Things to Do in Antwerp for Art Enthusiasts

Antwerp does not show off its artistic soul. It does not have to. It buzzes through the ground--it is in its cobblestone streets, secret courtyards, the light striking on centuries-old facades.

Belgian city is not only a place to visit, in case you are an art lover. It is a place to experience.

I came to Antwerp with a dim idea of Rubens and Flemish masters, and with a hope of some galleries, and possibly some beautiful museums. What I had not anticipated was to step right into a living breathing canvas of creativity.

From the moment I booked my trip choosing convenient options like Luton airport cheap parking, it felt like everything was leading up to this quiet artistic revelation.

Enter the Rubens World

Any art enthusiast has to start at the Rubenshuis, the former residence and studio of the most famous Baroque painter in Antwerp, Peter Paul Ruben. Entering through the gates is a time slip.

The house is well maintained and renovated, and as I strolled with wooden ceilings and stained-glass windows, I could see Rubens himself leading pupils through brushstrokes and color schemes.

The actual magic is to be in the same studio where Rubens has produced most of his masterpieces. It is goosebump-worthy to see his paintings in the location, at which they were created.

Cathedral of Our Lady is marvelous

The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Gothic masterpiece that took more than 160 years to construct and is just a few minutes on foot.

It is beautiful enough outside, but what is inside is even more astonishing, several original Rubens paintings, among them the Descent from the Cross.

I remained there, ages, not merely admiring the detail but sucking the atmosphere. The cathedral is more of an experience gallery rather than church.

Visit the Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA)

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) has reopened after a nine-year renovation and boy, was it worth it. This is a seven-century collection and walking through it is like a trip through art history.

Renaissance altarpieces, jaw-dropping James Ensor and contemporary Belgian art, this museum finds the right combination of grandeur and intimacy.

One can breathe here, and really look. I recall sitting on one of the cushioned benches and simply gazing at a small, haunting portrait by Rik Wouters and being inspired and strangely at rest.

Discover the Antwerp Galleries Hidden Gems

To get a feel of modern Antwerp, enter the art galleries located all over Zuid and Het Eilandje.

It is here that artists are tested and some local and international artists are stretched to the limit, you may find a mixed media installation in one room and minimalist sculpture in another.

I liked Galerie Sofie Van de Velde, where the owner talked to me about the young artist whose bright colors she had coated the walls with. It was not a forced sale, but a common passion of art and expression.

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Make a visit to the Museum Plantin-Moretus

This one was a surprise to me. Museum Plantin-Moretus is a UNESCO World Heritage site on the history of print and book making. It may not sound exciting to all people, but I am a person who can find art in typefaces and illustrations; it was a dream.

This is a museum which is located in the former printing press of the Plantin family and it is where the oldest printing presses in the whole world are depicted.

The rooms are filled with the smell of old books and well-polished wood, and the set of old prints and thoroughly engraved pieces made me regard early printmaking as a form of art of its own.