With its picturesque city centre and old world charm, Antwerp is a solid bucket list destination. What it isn’t, however, is cheap.
A weekend trip can easily cost you far more euros than you’d like — but… good news: there are ways to keep those purse strings tight and enjoy your fab, Belgian holiday.
Practical tips, at a glance:
An Antwerp City Pass will save you loads of money
As an international student with tuition, rent, and other living expenses to pay, I’m definitely a big fan of counting my pennies. One of the easiest ways to do this when I travel is by making use of city passes.
The Antwerp City Pass gives you free access to 16 museums, 3 churches, and 3 other attractions — as well as free access to public transport. Oh, and the cherry on top? You can also get a 10-25% discount on loads of other tours and attractions.
There are three packages available:
- €45 for 24 hours
- €55 for 48 hours
- €65 for 72 hours
The prices might look scarily steep when you’re staring at them on a screen, but I found the 24-hour Antwerp City Pass way more affordable than needing to pay for each individual bus/tram I took and museum I visited. (There were loads!)
However, do remember to activate your pass with your phone before heading to an attraction or hopping on public transport.
You’ll slash travel costs with the right transport ticket
Although tram and bus tickets usually cost €2.50 per journey, you’ll see those numbers rack up if you’re hopping on and off public transport during a weekend trip.
A helpful tip for keeping those travel expenses in check is to buy special tickets that offer unlimited journeys — especially if you know you’ll need to take the tram or bus frequently.
These are the most economical options, depending on the length of your trip:
- A day ticket: valid for one day of unlimited travel.
- 💸 Free for kids under 6, €4 for kids aged 6-11, and €7.50 for those 12 and older.
- A 3-day ticket: valid for three days of unlimited travel and perfect for long weekends.
- 💸 Free for kids under 6, €8 for kids aged 6-11, and €15 for those aged 12 and older.
You can buy public transport tickets online and at any Lijnwinkel store in the city. If you’re entering the city via Antwerp Central Station, there’s a brand new De Lijn store to the left of the atrium.
Don’t skip Antwerp’s free activities and attractions
Though it certainly isn’t a cheap city, Antwerp has a number of free activities and attractions to check out.
If, for example, you want to enjoy a slice of culture as you stroll along under the Scheldt river, then a walk through Saint Anna’s canal — with its historic wooden escalators — is practically calling your name.
Image by Untitled Photo on Unsplash
Best of all? Once you pop out on the other side, you’re a five minute bus or bike ride from dipping your toes in Sint-Anneke’s beach (also known as Sint-Annastrand).
Other free must-sees include the Begijnhof, the Grote Markt, the Red Star Line Museum’s observation tower, and the Museum aan de Stroom’s roof terrace.
Ditch restaurants; snack on street food and head to a supermarket
Between Belgian waffles, piping-hot frites (chips), and other delicious bites (like croquettes!), you’ve got plenty of good reasons to avoid over-priced restaurant fare.
Street food is quite affordable and allows you to have breakfast or lunch on the go — that is, if you don’t opt for a picnic at a park instead.
If you’d prefer to stock up on groceries for a weekend stay, there are several supermarkets located a short walk from Antwerp Central station.
If you’re entering Antwerp city from the train station, these are the closest supermarkets to you:
- Shop & Go Delhaize: located right in the station, it’s perfect for doing a light grocery haul.
- ⏰ Opening hours on weekdays are generally 6a.m. to 8p.m., and on weekends they open at 7a.m.
- Louis Delhaize: also located in the station, it’s another option for a light grocery haul.
- ⏰ Opening hours on weekdays are generally 6:30a.m. to 7:30p.m., and on weekends they open at 8a.m. and close by 7p.m.
- Lidl: leave the station and head down the Keyserlei until you get to the big intersection, then take a left and walk down the Frankrijklei.
- ⏰ Opening hours on weekdays are generally 8:30a.m. to 8p.m., and on Saturdays they close at 7p.m. Lidl isn’t open on Sundays.
- Jumbo City: leave the station and head down the Keyserlei till you’ve passed the big intersection. Jumbo will be on your right, at Teniersplaats 6.
- ⏰ Opening hours are generally 8a.m. to 8p.m.
Lidl is the cheapest option and I’d generally advise doing your shopping there, unless you’re desperate for something on a Sunday.
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