU’ with another job.
“Two things are important for us”, says
Marjolijn. “First of all, we offer young
bands or musicians opportunities to play
in front of an audience, and secondly we
organise affordable gigs. We therefore
try to stage as many free activities as we
can.”
That’s what happened in December 2011
when they started ‘Donderbar’. Under
this name, every Thursday the two ladies
arrange performances of young, Antwerp
based bands. To complete the evening
they invite two DJs.
In spring of this year, ‘IwonderU’ launched
‘B A S T A A R D’, a new concept in Bar
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preneurs is tough. But Antwerp is THE city to
launch a cool, young and creative agency.”
Sebastiaan tells us that an office at Eilandje
was a very deliberate choice as a location.
“Park Spoor Noord and the proximity of the
water really provide a good vibe.” If we ask
him about his favourite spots in Antwerp, he
comes up with a lot of addresses. Sebastian
notices our surprise when he mentions Turn-
houtsebaan in Borgerhout. “Yes, I know. It
has a pretty bad reputation. But we think
it is the ‘most awesome’ street in Antwerp.
While in some ‘posh’ Antwerp neighbour-
hoods, nothing happens in the evenings,
the whole world is out on the street at the
Turnhoutsebaan. There is always something
going on. that’s what we love.”
Hotspots: Homey
Sint-Paulusplaats 24, 2000 Antwerpen La Terra Sarda
lange Koepoortstraat 32, 2000 Antwerpen Bartilia
falconplein 43, 2000 Antwerpen Trix
Noordersingel 28-30, 2140 Borgerhout Roma
Turhoutsebaan 286, 2140 Borgerhout
VRbeeldSebastiaan, Tom & Nick jointly form VR-
beeld, a design lasercut agency.
VRbeeld not only devises complete
product concepts, they also handle the
actual design and most of the production.
The three partners have a background in
design, architecture, photography and inte-
rior design which gives them a broad-based,
creative approach to product development.
We meet Sebastiaan at the VRbeeld building
at Eilandje. He shows us the office on the
ground floor and takes us down the stairs to
the studio on -1. We notice the furniture in
the office are their own designs. “We think
it’s important that we show our custom-
ers what we are capable of. It is very useful
when you come up with an idea to test it out
downstairs”, says Sebastiaan. “We combine
the finesse of the laser cutter with the rather
sterile, rough edge of our own style. That
combination seems to work. The advantage
of designing and making everything yourself
is that you can continue working on a proto-
type to see that it is just right.”
“We must admit that life for young entre-7
combination”, says Tina.
‘De Poedelfabriek’ works for a lot of
Antwerp businesses and companies. “I
came to live in Antwerp when I was 17.
I have built a social network here, so it
is perfectly logical for us to do a lot of
projects in Antwerp.”
The name ‘De Poedelfabriek’ (The Poodle
Factory) comes from Tina’s collection
of odds and ends related to poodles,
scattered throughout her house.
Hotspots: Middelheimpark & MiKa
Galleries Nocturnes at Zuid
Caffènation mechelsesteenweg 16, 2000 Antwerp(because Tina used to live above this
coffee bar)
Chez Fred Kloosterstraat 83, 2000 Antwerp(because Fre lives above it)Den Armen Duvel
Schuttershofstraat 46, 2000 Antwerpfor beef stew with fries
De Poedelfabriek‘De Poedelfabriek’ is the name of graphic
design agency of Tina Smedts and Fre
Devriendt. Six years ago, Tina started ‘De
Poedelfabriek’ after a number of jobs at
big advertising agencies. Fre, who went to
school with Tina, started working with her
three years ago. Since last year, they have
formed a small creative agency.
Currently Tina and Fre work virtually. In
their living rooms, they run Skype on their
computers and share their screens. Twice
a week they come together to discuss
their work. In autumn the duo hopes to
rent a small office to facilitate the daily
running of the business.
The designers of ‘De Poedelfabriek’
prefer working for the cultural and
social sector and specialize in printing.
Tina and Fre already worked for a large
number of Belgian magazines. “We
are very complementary. Fre is very
strong in terms of images and I more
into typography. That is a very good
grafische vormgeving
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2. Lombardia:
lombardenvest 78, 2000 Antwerp Open Mon.-Sat.: 08.00-18.00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
‘Lombardia’ is an established concept in
Antwerp. Not only locals, but also many
international stars like Moby, Sting,
Eliza Doolittle and Sigur Ros have been
served by chef Alain Indria already. With
a healthy mix of fair-trade, gluten-free
and fresh products, he has been running
this business since 1972. In this mega-
kitschy decor with grunting pigs and
walls crammed with writing, where you
can spend hours looking around and still
not have seen everything, he tries to
come up with fast, healthy snacks for his
customers. The burgers on the menu at
Lombardia are not classic burgers, but
are all alternative versions with chicken,
tuna or vegetarian substitutes. Carnivores
should not be put off by this, because
these burgers are definitely worth trying!
1. Burgerij:
Tramplein 2, 2600 Antwerp Open Mon.-Fri.: 12.00-14.30, 18.00-22.00, Sat.-Sun.: 17.00-22.00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Anyone who refers to ‘Burgerij’ as just the
next hamburger joint ought to be ashamed of
themselves. ‘Burgerij’ has a careful selection
and cooking process, which is what puts it
way ahead of the fast food chains. Björn, who
co-owns the business with Robin, shows us
their innovative cooking process: “we grill
every burger on both sides at the same time,
which means the burger is faster baked, and
it keeps more of its flavour. At ‘Burgerij’,
we find the mix of new technology and old
fashioned quality is the perfect recipe to get
the most out of every hamburger”. The fact
that, besides the business at Tramplein in
Antwerp and the one in Schoten, another
one recently opened near the MAS Museum
tells you a lot. You should definitely try the
“Smoky Bacon’ too; the combination of a
quality beef burger with rashers of bacon,
cheddar and BBQ sauce, is very popular here
in Antwerp.
Burger King Antwerp is a city with a growing hamburger culture. And no, we are definitely not talking about the big hamburger chains. The real burger kings, with some of the best Belgian burgers, are to be found right here in Antwerp. We are serving up some of our top spots for you, because everyone likes to eat hamburgers. And if you are going to do it, then you might as well do it good!
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5. Wattman:
Tramplein 3, 2600 Antwerp Kitchen open Mon.-Fri.: 10.00-15.00, 18.00-22.00, Sat.-Sun.: 10.00-22.00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Opposite ‘Burgerij’ is ‘Wattman’,
named after the drivers of the early
electric trams, and very appropriate for
a business located at Tramplein. This
eatery, which has the same owners as
‘Burgerij’, is actually the predecessor
of the hamburger restaurant across the
street. ‘Wattman’ only serves one kind of
burger: the Wattburger. This burger was
and still is a huge success in Antwerp,
and that is exactely why Björn and Robin
opened a business specialising entirely
in hamburgers. Yet the Wattburger has
never been outnumbered, and anyone
who wants to taste this almost legendary
burger now knows where to get it!
Wattman also has a large and charming
terrace which is an ideal place to be on a
sunny day.
3. Hamburg:
leopold De Waelplaats 2, 2000 Antwerp Open Mon.-Sun.: 11.00-00.00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“The way a burger should taste” is the
motto of this restaurant located at Zuid
area. The menu is almost completely
filled with hamburgers. The classic burger
of fresh and crispy fried minced beef is
a real winner, but the alternative with
tuna steak is delicious too. Moreover,
the hamburger buns are supplied by
Dellafaille, a bakery in Antwerp with a
cast-iron reputation. You should try to
get one of the desirable seats on the
terrace overlooking the KMSKA Fine Arts
Museum. Perfect for rounding off a visit
to one of the many museums in this
neighbourhood!
4. Lunchbox:
Nieuwstad 8-10, 2000 Antwerp Open Mon.: 10.00-21.00, Wed.-Sat.: 10.00-22.00, Sun.: 10.00-21.00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
‘Lunchbox’ is a healthy food cafe, and that
is the image it shows too. You can hardly
miss the fresh green facade as you walk on
Theaterplein. Inside you are surrounded
by trays of fresh fruit as well as red-
checkered tablecloths and other colourful
accessories. Both inside and outside on
the terrace, where you have a nice view
on the skaters on Theaterplein, there is
usually a pleasant bustle. The burgers on
the menu are as vivid as the people and
the interior decor: a Mega Lamb Burger,
Chicken Steak with pineapple, or the
surprising veggieburger with jalapeño,
just to mention the best! Owner Jan also
tells us that during the summer months
a special Antwerp burger will be on the
menu: ‘Lange Wapper ‘, named after the
world-famous Antwerp legend.
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1. Bar Leon One of the hippest bars in the upcoming
neighbourhood Borgerhout.
Reuzenstraat 23, 2140 Borgerhout
2. Berlin Whether you’re alone, with friends or on a
date, this café is the perfect place to hang
around for hours!
Kleine markt 1, 2000 Antwerp
3. Yellow Submarine This coffee bar also houses an advertising
agency, so don’t be surprised if you walk
in and find yourself surrounded by desks!
falconplein 51, 2000 Antwerp
4. Storm You want to find out more about the art
you’ve seen in the MAS? Have a drink at
museum café Storm and surf the net!
hanzestedenplaats 5, 2000 Antwerp
More free wifi: 8. Café den Draak Draakplaats 1, 2018 Antwerp 9. Permeke De coninckplein 26, 2060 Antwerp 10. Revista Karel Rogierstraat 47, 2000 Antwerp 11. Caffènation mechelsesteenweg 16, 2000 Antwerp 12. De Muze melkmarkt 15, 2000 Antwerp 13. De Vagant Reyndersstraat 25, 2000 Antwerp 14. De Kleine Hedonist Sint-Jacobsmarkt 34, 2000 Antwerp 15. Normo Coffee minderbroedersrui 30, 2000 Antwerp 16. Vitrin marnixplaats 12, 2000 Antwerp 17. Lombardia lombardenvest 78, 2000 Antwerp 18. Zeppelin Damplein 13, 2060 Antwerp
5. Coffee & Vinyl This concept store combines a coffee bar
with a record store and an art gallery.
Volkstraat 45, 2000 Antwerp
6. Caravan Eating house nearby Park Spoor Noord,
where you can eat great homemade food
or order a picnic basket to enjoy in the
park (see page 21). Try the ‘koppijnont-
bijt’ (headache breakfast), a breakfast
that comes with a beer or water with an
aspirin.
Damplein 17, 2060 Antwerp
7. Kolonel Koffie A brand new coffee bar owned by a very
charming barista, named Kobe, who is
absolutely fascinated by latte art. If you
want to suck up to him, try compliment-
ing him on the furniture, he made a great
deal of it himself!
Grote Pieter Potstraat 38, 2000 Antwerp
Free wifi
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Contemporary ArtNot only is Antwerp the city where contemporary art is being created , the city also hosts a lot of contemporary collections. Upcoming summer this art scene will be bubbling with life in Antwerp. The city invites big interna-tional names and young talent, both in museums and in a large number of surprising places. Artists like Jan Fabre, photographer Santu Mofokeng, Ai Weiwei and the always interesting exhibitions in the M HKA and FotoMuseum are just a few reasons to seek out the cream of the crop of contemporary art in Antwerp. At the counter of the Antwerp tourism office and at cultural venues in the city, you’ll find a handy leaflet about a summer packed with contemporary art in Antwerp. Besides some important exhibitions, we will tell you how to find some hidden contemporary art in the city. You can find more info on www.visitantwerpen.be
MiddelheimAt the end of May, the renovated Antwerp
Middelheim Museum held its official
opening. The Middelheim, which exhibits
over 400 works of art, is the largest
outdoor museum in Antwerp. You can
spend hours in the large park and enjoy the
sculptural art around the place.
Until the 23rd of September, for the
first time in Antwerp, in the park shed
of Park Spoor Noord, you can see the
world famous Pietas by Jan Fabre. These 5
marble sculptures, which recently aroused
controversy at the Venice Biennale, are not
classic pietas, but unique interpretations
by this Antwerp artist. Definitely worth
seeing.
You can admire a selection of more than
200 photos reflecting 30 years’ work by
Santu Mofokeng, until the 29th of July at
the Extra City art hall. Besides the photos
by Mofokeng, one of the most influential
South African photographers, you are able
to see letters and background material,
giving you greater insight into the work of
this photographer.
Middelheim Museum middelheimlaan 61, 2020 AntwerpOpen Jun/Jul: 10:00-21:00, Aug.:10:00-20:00, Sept.: 10:00-19:00
Jan Fabre’s Pietas Damplein 31-37, 2060 AntwerpOpen Tue-Sun: 10:00-18:00
Extra City Tulpstraat 79, 2060 AntwerpWed-Sun: 14:00-19:00. Thurs: 14:00-20:00
Hidden contemporary artAntwerp attracts contemporary art,
which you can tell from the many
places where art is strikingly or subtly
present. Not only in major museums
and galleries, but also in small galleries,
cafes, shops and in Antwerp’s streets,
contemporary art sets the mood.
Bar Nadar is a shining example of a
place where contemporary art takes
pride of place, but is not a museum or
gallery. This bar has an exhibition area,
mainly hosting photographic exhibitions,
but other art is also presented. The
works are often on sale at affordable
prices. Concepts where art and café
merge can be found in many other
places in Antwerp, such as Bar Leon in
Borgerhout.
At Bar leon, every first Friday of the
month IwonderU (see page 6) organises
‘B A S T A A R D’ where an illustrator is
inspired to draw a story by a musician
playing live. Nobody knows in advance
where this improvisation will lead to. All
you know beforehand is that you will be
surprised.
Sketch ThursdayIn Bar Samedi, a mysterious restaurant
in the Vrièrestraat where Voodoo
meets Frankenstein, on every last
Thursday of the month during the
‘Sketch’ event, illustrators and
cartoonists take up the challenge of
sketching live to the sounds and beats
of local DJs. The creations of these live
performances are subsequently sold to
the attendees. The perfect opportunity
to snap up some cool work by local
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talent created in a special setting at
affordable prices.
Judelovesyou, a small concept store,
offers both local and foreign artists an
original location to temporarily exhibit
work. If you wander around the shop
filled with home-made jewellery and
Japanese curiosities, you will find the
charming exhibition space out back. The
Roy Lichtenstein-inspired pop art by artist
DRTY HANZ (UK) decorates the walls of
this area with black polka dotted murals
during summer.
Among the small galleries, Bries Space
is certainly one that is worth visiting. In
this independent ‘creative living room’,
artists exhibit their latest creations. There
is a new exhibition each month, that
you can visit at will during the opening
weekend, thereafter by arrangement.
With a well-filled summer program with
exhibitions by Porto-based Rui Vitorino dos
Santos (6/07-19/08), the Antwerp graphic
collective Studio Fluit (24/08-7/10) and
Berlin illustrator Atak (12/10 - 11/11),
Bries Space will definitely be playing the
contemporary art card.
At Zuid neighbourhood, in the
Verlatstraat, you find the Tim Van laere Gallery, a popular gallery with quirky
collections. Self-made man Tim Van Laere
opened this gallery 15 years ago at the
age of 27. Due to his strong choices and
open minded attitude, this gallery got an
international reputation.
Base Alpha Gallery, one of Antwerp’s
newest galleries, is run by Bart
Vanderbiesen. Artists who exhibit
here portray the world as they see it.
Bart did not choose the preppy Zuid,
but decided to open his gallery in
Borgerhout, deliberately opting for
the less commercial art circuit.
Bars, shops and little galleries,
contemporary art is omnipresent in
Antwerp. Don’t let our list of favourites
stop you exploring our city of art on
yourself!
Bar Nadar Ernest Van Dijckkaai 19-20, 2000 Antwerp Bar Leon Reuzenstraat 23, 2000 Antwerp Bar SamediVrièrestraat 57-59, 2000 AntwerpJudeLovesYou Steenhouwersvest 13, 2000 Antwerp The Bries Space lange Scholiersstraat 10, 2000 Antwerp Tim Van Laere Gallery Verlatstraat 23-25, 2000 Antwerp Base Alpha Gallery Kattenberg 12, 2140 Borgerhout
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Antwerp by bikeWhat better way to discover the creative vibe of Antwerp than by bicycle? Take your backpack, jump on your Velo or rented bike, and enjoy this urban cycling adventure. Along the way we pass several shops where you can buy a tasty picnic.
How do I rent a city bike?• Register on www.velo-antwerpen.be for a day
or a week pass with your credit card. Keep your
password and username with you, you’ll need
them to hire a bike from the Velo docking stations.
• You can also register offline at the Velo
customer service in the Central Station (next to
the Spar supermarket).
How much does it cost? Day pass: €3 Week pass: €7 With this card you can take a Velo and use it for
half an hour. If you use the Velo longer than 30
minutes, you will gradually pay extra, so switch
bikes on time. And know that you have to wait 5
minutes before you can take a new bike.
Useful apps to tell you where to find Velo docking
stations and available bicycles: VilloHelper
(Android), Mijn Velo (Android) & VeloPhone
(iPhone).
caution:• You need a credit card to buy a Velo Pass!
• On registration, a deposit of €150 is pre-
authorised on your account. If you return your bike
to a Velo station, this amount is released.
• Be aware that you can’t leave your Velo on the
street to go shopping!
• Watch out if you put your backpack on the luggage
rack. Take them off the bike before putting them
back in the station, or your backpack will be stuck.
• Pay attention to traffic signs. In one-way streets
you have to step of your bike.
Normal bike rentalYou can also rent a bike from ‘Freewieler’ at
Steenplein (near the public toilets), for a daily
rate of €15 (€12 for students).
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fietstocht
Off we go:While Brabo is waving at us from Grote markt 1 , we start our urban cycle tour. Just around the corner we find a Velo docking station where we pick up one of the city’s rental bikes.
Along Kaasrui and Lange Koepoortstraat, we ride to ImS 2 , the International Magazine Store on Melkmarkt. Here you can find reading material for a relax-ing break later on. Via Groenplaats, we turn right into Reyndersstraat where the window display of momade cupcakes 3 grabs our attention. There is no way to resist Mohammed’s colourful freshly baked cupcakes. The perfect dessert for this afternoon!
Back on our bikes, right opposite Momade Cupcakes we ride into Leeuwenstraat and in next to no time we are at Vrijdagmarkt
4 . Every Friday morning, old furniture and household effects are auctioned here. (see page 22-23)
Nostalgia and hip are just a stone’s throw from each other here. Head down Kam-menstraat 5 and from there to
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Along the way you undoubtedly see young families with their carrier bicycles, the symbol of Zurenborg’s district, where the ‘champagne socialists’, the young, well-heeled left-wing families live. Come back here at night, to see the square under the artificial starry sky and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.
We continue our journey via Draakstraat to Tramplein 14 . On the corner of Cogels Osylei, you will immediately see two of our hamburger favourites, burger restau-rant Burgerij 15 & Wattman 16 . Meanwhile it is time to switch bikes!
If you can resist the temptation of a tasty burger, then continue cycling up cogels osylei 17 . Be careful! Cobblestones and tramlines make this a dangerous part of the cycle route. We push the bikes here, which actually gives us more time to enjoy this turn-of-the century architecture.
Zuid:From Cogels Osylei, we ride along the Guldenvliesstraat to Boomgaardstraat. This long winding road leads us directly to Koning Albert park 18 , where there is
mechelseplein 6 with its many fine pavement cafes. Here we park our Velo in the rack, and continue our journey by foot.
Passing the large brown door of Elzenveld 7 , a former hospital, we exchange the
bustle of Mechelseplein for tranquillity. A little further on the left, we find Antwerp’s Botanical garden 8 , once the herb garden of the adjacent Elizabeth Hospital (open Mon-Sat: 08.00-18.00). It was unreasonable to expect to carry around a delicious cup cake without eating it. Alas, no more dessert for this afternoon.
We walk from Leopoldstraat to Arenberg-straat and arrive at Theaterplein 9 where you will see the city’s large theatres. The half-covered square is the hangout for skaters and boarders. Definitely worth spending a bit of time. On Saturday, an exotic market takes place here, where you can stock up for your picnic. We walk past lunchbox 10 , a healthy food cafe, to the Velo docking station, to continue our bike tour.
Zurenborg:A big road through Antwerp, Frankrijklei, separates Theaterplein from Antwerp’s municipal park 11 . It is well worth taking a look. As soon as the sun pops out, athletes and sunbathers take over the park from the walkers.
We ride through the park, and cross Quinten Matsijslei to the Lange Kiev-itstraat, which brings us to Antwerp’s Jewish quarter 12 . We get off at the ‘Heimische bakkerij’, a Jewish bakery where they gladly let us taste their wares. Delicious and perfect for our picnic!
From here, in Lange Kievitstraat, you can take a stroll through Park Spoor Noord and Borgerhout. You will find the directions on page 21.
If you prefer the short route, ride down Lange Kievitstraat under the railway line and turn right into Van Immerseelstraat. Turn left at Somerstraat and continue along Bleekhofstraat. Turn right into Montensstraat, and via Nottebohmstraat, we get at Dageraadplaats 13 .
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always something going on. At the end of Boomgaardstraat at Mechelsesteenweg, you cycle past the De Koninck brewery 19 where they brew the ‘Bolleke’, THE Ant-werp beer par excellence. Beer lovers take a moment to get off their bike here. From here we cycle to Zuid, the most trendy and artistic neighbourhood of Antwerp. Please refer to the detailed map.
If you ride down Bouwmeesterstraat, you’ll see the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. The KmSKA 20 is the landmark of this neighbourhood. In addition to numerous galleries, you’ll find plenty of trendy bars and restaurants in this area. The steps of this museum are known as THE hangout for young, hip people. Return your bike to the Velo docking station next to the museum, take a seat on the steps and enjoy the Antwerp city life happening in front of you.
Continuing our tour we go to Gedempte Zuiderdokken, a large open square which is basically a car park. Since we are starving again, we take a little break at fruxino 21 , a trendy fruit and vegetable shop where you can buy smoothies and
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sandwiches. We compose our own salad: a little extra for the picnic that we bought earlier this day.
After crossing the vast square, we pass m hKA 22 , the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, feeling a cool breeze of the River Scheldt. We turn right and ride along the Scheldt to Sint-Jansvliet 23 , where you can shoot a basketball with some of the locals.
If you are still going strong, you can insert a 7.5 km loop at this point, to take in the port area, which is a great place for a picnic. The directions can be found on page 21.
Before continuing our journey, we briefly visit De Krak 24 in Hoogstraat where you can find the weirdest things to buy for next to nothing. For three euro, you can buy a bedsheet, a frisbee and a football to make your picnic complete.
Then we ride back to Sint-Jansvliet, to put our bikes back in the Velo docking station, and walk through the Voetgangerstunnel (Pedestrian Tunnel) 25 under the river to linkeroever 26 . This walk under the
River Scheldt is a great experience, not to mention the amazing view on the city from the other side of the Scheldt. If you didn’t take a lunchbreak during one of the tour loops, this should definitely be your picnic spot!
Loop 1 Park Spoor Noord:We promise, you will certainly not regret making this loop! In Lange Kievitstraat, we immediately turn to the left in Lange Herentalsestraat. We cross Frankrijklei and ride towards ossenmarkt 27 , the beating heart of the student neighbourhood in Antwerp. On this square you find students everywhere: on benches, at pavement cafes, in pubs and sitting on the ground!
We pass through Sint- Jansplein, another basketball court. At least, when there is no event or market going on (market every Wednesday and Friday). Park Spoor Noord 28 is our next stop. In this large park, people play sports, sunbathe, eat, drink, socialize, ... In short, a real hotspot in Antwerp.
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It is certainly worth cycling to Damplein. We play our last basketball game of the tour and enjoy a homemade ice stick at Zeppelin 29 or meatballs with cherries, a typical Belgian dish at caravan 30 . If you feel like coming back to hang out in the park tomorrow, you can reserve a picnic basket at Caravan.
Via Halenstraat and Pothoekstraat, we get into the melting pot of Antwerp: Borgerhout. If you like an eclectic mix of cultures, smells and colours, then this is definitely the place to be for you!
We soon arrive at Krugerplein 31 , which was recently renovated and now attracts young families. Here we find Bar leon 32
, a very cosy bar that serves delicious coffee and selfmade lemonades. They also organize loads of activities and are always up to date with the nightlife agenda. Of course you should also check the agenda on the This Is Antwerp app.
Via Cronjéstraat we ride through Kattenberg, where ABhostel 33 and the Plaza Real 34 bar liven the place up, and eventually arrive at Laar. If you’re lucky,
the terrace of the brand new hotspot Staminee ‘t laar 35 in the shadow of the imposing church building will be open.
Lammekensstraat and Kerkstraat lead us across Borgerhout. Before we return to Lange Kievitstraat, we ride through Giraffenplein 36 . You are bound to understand why it’s called like this once you see the long necks of the giraffes towering above the wall of Antwerp Zoo. Further down Ploegstraat, you may hear more animal noises coming from behind the wall!
Loop 2 Port area:This additional route takes you to the north of Antwerp. You will be amazed by the beautiful nature of this site of the city! Before you begin this loop, it’s advisable to change bikes again at the pedestrian tunnel. It will take you a while to walk through.
Along the Scheldt, on the quayside, we ride past the Vlot 37 ; it’s literally a wooden raft floating on the water, where young people enjoy the Scheldt breeze on warm days. On the left, we have het
Steen 38 , the medieval fortress on the banks of the Scheldt.
After 5 minutes of cycling, we see the imposing mAS 39 (Museum on the Scheldt) on the right. We put our Velo back in the Velo docking station outside the MAS, and are free to enjoy the mag-nificent panorama from the roof of the museum.
Heading back towards the Scheldt, we continue our route further north. From the slightly busier Rijnkaai, we ride to the lock Kattendijksluis 40 . Via Sloepenstraat, we arrive at the charming Royerssluis 41
With a little luck you may see a seagoing vessel entering the lock. Already the pace is clearly slower than in the city centre!
Once you have crossed the lock, you turn left into Noordkasteel 42 and you can enjoy unspoilt nature and spectacular views of the city and its river. This really is the perfect place for your picnic. Careful: don’t ride too far. Make sure you turn back before the T-fork. Turn back to the Royerssluis and follow the same route
back to Sint-Jansvliet.
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Boekenplein/Book Square
De Coninckplein 15/07, 19/08, 16/09 & 21/10 - 10.00 to 16.00This market is completely dedicated to
literature. Books and comic strips are sold
here at bargain prices! There are also
booths selling food and drinks and the
atmosphere is very pleasant. Have you
found the perfect book? Dive immediately
into it at the reading café Kubus, which
exceptionally stays open until 17.00.
Occasional markets
Lambermontmartre/Musée:
Leopold De Waelplaats 29/07, 26/08 & 30/09 - 12.00 to 17.00Lambermontmartre/Musée really looks
like a little bit of Paris at the foot of the
KMSKA, Antwerp’s Fine Arts Museum.
Painters, photographers, graphic artists
and many other artists sell their work
here. The atmosphere is great: there is a
bar, live music, many terraces where you
can watch people and art, in short: worth
visiting on a delightful summer day!
Market of Tomorrow:
Kloosterstraat 08/07, 12/08 & 09/09 - 12.00 to 18.00 Several times a year, the square in
Kloosterstraat is the backdrop for a market
brimming with fun and original gadgets.
Here you will find jewellery, clothing,
interior and graphic design created by
designers who are just starting up a small
business. You can also enjoy live music or
a drink in the Bar Of Tomorrow.
Flea market at Dageraadplaats:
Dageraadplaats 15/07 & 02/09 - 09.00 to 18.00Dageraadplaats is one of the nicest
squares in Antwerp, and when the annual
flea markets take place there, it’s totally
awesome! The terraces around the square
are completely filled with people and the
square itself is occupied by stalls selling
clothing, furniture, decoration, etc..
De BePARKte Oplage:
Park Spoor Noord (in the shelter) 26/08, 23/09 & 16/12 - 12.00 to 18.00This market is also a refuge for creative
types! Here you will only find limited
editions. Everything you find here is home-
made. If you are looking for an original
accessory, garment or decorative work of
art, then you’ve come to the right place!
On the market
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Bioplein
Falconplein Every Sunday - 08.00 to 16.00Need some vitamins? Here you find fresh,
organic and biological products.
Permanent markets
Exotic market
Oude Vaartplaats (and around) Every Saturday - 08.00 to 16.00This market is a real feast! Here you can
buy food and specialities from all overthe
world. Also local products are being sold
here.
Bird Market
Oude Vaartplaats (and around) Every Sunday - 08.00 to 14.00 (13.00 during winter)This is the most popular market in
Antwerp. It’s a mixed market where you
can find all sorts of things: food, flowers,
hamsters and rabbits, fabrics, …
Friday Market
Every Friday - 09.00 to 13.00If you want to experience a spectacular
Antwerp Market, you should definitely
visit the Friday Market. Here, old furniture
and new bankrupt stock is auctioned off.
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Instantwerpenwww.instantwerpen.be
A diverse online collection of instagram photos - made in Antwerp - both for born- and - bred Antwerp citi-zens, incomers and visitors landscapes, still- lifes and portraits
- touching, funny, poetic, romantic, artistic, idyllic, aesthetic, serious or they may be a bit idiosyncratic
- hash tag #instantwerpen- This is Instantwerpen.be
Creator and driving force behind
instantwerpen.be is 26 year- old Jimmy
Cappaert, who resides, works and lives life
to the fullest in Antwerp. The city is his
home, his pride and his passion and THE
reason for starting up instantwerpen.be a
while ago. New pictures of the city appear
on the site daily. Initially, they only came
from Jimmy and some of his friends but
now they are also uploaded by anyone
who likes the idea of having their pictures
of Antwerp on the site.
“Antwerp is so multi- faceted. Due to its
many diverse neighbourhoods, everyone
finds a place where you feel at home.”
says Jimmy. Moreover, there are so many
great restaurants and bars that even
locals have their hands full discovering
everything. Instantwerpen keeps its finger
on the pulse of the city and often reveals
hidden gems.
Mark your Instagram photos with
#instantwerpen and see them appear on
instantwerpen.be.
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Young and ambitiousWe begin our journey in
Steenhouwersvest. In this small cobbled
street you find an equally small store
The Public Image . The ‘larger than life’
and definitely Antwerp-born lady inside
greets us with a broad smile. Nele Moens,
who owns this trendy shop with her
boyfriend Jeroen, is one of the youngest
female entrepreneurs in this city. Nele’s
eyes shine with pride when we start
talking about her shop, which is her
own story. Antwerp’s talented graphic
designers and illustrators are scrutinised
by Nele, and the designs she chooses are
printed on T-shirts by Jeroen. These are
sold alongside other collections in
The Public Image. At the beginning of this
summer The Public Image is moving. “We
are so excited about our new store. There
really is a wow-factor”, says Nele as she
talks about The Public Image’s big move.
Taken out of the bar“My God, look at those Nikes. And those!
We have to go in”, we hear two girls call
Stores with storiesFashion is still one of Antwerp’s greatest assets. There is definitely no shortage of large chain stores in the famous shopping streets. We went out looking for a few smaller shops that are at least equally worth it. Make sure you visit one of these unique stores.
“With all our new shirts and new collections coming in, there is just not enough space here. Together with the guests of VRbeeld, who will also be exhibiting their work there, we will
be making it into something fantastic”
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out almost ecstatically when we see the
window at Vier . Vier is a concept store
exclusively for men, but the fact that even
women are lured inside by the window
display which is very masculine, fixerati
bike included, proves the appeal of the
collection they have.
The idea for Vier came up over a glass of
beer. Giancarlo and Bob then brought
their concept to the Kammenstraat. The
belief that Antwerp men typically mix all
kinds of styles, resulting in the diverse
range at this small concept store: street,
urban, casual and chic. “Even men who
are imbued with urban culture and totally
into streetwear, still need a well-cut
jacket”. Famous and lesser-known brands
hang alongside vintage items here, and
due the small space, the collections
change completely with the season. Don’t
forget to visit the basement, and ask for
the cool ‘Vier’-branded beanies!
On trend, out of experienceAnother store that is entitled to be
proud of its own branded clothing,
in this case button-down shirts, is
skateshop Lockwood on Ijzerenwaag.
The store takes its name from one
of the world’s most influential skate
spots, Lockwood Schoolyard. Lockwood,
like the owner Sven Aerts, is kind of a
legend in Antwerp. Sven is one of the
oldest skaters in Antwerp. In the mid-
’90s he had the ambition to become a
professional skateboarder and used his
years of experience on the deck to offer
the best products and brands in his shop.
Besides decks with cool prints and a
mass of skate clothing, Lockwood is also
home to a sneakerwall with a number of
exclusive items. Avenue , Lockwood’s
little sister, is an offshoot of the skate.
You could describe the store as the perfect
combination of skate and street but chic.
And you don’t have to walk far either,
Avenue is the quirky girl next door.
Yet more underground sneaker culture
can be found on Kipdorpvest. Here
runs Mohamed Azhir or just plain “Mo”
“My God, look at those Nikes. And those! We have to go in”
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ago the owner had to file for bankruptcy,
but she soon started on a comeback. So
nobody needs telling that this Dutch-born
Antwerp lady is a tough cookie. In her
boutique, she mixes colourful, bold and
daring stuff in all kinds of price categories.
The collections are less street, but more
edgy chic. Monique innovates in her own
way: you can hire her shops for a VIP
evening, where you can enjoy the store,
have style advice and drink cava with a
group of girlfriends.
Perfectly designed storiesAnother shop where young designers tell
their story is 100gr design , on the ground
floor of Design Center De Winkelhaak.
Since 2007 100gr design has lowered the
threshold for both vintage and modern
design that comes straight from the
designers. Here they don’t have permanent
collections! Nice detail: if you are short of
ideas for a gift, you can just e-mail your
budget, and the characteristics of the
fortunate recipient to [email protected],
they will send you a great proposal based
on their range! Just next to this shop is a
co-working space ‘bar d’office’, ideal for
starting work in this creative environment.
his own urban street fashion store:
Lux Streetfashion. Mo’ knows the
underground scene in Antwerp better than
most. As a former professional basketball
player for the Antwerp Giants, he can
also offer the ideal advice to anyone who
wants to buy (basketball) sneakers. He
keeps you informed about all his exclusive
items through his facebook page . His wall
with caps in the store is impressive, an
opinion shared by rapper Fat Joe, who paid
Mo a visit.
The comeback kid Monique Stam is a well known shop
Antwerp’s Kammenstraat. Three years
Across the street, you will find Atelier Solarshop , a creative platform for
designers, artists and other creatives. This
former solar panel shop is now the setting
for a variety of pop-up shops or galleries.
Their blog (www.ateliersolarshop.blogspot.
com) makes sure you keep track of any
pop-up stores that are on the way, and that
have been checked out. There was recently
a shop with vintage baby items and an
8-day-long vintage furniture store.
The Public Image Wijngaardstraat 17, 2000 Antwerpen Vier Kammenstraat 66, 2000 Antwerpen Lockwood Ijzerenwaag 3-5, 2000 Antwerpen Avenue IJzerenwaag 1, 2000 Antwerpen Lux Streetfashion Kipdorpvest 36, 2000 Antwerpen Monique Stam Kammenstraat 54, 2000 Antwerpen 100gr Design lange Winkelhaakstraat 262060 Antwerpen Atelier Solarshop Dambruggestraat 48, 2060 Antwerpen
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Urban sports Urban culture & sports hall
minckelersstraat, 2018 Antwerp The summer of 2012 will be dedicated to
urban sports. ‘De Zomer van Antwerpen/
Summer in Antwerp’ and ‘Let’s go Urban’
by Sihame el Kaouakibi (see page 5) are
teaming up. In a pimped shed behind the
old Antwerp-East railway station, they will
be launching their ‘urban culture & sports
hall’ project on 1 July.
Young urbanites are invited to do
something sporty there 7 days a week.
Whether you want to try freerunning or
freestyle basketball or soccer, ‘urban’
culture and sport blend seamlessly into
each other here.
No worries if you are not very sporty,
spectators are welcome too in the old
station shed!
Urban SportspotsIn the summertime, everyone is just itching to get some exercise. So why not get your trip to Antwerp off to a sporting start? We take you to real urban sport spots where the locals enjoy themselves and keep fit at the same time.
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place to get some exercise and then chill
at one of the terrace cafés.
The most unique and surprising basketball
court is in the Willibrordusplein in the
multicultural Borgerhout district. In the
shadow of the imposing Sint-Willibrordus
Church, we stumble across a fine square,
where the court is a large mosaic.
What else?!Joggers will also feel at home in Antwerp.
The Scheldekaai gives you a very
stimulating place to jog at sunset, to say
the least.
Another prime sporting location is the
Park Spoor Noord where joggers, table
tennis players, volleyball players, skaters,
footballers and Frisbee players can spend
hours.
On the frans halsplein, groups of young
people often play football on the Sint-
Jacobsmarkt. Ask if you can kick around
with them.
Shootin’ a hoopThink ‘street sport’, and basketball
immediately pops up in your mind.
Antwerp also has numerous basketball
courts where locals hang out. Stop at one
of the courts and have a game.
Probably the most famous basketball
court in Antwerp is the one at the
Sint-Jansvliet. This court is surrounded
by cafés and little restaurants and is
located just outside the entrance to the
pedestrian tunnel. This lively square in
the historic heart of the city and near the
River Scheldt, is the ideal base for a brief
sports interlude during your trip.
Just outside Antwerp’s Permeke Library
at De Coninckplein we find another
basketball court. This is a lively, bustling
place, and while you are shooting baskets,
the tram hurries past.
Just a short distance away from Park Spoor
Noord lies the Damplein with a basketball
court in the middle. This square, which
has traffic restrictions for cars, is the ideal
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surrounding, then you may be persuaded to
visit the bathhouse or hammam in the same
complex. Even when the weather is not that
great, this is definitely recommended!
Hippie - Swimming Lake Boekenberg Zwemvijver Boekenberg
Van Baurscheitlaan, 2100 Antwerp (Deurne)Entrance: free This ecological swimming lake just outside
Antwerp in Deurne has been attracting large
numbers of swimmers every summer since
2007. No chlorine or other chemicals here:
over 22,000 plants keep the water clean
in a natural way. A wonderful alternative
for those who want to take a relaxed swim
surrounded by nature. You will find both a
large and a small pool, and of course a large
lawn where you can relax, far away from
the bustle of the city.
Fresh - Swimming pool in the River Scheldt Boat in the Scheldt
2000 Antwerp Entrance: €4 For the first time ever, you will get the
chance in Antwerp to swim in the Scheldt ...
or almost! In August, a floating pool moors
alongside the Island. On the Oostkaai of the
Kattendijkdok, starting in August you can
take a dip in this environmentally-friendly
river pool. It’s worth bearing this in mind,
because innumerable other events will be
taking place here.
Retro - Swimming pool in Veldstraat Sportoase Veldstraat
Veldstraat 83, 2060 Antwerp Entrance: €3 This indoor pool, built in 1933 entirely in
Art Déco style, is a unique architectural
masterpiece. The pool is a listed building,
with beautiful glasswork. If swimming
is not your thing, despite the fantastic
When there is hot sun beating down on Antwerp, and ice creams and ice-cold drinks can’t cool you down, there is still one solution: a nice cool dip. We suggest four great places to swim in and around Antwerp. They certainly will keep you cool.
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Oldskool - Outdoor swimming pool “De Molen” Openluchtzwembad De Molen
Wandeldijk 40, 2050 Antwerp (linkeroever) Entrance: €2 On the Linkeroever, next to the Sint-
Anneke beach, you will find the ‘De Molen’
swimming pool. From May to September
you can enjoy a splash in the 50-meter
pool. The popular atmosphere and a hint
of nostalgia are never far away, not even
on the green sunbathing lawns around the
swimming pool overlooking the Scheldt. On
hot summer days, it can be very busy here.
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Scoutel international atmosphereOnly a few minutes walking distance from
Antwerp central station, you will find
the Scoutel, the official youth stay of the
Scouts and Guides Association of Flanders.
The colorful facade of Scoutel is the work
of the artist Richard Woods and you will
recognize it from a far distance.
Besides the typical dorms, Scoutel offers
backpackers single rooms, each with their
own bathroom and wifi included.
Prices - including sheets and breakfast -
are between 21,50 euro (for a bed in one
of the dorms) and 31,30 euro (for a single
room) per night. This also includes the
one of a kind international atmosphere
with scouts from all over the world.
Stoomstraat 3 -7, 2018 Antwerp +32 (0)3 226 46 06 www.scoutel.be
Pulcinella formerly known as Youth Hostel AntwerpThe famous Belgian architect Vincent van
Duysen built a super-cool youth hostel in
the heart of the Antwerp fashion district.
It combines openness with a sense of
security in a modern design. Pulcinella
has an interior that few design hotels can
match. It is still very new - the hostel only
opened its doors in May 2011. The prices
– including sheets and breakfast – are
between € 19.50 and € 26.50. Surprisingly
low for such a peach of design. The rooms
for two, four or six each have their own
bathroom.
Bogaardeplein 1, 2000 Antwerp +32 (0)3 234 03 14 www.vjh.be
ABHostel backpackers for backpackersTucked away behind the walls of a 120
year-old chocolate factory is Antwerp
Backpackers Hostel, a small-scale initiative
by Bridget. The operator - herself a born
traveller - aims to enable her guests to
sample a homely, hearty atmosphere.
Starting at 19 euro, you have a bed,
and can make use of free Internet, DVDs
and lockers. The hostel has an extensive
lounge and a completely fitted kitchen.
ABHostel is ideal for night-owls, as you
can eat breakfast at any time of day. The
hostel is in Borgerhout, one of the most
colourful districts of Antwerp.
Kattenberg 110, 2140 Antwerp +32 (0) 473 57 01 66www.abhostel.com
Sleep in styleAbout cool boutique hotels, comfy youth hostels and hospitable locals.
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Offline?The app will help you find
free wifi spoTs. you only need an inTerneT
connecTion To download updaTes,
geT direcTions or waTch videos.
all The resT is as offline as can be.
THIS IS ANTWERP: For your SmartphonE Antwerp is all about trends. What’s hot today, may be gone tomorrow. Sure you wouldn’t want to miss the numerous pop-up bars and shops. That’s why we made the THIS IS ANTWERP app for IPHONE and ANDROID, which keeps you updated about what is hot and happening. Totally local and totally free.
hotSpotS Eat, drink, shop, party, relax and act like a local. Wherever you are in Antwerp, we can show you all the HIDDEN SEcRETS in your neighbourhood or broader area, offline. Complete and up-to-date information in the palm of your hand: opening hours, tram stops, telephone numbers, … Download it or you’ll miss the hottest parts of Antwerp!
agEnda What is happening right here, right now? The agenda keeps you informed about what is going on today, tomorrow or next week. From parties to expositions, from live music to events, …
localS Meet the Antwerp locals who are sharing all their secrets with you.
community Read and make suggestions, get a date or say hello to your fellow visitors and the locals. A Foursquare plug-in tells you where to find the trending places.
fReeaPP