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Antwerp or Brussels feedback/ideas?

Hello all,

I will be joining (hopefully) the RS Belgium/Netherlands tour- April 11 to 21. I plan to arrive in Europe either April 6 or 7 to adjust to the time zone. Originally I'd been thinking of spending those days in NL to see things which are NOT on the RS tour (such as Kroller-Muller and Kindersdijk!). However, after reading the guidebook, it seems like spending a few extra days in Belgium prior to the tour might be worthwhile. I would appreciate your feedback.

Antwerp sounds interesting - for Rubens House, the architecture, and the forward-thinking design shops (I'm more of a looker/appreciator than a shopper). Has anyone stayed at Hotel Julien? It's way pricey, but they have an in-house spa, which might be the ticket to alleviate jet lag. Matelote Hotel sounds pretty good too, although no spa (-; !

Brussels also sounds good - my primary interest there would be seeing the museums. I'd appreciate hearing about anyone's experience(s) with the Magritte Museum? Online reviews about it are very mixed.

Many, many thanks in advance!

Lydia

Posted by
977 posts

The Margritte museum is one of 3 parts of the art museum in Brussels. When I was there you got a choice of paying for just one part, two of the parts, or all 3. I skipped the Margritte museum because the whole museum is extensive and there wasn't time to see it comprehensively. You have to keep your ticket and scan it at turnstys to be allowed to enter and re-enter the parts of the museum you paid for. I wish I had seen the Margrite museum. Brussels has a royal palace and various monuments I didn't see that I wish I had made time for.

In Antwerp, the snyders-rockox house occupied me for about 2 hours. The plantin-Moretus museum occupied me for at least 3 hours. The Peter Paul Rubens house was worth it even though most of his best works are in other museums in various cities. I am not into browsing in stores for entertainment. I am not into shopping unless I actually need something, certainly not while traveling. Antwerp is supposed to be one of 5 centers of western fashion design along with New York, London, Paris, and Milan.

Posted by
6386 posts

While we enjoyed our stay, Antwerp wasn’t our favorite city, but better than Brussels. Here are the places we had on our list for Antwerp. We never made it to Rubens house.

  1. Grote Markt - square
  2. Stadhuis - City hall
  3. Brabo statue
  4. Nello & Patrasche statue
  5. Steen castle - outside
  6. Meir street – shopping
  7. Rubens house
  8. Het Bootje, Building with ship, Plaatsnijdersstraat 1 and corner of Schildersstraat.
  9. Dries Van Noten – pretty building (Het Modepaleis)
  10. 1930s all Wooden escalator at St. Anna’s tunnel
  11. Red Star Line museum
  12. Ruben’s paintings in the Church/cathedral of Our Lady
Posted by
46 posts

Dear Mike,

Thank you for your feedback about Rockoxhuis and the Rubens house. They are definitely on y agenda now. Also, it was interesting to read that Antwerp is a fashion design hotspot. I am an avid sewist, and love getting ideas from high fashion clothing designs.

Would you mind sharing which hotel you stayed at?

Thanks again!
Lydia

Posted by
46 posts

Dear Jaimeelsabio,
Thank you for your reply. I hadn't heard of the wooden escalator, but will definitely look it up. Sounds interesting!
Best,
Lydia

Posted by
7181 posts

The OP's start date has passed.

It is quite easy to take an unreserved, frequent commuter train to the "other" city if you have enough full days in Belgium. I much prefer Antwerp to Brussels, but the unified fine art museums are un-missable. The Magritte Museum is huge and comprehensive, if you are interested in him. Note that the smaller but very important main art museum in Antwerp, KMSKA, finally reopens after five years of renovation around September, 2022.

I don't think the MoDA museum in Antwerp was mentioned, nor the very fine Van Den Bergh mansion-museum, which has a few famous Breughels that never travel, including "Mad Meg." The reason I prefer the Rocox house to the actual Rubenshuis is that the Rocox house actually owns some art. The Rubenshuis has no significant art collection. (KMSKA owns dozens of important Rubens paintings, and shows more at once than the museum in Brussels.) The newer MAS museum in Antwerp contains several nice collections, including the Maritime Museum that used to be in the Steen Castle, now closed to the public. And the MAS has a free roof deck.

Antwerp has many fine Art Deco buildings spread around, and a fascinating (exteriors only) turn-of-the-century Townhouse District, with 100 lovely smaller urban buildings. (Cogels-Osy Lei, right on the tram line, or the Berchem railroad station.)