The city of Antwerp is one that has held interest for us for quite some time, despite me initially thinking it was a service station in the Midlands. It holds the glittering name of 'The City of Diamonds', something which we didn't care too much for considering our student budgets.
I decided to book it for mid December, as the lead up to Christmas in a city that does amazing chocolate, beer and seafood seemed like a great place to be. We went for 4 days and 3 nights in total, a perfect long weekend, traveling on the Eurostar early on the Friday morning.
Day 1:
We got the train as early as possible to maximise our stay there, and arrived in Antwerp at around midday, after a change in Brussels. This was the day for pottering around we decided, and looked around the Covent Garden-esque streets. We found a little cafe, where Barney had the first of many Belgian beers, whilst I opted for a coffee to keep me awake after our early start.
Hat: Daisy Boutique
Top: Topshop
Skirt: Zara
The dinner we opted for was out of the Anterp Wallpaper guide, as most of the places we visited were, called 'Fiskebar'. Although this place was more expensive than we had anticipated, the squid was honestly one of the nicest pieces of food I have ever tasted. Well worth the price tag.
We went for both before and after dinner drinks- before, to a bar also from the guide, for aperitifs and nibbles, and afterwards to one of the famous Belgian beer houses, where the beer was delicious.
Day 2:
On the Saturday we visited one of the museums available- a huge glass structure by the port, with panoramic views on the roof and different themes exhibitions on each floor. Some of them had quirky novelty activities, such as placing a message in a glass bottle which you could put into the sand, or hanging a wish in front of a fan to float away. As museums go, this was a fun one.
Coat: Jack Wills
Jumper: Topshop
Skort: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Zara
The Saturday evening was our 'special' evening- the one we set aside for a more expensive dinner and drinks. The bill didn't end up being that far off the other nights, but the food was amazing. Above is Barney's steak tartare- something I was too scared to order, but it was so delicious I ended up getting it on the Sunday night instead. I had a ravioli dish, which didn't look as pretty as the steak, but still tasted pretty good.
Again, we went for beer afterwards, which we did every night. The honey beer was by far a favourite of mine, and I decided to bring back a bottle as a souvenir for my dad.
Day 3:
The Sunday contained a visit to a modern art gallery and a wander round a different area of the city, which was supposed to showcase some amazing architecture. We didn't quite manage to find the designs that the guide spoke of, but managed to sneak in an afternoon sitting in cafes instead.
Jumper: American Apparel
In the evening, we went to yet another lovely restaurant, with this one being sponsored (ever so subtly) by Veuve Clicquot. We sat in the bar beforehand and I ordered this amazing rose-flavoured cocktail, complete with floating dried petals.
Monday consisted of buying presents for the family and sipping on hot chocolate, before we made our way back to London just in time for rush hour.
As winter city breaks go, Antwerp was a great choice for us. It was the perfect amount of Christmassy wandering, coupled with a bit of culture and a lot of drinking. To be honest, I'd go back there just for that delicious squid. And maybe a cocktail or two.
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