Want to visit Antwerp for as little money as possible?
Then follow this Top 15 of free tours, museums and activities to do in Antwerp that we have created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.
Table des matières
See the city from above for free in Antwerp
By to the Het Eilandje district, which used to be the old port district of the Museum aan de Stroom, MAS for short, to make it even more interesting Stroom, MAS for short.
This this imposing building, mainly made of sandstone and glass, is a museum dedicated to the history of Antwerp as an international port of call.
If you buy a ticket, you can access all the activities, but depending on what’s on display, some floors have free access. However, with Antwerp City Card, admission is free.
You you can use the escalators free of charge to reach the terraces terraces surrounded by glass panels.
A as you go up, you will have the feeling that the city is spreading out at your feet your feet, little by little, until you reach the panoramic terrace, the apotheosis at sixty meters high, where you will have an overall view of the city, the Scheldt and the port.
What to do for free in Antwerp? Escape to a romantic place
Antwerp is a city that has always preserved its medieval dimension. During your visit you will visit, you will discover medieval buildings that are real romantic places to romantic places for a romantic rendezvous.
The Conscienceplein, a peaceful square paved with old-fashioned cobblestones, with the city’s heritage library and the gothic church of Saint Carolus Borromeus, create a fascinating, picturesque setting to spend pleasant moments with your partner for free.
If you go there when the sun is on the horizon, there is a good chance that you will meet a you will meet a street musician playing guitar, flute or saxophone, to add a touch of saxophone, adding to the romantic atmosphere that envelops the place the place.
Visit the Antwerp Botanical Garden for free
This is a real green oasis in the center of Antwerp that can be visited for free.
Originally, about 200 years ago, it was a place to grow medicinal plants for the nearby hospital.
The garden opens daily from 8 am to 5:30 pm in winter and closes at 8 pm in summer. If you are lucky and the greenhouse is also open, it’s a complete change of scenery among cacti and other tropical plants.
Dive into the world of comic books
In addition to beer and chocolate, comics have become part of Belgian traditions. On the other hand, when it comes to Art Street, Antwerp has a lot to offer.
Belgium has produced excellent cartoonists like Peyo (Smurfs), Morris (Lucky Luke) and Hergé (Tintin)
Antwerp is the birthplace of cartoonist Willy Vandersteen, the creator of Bob and Bobette, Suske en Wiske, in Dutch.
À therefore, don’t be surprised that the walls of this port city are by a dozen murals of large-scale cartoons.
The most fascinating of all is perhaps that of the talented cartoonist Brecht Evens brecht Evens, a drawing that covers 210 square meters in Oever.
This drawing in homage to the city of Antwerp is aptly named Color Parade and exhibits a pegasus, a minotaur and the Hindu deity Shiva among a wide fantastic assortment of other cultural references.
If want to see the best pieces, then visit Berchem, the street art district street art district.
Spend a lazy afternoon at Park Spoor Noord
From the first rays of sunlight start to appear on the horizon, the huge spoor Noord Park comes to life. Throughout the day, this former sorting station, which has been converted into a park is always full.
You playgrounds for children, skateboard and BMX tracks, water gardens, a terrace water gardens, a terrace..
The People of Antwerp go there to have fun, to relax, to sunbathe or to practice sports. This park is a must for Antwerp, its inhabitants and its guests!
On the northern side of this huge space, you will find a former warehouse, which is now home to markets, short-lived bars and food stalls. Events are frequently held here events are frequently organized here.
In the back, there are even spaces for public barbecues. The rest of the park consists of lawns, perfect for a soccer game or a game of frisbee frisbee. You can also jog or bike.
Take a free walking tour
A walking tour is in our opinion the best way to discover a new city. On your own, you may not get to the bottom of things. It’s even better better if you have someone with you, a professional who can tell you the history of the the history of the area, and all its anecdotes.
À Antwerp, there are different companies that offer free guided walking tours walking tours. We could suggest Viva and Legends of Antwerp. But you have to book in advance on their website.
The walk will take you about two hours. If you really enjoyed your free free tour, feel free to tip your guide!
Imagine yourself in the Middle Ages
Antwerp exists since the 4th century, but it was in the Middle Ages that it really flourished really flourished, when the population grew rapidly and many of the city’s historical buildings were built.
When you enter the Vlaeykensgang, you will feel as if you have been transported to a but still present everywhere.
This medieval alleyway that connects the Pelgrimstraat, Oude Koornmarkt and and Hoogstraat, was once home to Antwerp’s most destitute citizens, but nowadays it houses antique stores, art galleries and a sumptuous restaurant restaurant.
Because next to the Cathedral of Our Lady, the benches of the Vlaeykensgang have become a favorite place to sit and listen to the frequent carillon concerts of the of the cathedral’s carillon.
Discover a new art
Antwerp is a city of art, of artistic creativity, which has even become on a European scale.
This city has a considerable number of important museums. Like FOMU, the museum of the MAS, the Rubenshuis and many others.
Usually, each museum charges an entrance fee, except on the last Wednesday of the month, when except for the last Wednesday of the month, when six of Antwerp’s main museums are free.
Or or, if you have the Antwerp City Card, you can enter some museums for free, or some museums for free, or at least at a reduced price.
Relax on the river
The Scheldt is certainly a godsend for Antwerp, for its inhabitants and visitors. The views from the waterfront are breathtaking in good weather.
The most Antwerp residents prefer to sit on the old docks near the Steen Castle or on the steen Castle or on the artificial beach, Sainte-Anneke. There they strut their stuff in the sun the sun and enjoy the caress of the river breeze.
But, we advise you to go to the other side of the Scheldt, to Noordkasteel. You probably know that it is strictly forbidden to swim in the river because of the because of the dangerous backwash, the fast currents and the bad quality of the quality of the water.
But Noordkasteel offers you a nice alternative. You will find a small lake, quite without dangerous currents. Although officially swimming is not allowed in Noordkasteel in Noordkasteel, nobody will stop you if you do.
Besides when the weather is good, you will see a big crowd wading in the water in the water. So don’t let that surprise you!
Visit an open air museum in Antwerp for free
Antwerp is full of parks but the most fabulous one is undoubtedly the Middelheim Park Middelheim, located in the south of the city.
It with ponds, romantic bridges and lots of benches for you to enjoy your time and plenty of benches for you to catch your breath, recharge your batteries and and admire the greenery.
But that’s not all! The park is also home to a free museum and the largest open-air art collection in the region. And that’s a must!
At stroll through the park along paths surrounded by rhododendrons, you’ll discover more than discover more than a century of sculptural art, which can be seen in the more than two two hundred statues.
All and modern masters seem to be represented there, like Rodin or Henry Moore or Antony Gormley, or Ai Weiwei, and many more.
By the way, in the “Middelheim Haag”, a huge open-air space, you will find the where you will find the largest number of statues concentrated. This works of art, such as the “Monument to Balzac”, created by Balzac” by Rodin and “The King and Queen” by Henry Moore Moore
During summer season, the park comes to life with the Middelheim Jazz Festival and twice a year, it receives temporary exhibitions.
If more information about the sculptures, you can get an audio guide at the entrance you can get an audio guide at the entrance.
You you can also download the free application, and in this way you can select a route and you will be able to select a route and see your favorite artists your favorite artists.
The entrance to the to the Statue Garden is free.
Admire the architecture in the style of yesterday
Antwerp offers a real combination of grand architecture that will not leave you indifferent not leave you indifferent. But it is especially on the Cogels-Osyleique that you will find an excellent mix of architectural styles.
It is a a beautiful residential avenue in the south of the city, which connects the districts zurenborg and Berchem.
In the Century, the rich Belgian families Cogels and Osy built beautiful townhouses built beautiful townhouses in every imaginable style, from Art Nouveau to from Art Nouveau to Neo-Renaissance and from Neoclassical to Neo-Gothic.
If if you want to soak up the vintage and modernist atmosphere, we recommend a if you want to soak up the vintage and modernist atmosphere, we recommend a stroll through this quiet cobblestone street. You will be you will be delighted!
Wake up the fashionista in you
Antwerp is the city of fashion, the Belgian capital of fashion, of the sensational. It is full of contemporary fashion boutiques with fancy exhibitions, like Enes and Five Fridays.
Come to Antwerp without visiting the fashion boutiques might seem a little strange. We know that sometimes the budget is a bit tight, however it’s not about not to buy, but at least to admire the collections, to plunge into this universe universe, to dream. And even with a small budget, you will always find something.
But between us, once you have entered one of the welcoming stalls offering bars and communal lounges, it’s hard to resist, to not feel inspired, even not feel inspired, even exhilarated.
So, at least enjoy a brunch and take your time thinking about your next favorite outfit. Or at least the one you’re dreaming of. You won’t feel the time the time pass.
If you’re here in September, you might have the chance to attend the Antwerp Fashion Festival, which showcases the latest fashion trends through fashion shows and legendary late-night shopping events.
Explore time at Steen Castle
If you go from the Grand Place to the river, you will inevitably come across the steen Castle. It is the oldest building in Antwerp and notwithstanding its notwithstanding its old-fashioned, aged, worn-out look, it still offers a surprising spectacle.
From the entrance, the tone is set with this statue of a giant who, in the past in medieval times the inhabitants of the city.
Admission to the to the castle is free, but even if there is not much in the way of entertainment entertainment, it is a monument worth your attention.
Architecture tour by bike
Thanks to the new 37 km long “Architectuurroute” bicycle route, you will you will discover the most beautiful corners of Antwerp and its surroundings. You will ride through centuries of history through various monuments. And it’s almost free.
This architecture tour starts and ends at the Grote Markt. All along this route, relaxation on a bicycle is guaranteed.
This tour will reveal countless gems, in addition to classic treasures such as the such as the MAS..
You discover the Kerkschip. It was a German supply ship and is now operated as a parish by the operated as a parish by the sailing community.
You discover the heliport on the roof of the house of Panamarenko, one of the one of the Belgian artists who marked the twentieth century.
In the beautiful Belle Époque district of Zurenborg, you will fall in love with and in Deurne, examples of modernism are everywhere.
A the end, you will pass the only house created by Le Corbusier in Belgium.
If you are in a hurry, or if you want a shorter tour, you can take a you can take a 16 kilometer long path. You will discover among others groen Kwartier and the De Koninck brewery.
You you can get your free cycling map of the “Architectuurroute” at one of the at one of the Visit Antwerp counters.
Don’t forget don’t forget to take your camera with you to capture these euphoric moments. You’ll be the envy of many on Instagram. Guaranteed!
House Snijders and Rockox
The Snijders and Rockox House located in the Keizerstraat district of Antwerp, were once the homes of a 17th century magistrate Nicolas Friend of Rubens, and the painter of the same period Frans Snijders Snijders.
Their residences are real temples of art, which breathe the atmosphere of the patrician residences of the 17th century. More than four hundred years later, they still bear witness to a fascinating period in Antwerp’s history.
Information on free things to do in Antwerp
Antwerp had always been an amazing, somewhat eccentric city. It may be that its reputation as a center of fashion and clubbing is quite recent, but if you dig a little but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll learn that its port has always been an avant-garde avant-garde hub.
It may be your first time your first time, but what we guarantee is that you will fall under the seductive you will fall under the seductive spell of this mysterious and magical city, medieval and modernist.
Whatever your desires, preferences, wishes, there will always be something for you: from the legendary Peter Paul Rubens house to the Red Star Line museum where the days of the huge transatlantic liners come to life.
We hope this article has given you plenty of useful tips for visiting Antwerp for free. If you have any other great free things to do in Antwerp, feel free to share them in the comments.
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