Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. It is the second largest city in Belgium, after Brussels, and it has a major European port. It is renowned for being the "world's leading diamond city", more than 70% of all diamonds are traded in Antwerp.

A must-see attraction in the Port of Antwerp is the Diamond District where the streets are lined with jewelry shops and the Antwerp Diamond Exchange makes its home. The district is home to 1500 diamond companies. Visitors to the Port of Antwerp will also want to see the Plantin Moretus Museum, the home of Christoffel Plantin, a 16th Century printer and bookbinder. On the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Museum contains one of the best collections in the world of items related to printing.

Things to See & Do

* Diamond district
* Plantin Moretus Museum
* Ruben's House
* City Hall/Old Market Square
* South of Antwerp

General Information

Cruise Season - March to Dec
Currency - Euro (€) (EUR)
Language - German, Dutch, French
Land Area - 204.51 km²
Population - 500,000 approx.
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - + 32

Port Location - The port at Antwerp lies on the banks of the River Schelde, about 88 kms from the North Sea in Belgium. The cruise terminal is located approximately 1.5km from the city centre of Antwerp.

Travel Links - Flights are available to and from Antwerp airport, however few airlines serve here. Most flights are with CityJet, catering to business travelers. Flights go to London (LCY) and Manchester (MAN) in the United Kingdom with convenient connections to Dublin, Dundee, Edinburgh and Jersey. Transfers are available to Antwerp from Brussels and Schiphol airports.

Belgium has an extensive rail network, and for intercity travel within Belgium, trains are always the best option. Tickets can be bought on the website of the Belgian railways and at the ticket counters in most stations. There are good train connections to and from Brussels Airport and Schiphol airport in Amsterdam.