Where grit and style mix

Blue-collar charm, art and fashion embellish the sparkle of the world’s diamond-trading centre, writes David Whitley

Antwerp’s historic centre: pictured is the Grote Markt, with its gory Brabo Fountain in the centre and the Cathedral of Our Lady in the background. Getty Images

Why Antwerp?

The trick with Antwerp is to stop trying to pin it down to a single personality. There’s certainly a sense of cool to it – the Dutch come pouring over the border on weekends to shop and monochrome interiors can become somewhat ubiquitous. But there’s a fair slice of grit in there, too. From any elevated platform, it’s possible to see the cranes at the port. Shipping made Antwerp one of Europe’s great cities – particularly in the 16th century – and it still plays a major part today.

The combination of fashionably aloof and natural, blue-collar gruffness means Antwerp never feels like a warm, homely city – but neither is it one where everything is cloyingly put on for tourists.

Prepare to dig in a bit and wear down some shoes exploring; it’s a place that holds a few surprises. Archways lead to gorgeous courtyards, fab cafes lie just off main squares and the city’s past throws up a stream of stories.

A comfortable bed

Opposite the spectacular Antwerpen Centraal station, the Radisson Blu Astrid (www.radissonblu.com/astridhotel-antwerp, 0032 3203 1234) shares a building with the Aquatopia aquarium, making it a good option for families. It also has a pool – very rare for Antwerp. Doubles from €127 (Dh644).

The Leopold (www.leopoldhotelantwerp.com, 0032 3231 1515) puts a warm, friendly twist on the standard business hotel, and looks out over the duckpond in the Stadspark.

With doubles from €77 (Dh390), it offers the best bang for buck in town.

In the historic centre, The Julien (www.hotel-julien.com, 0032 3229 0600) is a successful marriage of design ethic and calm elegance.

Black and white Serge Gainsbourg photos adorn the walls, the lounge and inner courtyard areas are hugely inviting and the downstairs spa and hammam are a handy bonus. Doubles from €179 (Dh908).

Find your feet

The Museum Plantin-Moretus (www.museumplantinmoretus.be, 0032 3221 1450) makes a logical starting point for a stroll. The first museum to be given a World Heritage listing in its own right, this old house and office belonging to a printing dynasty combines gorgeous old furniture, tapestry walls and portraits by Rubens. But it’s the rooms full of typesetting blocks and the oldest printing presses in existence that really wow.

From there, amble north through the historic centre. It’s all cobbled streets, cafes and cathedral, with Grote Markt being the centrepoint. In the middle of this slightly dog-eared main square is the fabulously gory Brabo Fountain, which is all sea monsters, decapitated heads and a hero figure throwing a severed hand.

The city’s new flagship museum, MAS (www.mas.be, 0032 3338 4400), is by the docks. It’s stunning, with daringly presented collections. Themes include symbols of power and Antwerp’s history as a major port. English language information is perfunctory, though, unless you’re prepared to go around scanning QR codes with your phone.

Meet the locals

The historic centre may be the prettiest part of town, but locals tend to flock to Het Zuid, the area south of the fashion district.

It’s full of buzzing cafes, some of the best in-the-know restaurants and MHKA (www.muhka.be, 0032 3260 9999), a contemporary art museum that pulls in the local crowd with frequently changing installations.

Book a table

Stay in Het Zuid to eat, although you’d be smart to make a reservation at Fiskebar (www.fiskebar.be, 0032 3257 1357) – this old fishmonger’s shop fills up quickly. It’s super-fresh and unashamedly all seafood. A whole sea bass, with rosemary, thyme, olive oil, lemon wedges and rock salt, costs €23 (Dh117).

In the historic centre, arguably the most atmospheric option is De Groote Witte Arend (www.degrootewittearend.be, 0032 3233 5033), where classical music blares in a monastery-like setting. A hearty beef stew under the centuries-old wooden roof costs €17 (Dh86).

Shopper’s paradise

Fashion is what Antwerp does best. Ever since a loose collective of designers known as the Antwerp Six burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, it has been one of the world’s style capitals. The fashion district, to the south of the historic centre, has a phenomenal concentration of boutiques. If picking just one street, Kammenstraat arguably has the most fun and variety. The Antwerp Six figurehead Dries Van Noten has his flagship store – the Modepaleis – at 16 Nationalestraat. Expect wonderfully OTT floral prints on just about everything.

Antwerp is also the world’s diamond-trading centre. The Diamond District, west of Centraal station, isn’t nearly as glamorous as it sounds. But it’s still a great area for picking up bargain sparklers.

What to avoid

Antwerp seems to breed remarkably demonstrative cyclists. Accidentally stepping onto a cycle path is an error that can only result in lengthy, expletive-filled lectures.

Don’t miss

The new Red Star Line Museum (www.redstarline.be, 0032 3298 2770), which opened in September 2013, tells the timeless story of migration. More specifically, it focuses on the great migration from Europe to the United States and Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Red Star Line, based in Antwerp, carried more than two million to a new life. The waterside museum does a wonderful job of making the stories personal, using accounts from people who sold up everything, dodged swindlers and endured long, uncomfortable train journeys even before they got on the ship.

Getting there

Direct Abu Dhabi to Brussels flights cost from Dh3,465 with Etihad (www.etihad.com). Direct trains (www.belgianrail.be) from Brussels airport to Antwerp cost €11.20 and take about 45 minutes.