Regardless of being one of many world’s smallest nations, Belgium isn’t wanting tempting metropolis breaks for households – in addition to Brussels, Bruges and Ghent, you could find loads of issues to do in Antwerp with children.
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Earlier than I visited, I admit I didn’t know as a lot about this Flemish metropolis, which sits about half an hour from the Dutch border – Europe’s second greatest port, house to Rubens, a style hotspot and on the coronary heart of the world’s diamond commerce, there’s heaps to find.
And in case your children aren’t fussed by high-quality artwork, valuable gems and avant-garde design, there are some nice household points of interest as effectively, together with the 20 concepts beneath, my decide of the most effective issues to do in Antwerp for youths.
Try my information to Belgium with children for extra concepts for family-friendly breaks
Antwerp Zoo
One of many oldest zoos on the planet, Antwerp Zoo sits proper subsequent to the practice station – actually, when the station was constructed, they needed to promise to ensure the wall connecting the 2 was as ornamental because the station itself.
It’s worthwhile to preserve your animals completely satisfied, in spite of everything! Preserve an eye fixed out for the camel statue on the rooftop as you enter the gates previous golden mosaic massive cat footage, with round 1,000 completely different species to find inside.
The completely different areas of the zoo are themed on locations from around the globe, whereas it additionally runs numerous initiatives to assist endangered animals: plus there’s an opportunity to see massive cats, bears, penguins, elephants and extra, together with the aquarium.
Het Steen Fort
Het Steen – which interprets because the rock – dates again to the beginning of the thirteenth century, when the fort was a part of an excellent greater fortress.
The oldest constructing in Antwerp, as we speak it homes the vacationer info centre and The Antwerp Story (scroll down for extra particulars) so not like the Gravensteen in Ghent, it’s not a fort you may discover to get a style of medieval Belgium, but it surely’s nonetheless an imposing sight.
Outdoors, there’s additionally a statue of an enormous, often called Lange Wapper who legend says used to terrorise Antwerp’s inhabitants, and two people cowering earlier than him.
You too can purchase the Antwerp Metropolis Cross, together with entry to points of interest and public transport, on the vacationer info centre, in addition to selecting up maps and biking trails
The Antwerp Story
Set inside Het Steen, the Antwerp Story is a good introduction to the historical past of town for youths.
Transferring by way of time as you move by way of 11 completely different rooms, there are some inventive methods to move you again into Antwerp’s previous, together with a hologram of a designer and a 360-degree projection of the port, in addition to fashions to climb inside and extra.
Permit between 30 and 60 minutes for the primary attraction, then save a while to take in the views from the roof terrace of Het Steen.
Chocolate Nation
The world’s largest Belgian chocolate museum, Chocolate Nation is a good mixture of background in regards to the historical past of chocolate, chocolate making shows, and place to strive just a few your self.
Quite a lot of, actually, as you may style 10 completely different flavours of chocolate when you discover the 14 completely different rooms. There’s an audio information in English and Le Petit Chocolatier expertise for youths.
Alongside the best way, you may study some quirky information – reminiscent of that Antwerp has the world’s largest cocoa storage port – in addition to just about visiting cocoa plantations on the equator.
Positioned reverse the Central Station, enable round 60-90 minutes for the go to (and preserve an eye fixed out for the colorful Chinatown arch close by as you go in).
Don’t miss at cease on the Chocolate Line store when you’re in Antwerp – we found the bizarre flavours throughout a go to to Bruges however the Antwerp store is far quieter
Discover the underground canals
Whereas there’s a lot to see above floor in Antwerp with children, town additionally has an enchanting underground collection of tunnels and canals tucked away.
Often called De Ruien, the waterways had been as soon as used to get across the metropolis within the Center Ages, earlier than being coated over – however you may take a particular tour of the historic underground passages and study extra about Antwerp alongside the best way.
Youngsters aged 10+ can be a part of one of many guided walks. The quick boat journeys, appropriate for age 3+, which had been essentially the most child-friendly strategy to discover, should not presently operating.
Take a tour
Antwerp is a really walkable metropolis though in the event you don’t fancy exploring on foot, you could find loads of different choices too.
Strolling tour of Antwerp with children
There are some nice household pleasant strolling excursions of Antwerp – this two hour highlights tour is an efficient place to start out, or add some chocolate and fries to your exploring with a enjoyable meals tour of Antwerp.
Household-friendly bike tour of Antwerp
Or be a part of a family-friendly bike tour of Antwerp, the place you may study extra in regards to the tales and secret of town from a neighborhood throughout a two-hour cycle round its streets.
Self-guided tour of Antwerp
As a substitute for an organised metropolis strolling tour (though you’re spoiled for selection in the event you do need a type of), strive a scavenger hunt of Antwerp, fixing clues and riddles as you wander previous 10 of town’s key places.
Boat tour of Antwerp
When you simply desire a style of being out on the water, hop on the water bus which runs alongside the Scheldt – you may decide it up at Steenplein, close to Het Steen, or the Sint Anna tunnels for instance.
Alternatively, there are non-public excursions together with the electrical Sir Tristram from Antwerp by Boat which take you on 50-minute jaunts across the harbour.
Spot the road artwork
When you’re visiting with older children, preserve an eye fixed out for the road artwork round Antwerp together with the Stripmuren comedian murals route.
There are presently 13 completely different websites across the metropolis, with a map to obtain if you wish to tick off all of the completely different websites, or you may simply match just a few into your exploring with just a few close to the historic Grote Markt sq..
The Plopsa Station amusement park, also called Comics Station with its theme of cartoon characters and superheroes, closed completely in January 2026
Study the legend of Antwerp’s title
Head to the historic a part of Antwerp and the Grote Markt sq. is house to a few of its prettiest outdated buildings together with the sixteenth century city corridor and guildhalls.
However when you’re there, you may see the Brabo fountain, celebrating the legend which gave town its title. So the story tells, a Roman soldier title Brabo got here to the world the place an enormous was demanding a toll to cross the river.
Anybody who did not pay had their hand reduce off and flung into the water. Brabo, who didn’t wish to pay the toll, challenged the enormous and defeated him within the struggle – earlier than deciding to topic him to the identical punishment, flinging his hand into the river Scheldt.
The Dutch phrases ‘hant’ ‘werpen’ (hand throw) led to the title we nonetheless use as we speak.
Eat Antwerpse Handjes
When you’ve bought a superb legend of giants and palms being thrown into rivers, the subsequent step is a conventional deal with to have a good time it.
Antwerpse Handjes are scrumptious hand-shaped buttery biscuits with flaked almonds in, though you too can discover chocolate palms and chocolate-covered marzipan choices.
Sint Anna Tunnel
There aren’t many locations the place crossing a river is a child-friendly attraction… particularly once you’re going below the water.
However in the event you’re visiting Antwerp with children, don’t miss St Anna’s tunnel, which crossed below the river Scheldt. Created to attach the newer components of town with the historic city, the river was too busy for a bridge, so as an alternative of going over, the choice was made to go below.
The principle spotlight is the Nineteen Thirties picket escalators which lead you down into the tunnel: superbly preserved, it’s one of the crucial uncommon issues to do in Antwerp with children – the white-tiled tunnel itself stretches for 1,876 toes and isn’t vastly thrilling however you may simply trip straight again up once more.
When you do preserve going, head proper once you emerge and there’s a small seaside round half a mile away.
Discover some inexperienced house
The most important public inexperienced house within the metropolis, the Stadspark is a beautiful spot to flee the bustle or calm down in the summertime’s warmth.
There’s a small lake to take pleasure in, in addition to strolling trails within the triangular park and a skate park – in the event you’re fortunate, you may even spot rabbits. Round 10 minutes stroll from Centraal station.
As one other various, head to the botanic gardens with round 2,000 completely different crops and herbs, within the grounds of the previous medieval hospital on Leopoldstraat.
Go to a museum
Antwerp is house to a string of museums, and whereas some will attraction extra to older children (reminiscent of MoMu, town’s style museum), there’s a powerful vary to take a look at.
KMSKA Museum of high-quality artwork
With a powerful 13,000 items in its assortment, Antwerp’s Museum of Effective Artwork has a giant assortment of labor by Rubens – who spent a lot of his life within the metropolis – in addition to a string of different artworks proper by way of to the Expressionists.
Reopened in late 2022 after an enormous 11-year renovation undertaking, there are recommendations on what to look out for for households, plus children aged 6-12 get a sketchbook and pencil as a present with the household path.
Plantin-Moretus Museum
The primary museum to function on Unesco’s World Heritage Web site listing, the Plantin-Moretus Museum housed one among Europe’s most vital e book printing firms.
It’s nonetheless arrange as in the event you had been visiting the home because it was 400 years in the past, together with the preserved printing presses. And in addition to having the ability to see a printing demonstration, there’s additionally a enjoyable treasure hunt for households, difficult you to identify animals hiding within the museum rooms – appropriate for ages 4+.
DIVA Museum
Greater than 80% of the world’s uncut diamonds move by way of Antwerp however a lot of the gem commerce – unsurprisingly – isn’t open to the general public.
So to get an actual style of the bling, head to DIVA Museum, which reopened in 2023, and which shares extra in regards to the historical past of diamond buying and selling within the metropolis together with some spectacular gems and items of jewelry on show.
MAS Museum
The Museum aan de Stroom, or MAS, is one other good place to study extra about Antwerp’s historical past – to not point out how its significance as a port cast hyperlinks to nations around the globe.
Preserve an eye fixed out for family-friendly exhibitions, together with one known as ‘Anyone Dwelling’ which encompasses a sewer crocodile, board video games and drawing on partitions, whereas one other briefly exhibition covers the legends and tales of Antwerp. Head as much as the roof terrace for one more nice view too.
The View, Antwerp’s ferris wheel, has now closed in case you had been planning to board it to look out over the rooftops
The Rubens Home
The home the place Rubens lived throughout his time in Antwerp is closed for ongoing renovations till 2030, once you’ll have the ability to step inside his studio as soon as once more, though you may go to the Rubens Expertise within the meantime in addition to the gardens (and his library on weekdays).
Or to find extra of his works, younger art-lovers ought to head to the KMSKA, the Plantin-Moretus Museum and contained in the cathedral, amongst different websites.
Museum de Reede
One other museum that’s greatest for older children, the Museum de Reede focuses on graphic artwork and engravings together with work by Edvard Munch and Francisco Goya, in addition to up to date artists. Free for under-13s.
Belgium’s nice practice community means it’s simple to discover different cities as a day journey from Antwerp with children – take a look at my ideas for issues to do in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent
Disclosure: This submit incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. My go to to Antwerp was courtesy of Luxair and the vacationer board for work with no obligation to share, however I wished to anyway… All opinions are my very own.
Zoo entrance/wet metropolis avenue photographs copyright MummyTravels, St Anna tunnel courtesy AdobeStock, all different photographs courtesy of Depositphotos
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