7+ Top Things to Do in Antwerp in a Day

Last updated on July 20th, 2025

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Visiting beautiful Antwerp on your Eurotrip? This quick guide shares 7+ top things to do in Antwerp in a day, all recommended by a local friend of mine.

After being based on the northwestern side of Germany for a couple of years, I can’t believe it took me this long to visit the neighboring Belgium.

Luckily, it was due to a local friend from Antwerp that I ended up here for my first visit to the country, instead of in the popular Brussels.

Antwerp is a Gothic city of dreams, with cute pebble-stone streets and gorgeous houses that seem to wear little hats. The city is also the perfect size to walk around and leisurely explore in one day.

This concise guide is a compilation of some of my local friends’ favorite spots, so that you, like me, can enjoy a full Belgian day, eating your weight in frites and drinking dangerously alcoholic, but incredibly tasty beers.

And I don’t even like beer.

So without further ado, here are the top things to do in Antwerp in a day, from the unmissable sights to the must-eat waffles, chocolate, and more.

7+ Top Things to Do in Antwerp in a Day

1) Visit the beautiful Antwerp Central Train Station

One of my favorite things about Europe is how well-connected it all is by train—from Amsterdam to Antwerp is just a little over an hour.

Chances are that you’ll arrive in Antwerp by train at the central station, which is why we’ll make this our first stop of the day.

As soon as you make it out of your train and into the main hall of the station, you’ll quickly realize this is not an average, boring train station.

The Antwerp Central Train Station (Antwerpen-Centraal) is a stunning piece of architecture inside and out. It was constructed between 1895 and 1905, and it has since become a significant image of the city.

The variety of architectural influences has made it hard to pinpoint an exact architectural style, but its beauty has earned it a place among the most beautiful train stations in the world.

Which is why stopping by to admire this architectural gem is one of the top things to do in Antwerp for anyone visiting.

2) Stop by Brabo’s Monument

I believe that the best way to explore any European city is on foot and mostly unplanned— at least for a day.

Wandering around the Old Town of this beautiful Gothic city will give you a taste of the unique style of this small country.

While exploring Antwerp’s old town, one of the main squares to visit is the Grote Markt (Great Market Square), where you will find Brabo’s Monument, a fountain with a figure of a mythical Roman soldier who is said to have killed a giant.

Equally as eye-catching as the monument itself is the stunning backdrop of the Flemish Renaissance-style houses, making for a postcard-worthy image.

Seriously, this picture goes wild on Pinterest!

3) Admire the Antwerp City Hall

In the same square, you will find the magnificent Stadhuis, Antwerp’s City Hall.

This Renaissance-style building was constructed between 1561 and 1565. It was influenced by both Italian and Flemish architectural styles, and was recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.

The outside of the City Hall is decorated with the flags of the 28 countries that are part of the European Union, as well as countries that have a Belgian consulate in them.

If you are luckier than I, you might get to see it uncovered, as it was sadly under renovations last time I visited.

4) Try the iconic Belgian waffles at the Smallest Waffle Shop in the World

If we think of Belgium, we have to think of waffles, and even if that’s a stereotype, it’s not a wrong one—Belgian waffles are truly something else!

And that’s why trying them is one of the top things to do in Antwerp—especially if only visiting for a day!

You’ll find many waffle shops as you make your way through the city, but none as small as “The smallest waffle shop in the world“.

This cute little spot was recommended by my local friend, however, they were sadly closed the day that I was there, so we ended up having waffles somewhere else.

The waffles I had were also great, but my friend says “The smallest waffle shop in the world” is very popular with the locals. So worth a try if it’s open.

5) Buy all the Belgian chocolate at Leonidas

Another stereotype that is far from an exaggeration is that Belgian chocolate is truly delicious!

So, let’s begin with solid chocolate.

Leonidas came highly recommended to me by my local friend.

And while there are many Belgian chocolate brands, Leonidas is the brand my friend’s family buys all the time, including special occasions like Easter and Christmas.

So, stopping by their shop in the city center should undoubtedly be at the top of your list, as you know this has a serious local stamp of approval.

We visited and tried a few different kinds of chocolate at the store, and I ended up buying so many chocolate bars as souvenirs for friends and family, and everyone loved them!

My favorite one is the Leonidas dark chocolate bar with raspberries, it’s *chef’s kiss*.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, my friend also recommends Cote d’Or as a supermarket alternative.

6) Sip on a hot chocolate at Quetzal Chocolate Bar

All that chocolate shopping will surely get you thirsty… maybe for a hot chocolate?

When in Belgium, right?

So, after all that chocolate tasting, make your way to Quetzal Chocolate Bar, a cozy little nook that gets straight to the point.

You walk in the door, choose your type of chocolate—white, milk, or dark —choose some extras if you desire, like marshmallows and whipped cream, or even make it spicy or add Baileys.

The options are endless, and they all sound ridiculously good, so good luck choosing.

My favorite part is that every hot chocolate is served with a little piece of the most decadent brownie on the side—simply heaven for chocolate lovers!

So if you’re looking for the top things to do in Antwerp, do not miss this spot!

7) Snack on Belgian Frites

Time to switch it up from sweet to salty and have a more “substantial” meal—if we can call it that.

You might see a theme here, but I do base a lot of my exploration of a place on food, and you cannot leave Belgium without trying some Frites, Belgian fries.

Frites are cut thicker than fries and are served in a paper cone with a sauce of your choosing on top—and the serving is massive, it can easily be a whole meal.

My absolute favorite sauce is Joppiesauce, which is originally from the Netherlands but is also well-loved in Belgium. It tastes a bit like sweet onion mustard.

If you want to stick to the basics, ketchup and mayonnaise are popular options too.

There are so many Frites stands around the city, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one.

8) Belgian beer tasting at Paters Vaetje Beer Bar

After taking your frites for a walk around the Old Town at sunset, it’s time to finish the day with a thick Belgian beer at a cozy tavern in the city center, Paters Vaetje.

Paters Vaetje is a small, interesting-looking bar with an Art Nouveau style and an extensive beer selection that makes the menu a bit intimidating but fun to go through.

If you’re not a big beer drinker like me, the staff is incredibly friendly and very willing to help you choose something that will be right for you!

I really enjoyed trying out the dark fruity beers, my favorite one being this Kasteel Rouge beer.

Final thoughts on the top things to do in Antwerp in a day

Antwerp is a beautiful city that I honestly might not have gotten to visit if I didn’t have a friend there, and now that I have been, I cannot wait to go back!

I really want to go find that tiny waffle shop open…

While you can always spend much more time in any destination, one day in Antwerp gives you enough to cover the basics, like visiting the Grote Markt, and trying the local classics such as frites, the chocolate, and the tasty Belgian beer.

So, I hope this concise guide to the top things to do in Antwerp helps you make the most of your trip to this stunning city.

Which one of these top things are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.