Antwerp in Colour

Under the drizzle, the gleaming cobblestones of the Old Town all seem to lead to the Cathedral of Our Lady. Inside, Rubens’s (1577–1670) triptychs dazzle with their beauty and power. What modernity there is in this Baroque! The intense, luminous reds of The Descent from the Cross bring out flesh and movement while capturing the light. This red thread, woven from deep hues, leads us to the Rubenshuis, Rubens’s former home, which he transformed into an Italianate townhouse. The interiors are closed for renovation, but the garden invites you to wander through more than 22,000 colourful plants. Chosen by designer Dries Van Noten, they bloom throughout the year.

Tulipomania of old

Rubens cherished his garden, where green gold grew: tulips. They were all the rage among Antwerp’s wealthiest citizens in the early 17th century, who spent fortunes on them. A rare bulb could cost more than one of the master’s paintings! There was even said to be a club dedicated to them, whose members – fancy that! – were close to the artist. Was he involved in the black market for tulips? For now, there are only questions hanging in the air. Time passed, the seeds scattered, leaving their touch of poetry to bloom on canvases and in parks. In the 18th century came Antwerp Blue, a lighter variation of Prussian Blue. Its name was a marketing choice of the time: the city was a flourishing artistic, financial and trading centre, as its elegant façades and stock exchange, the Handelsbeurs, rebuilt in flamboyant Neo-Gothic style, still attest.

Today’s rainbow

At the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA), the colour palette explodes. When not immaculate white, the walls are dressed in muted shades that make the works of the greatest masters stand out – Rubens again, naturally. Periods collide joyfully and Belgian humour slips in alongside the classics. Take this painting by Adriaen van Ostade (1610–1685), deliberately hung askew. Still craving colour? Simply hop on a tram to the rust-red Museum aan de Stroom (MAS), rising beside a canal. It is unmissable for anyone wanting to gain some height and take in the Scheldt. While there, make time for Antwerp à la carte, an exhibition tracing the intimate relationship between the city and food from the 16th century to today and tomorrow. And once again, prepare for a riot of colour! Finish with a shot of greenery at Middelheim Museum, a 30-hectare park where works of art mingle with nature. With a little luck, you might even see a rainbow.

Allez Hop off to bed, chez Pieter Robert 

Where else but Hotel Flora can you spend hours staring at the ceiling? The idea came from painter Nils Verkaeren, who created artworks without frames, directly on the walls, in a subtle millefeuille of layers of paint through which a trembling natural world emerges. “During the renovation, he called me from a room where he was working on a fireplace,” explains owner Pieter Robert. “I found him in the bath, naked, a glass of wine in one hand and a cigarette in his mouth (…)” Read more

Allez Hop off to bed, chez Mouche Van Hool

A visionary, Mouche Van Hool opened one of Antwerp’s first boutique hotels in 2004. She wanted a small-scale luxury establishment, “a place that feels like visiting good friends”. She named it after one of her sons. Julien, therefore, had to adapt to the two listed 16th-century buildings and reinvent a far-from-obvious layout. Huge glass windows were installed around patios, with another, even more surprising one facing a brick wall painted white (…) Read more

Allez Hop off to table, chez Jan Lemaire & co

“There are more Michelin-starred chefs who come here than I have ever cooked for,” laughs Jan Lemaire. And for good reason: since most restaurants in Antwerp are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, chefs take the opportunity to go out and soak up the atmosphere of the Borze Café. Because it is good, simple and unfussy: vol-au-vent, stoofvlees (traditional Belgian beef stew), stuffed courgette… Jan likes to call himself a cook, a good cook. “I’m not a chef (…)” Read more

Allez Hop off to table, chez Nicolas Misera & Yasmin Weyn

Bistro spirit, marble tables and French songs… Add plates stamped with the house logo (a four-legged fish), silver cutlery and candles – real ones. Opened in 2025, Bar Misera has become the bistro of this otherwise impersonal neighbourhood and one of Antwerp’s places to be. The “as we go” menu blends French inspirations, Flemish classics and produce from the North Sea (…) Read more

Allez Hop off to table chez Olivier De Croock & Hannes Lefevere

They live above their floral studio, concept store and restaurant. Olivier De Croock and Hannes Lefevere occupy, more precisely, the upper floor, which transforms according to their needs. Their own living room, for instance, doubles as a private dining room for clients, who linger on the terrace when the weather is fine. This place, which opened in 2025, was something Olivier and Hannes had long dreamed of. Olivier creates floral arrangements and decorates interiors – he is behind the flower installations at Paris Fashion Week shows (…) Read more

Allez Hop off to table, chez Bart Roman, Daan Guelinckx & M’Hamed Houmani

Covered in mirrors from floor to ceiling, the entrance hall evokes, depending on your perspective, either a highly exclusive club or a 21st-century brothel. You are almost tempted to turn around when you spot the remote control on a piece of furniture. Your surprised reflection hesitates for a moment before pressing the button. Good move. A sliding door then opens onto tables laid with white tablecloths. Eldo is first and foremost (…) Read more

Allez Hop, a drink at Palma

A fire-engine red floor, azure blue walls and a sunny soundtrack… “I wanted a holiday spirit,” says Kenny Aernouts, one eye blue and the other brown. At Palma, summer lasts all year round. Barely open – since summer 2026 – this XS café-bar already has its regulars, including some famous musicians. They continue to frequent Vitrin, Kenny’s other bar, just opposite, also perched on a street corner. Cocktails, mocktails and Portuguese pastéis provide a lovely dose of sunshine, along with simple, healthy dishes for small and large appetites.

Address: Marnixplaats 15

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Allez Hop one snack, chez Domestic Bakkerij & High Tea

Narrow as a baguette – and we are barely exaggerating – this townhouse houses a bakery and a little “kitchenette” on the ground floor, where you can choose from the display or order from the menu. For example? Pastries or yoghurt, granola, fruit and honey in the morning. Soup of the day or sourdough toast with salmon, tzatziki and avocado at lunchtime. Upstairs, two boudoir-style rooms in pink and mustard invite you to indulge in a high tea with scones and all the trimmings.

Address: Lange Gasthuisstraat 5

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Allez Hop, a feast for the eyeschez Fifty One Too

What if pink were nothing more than an illusion? The exhibition of works on paper and photographs There is No Pink teaches us that pink has no wavelength. “Unlike red, green or violet, there is no single frequency of light that the eye perceives as pink. It is a colour invented by the brain.” Quite a paradox for anyone wanting to see life through rose-tinted glasses! Take two more steps to discover Cibachromes & Paintings by great photographer Saul Leiter at Gallery Fifty One. These exhibitions may have ended by now? No worries: other works in colour – or black and white – will be on display.

(until October 31, 2026)

Address: Zirkstraat 20

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Allez Hop, under and on the Christmas tree chez Christel Dauwe Collection

Christel Dauwe is a real-life Mrs Claus. A collector of Christmas tree ornaments since the age of 14 – she is said to own more than 65,000! – she keeps Christmas songs playing all year round in her little shop. Her mouth-blown glass ornaments are made in Eastern Europe – the Czech Republic, Poland or Germany (formerly East Germany, to be precise). An unmissable curiosity bursting with colour, and a great place to pick up amusing souvenirs.

Address: Kloosterstraat 78

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Allez Hop, time for a new look at La Collection

Boutique or museum? A bit of both! This house is an Art Nouveau gem built for a family of jewellers in the 19th century. Nothing has changed – or very little. The old carved wooden counters now display part of La Collection’s unisex wardrobe. The brand works in the traditional way, using natural fibres, recycled wool and silk. A style and elegance in shades of white, cream and black that easily outlast the fleeting seasons of fashion.

Address: Sint-Jorispoort 26

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Allez Hop, dare to embrace colour chez Essentiel Antwerp

If you are looking for discretion, look elsewhere – or almost. Antwerp-born brand Essentiel Antwerp embraces floral and graphic prints, creating a bold, exuberant wardrobe for women. Even a single piece can be enough to inject some energy into a navy or black look.

Address: Kammenstraat 56

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