Bringing a bit of 21st century pizzazz to the ancient Old Town, Café De Lux is one of Antwerp’s trendiest watering holes. At night, the sound system is cranked up and although the owners don’t veer far from the mainstream with their predictable pop selection, this sleek bar is certainly one of the livelier places to drink in town.
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Antwerp Nightlife
Antwerp is a young and buzzing city with its 10,000 or so students ensuring a lively nightlife around the clock. The docklands is becoming the centre for clubs but good bars and cafés can be found all over town, many in the historic centre.
Bars in Antwerp
Café De Lux
Address:
Melmarkt 18, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 232 1766.
Website:
De Groote Witte Arend
Offering a heroic selection of Belgium’s finest, beer connoisseurs will be right at home whiling away an afternoon in this beautiful courtyard bar. Wooden benches make for a sociable seating arrangement and if you’re get over ambitious working through the extensive drinks menu, the kitchen can rustle up some hearty fare to soak it all up. Spot on.
Address:
Reynderstraat 18, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 233 5033.
Website:
Kathedraalcafe
Festooned with religious figurines and church furniture, you could be forgiven for thinking this place was some sort of storage space for the cathedral opposite. However, this ivy-covered building is in fact one of the quirkiest bars in town and keeps the ecclesiastical theme going on its beer menu, which boasts a host of tipples brewed by La Trappa monks. Highly recommended.
Address:
Torfburg 10, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 289 3466.
Clubs in Antwerp
Café d'Anvers
Angels will be looking down in disgust at what goes on in this former church, where the new owners have chosen to employ an “anything goes” policy. That said, if the bouncers don’t like the cut of your jib, you might struggle to get in, but if you make it past face control, you’ll be rewarded with a night of DJ fuelled hedonism that’s not for the fainthearted. Café d'Anvers opens at 2300 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Address:
Verversrui 15, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 226 3870.
Website:
Marquee Club
A club night at the Marquee only comes around once a month, but if you’re a fan of rock, punk and new wave, then it’s worth the wait. The DJs at this lively haunt are the purveyors of some of the best tracks in town, spinning artists such as The Libertines, Led Zeppelin and anything in between. Open on the third Saturday of every month, it’s one of the best (albeit infrequent) places to rock out in Antwerp.
Address:
Jordaenskaai 27, Antwerp, Belgium
Website:
The Popcorn
This 1970s bar and club is the place to go if you have a bit of Saturday night fever. If you like wiggling to disco and party classics with a cocktail in your hand, then The Popcorn will be right up your streetyou’re your birthday happens to land on the first Friday of the month, pop in and the bar staff will give you a free bottle of bubbly. Fun times.
Address:
De Keyserlei 25, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 201 5986.
Website:
Live Music in Antwerp
Café Hopper
An Antwerp institution for over 20 years, Café Hopper is one of the city’s finest jazz venues. And rightly so; talented musicians from across the globe have graced the stage at this insouciant cafe, which hosts live jazz throughout the month in stylish surroundings.
Address:
Leopold de Waelstraat 2, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 248 4933.
Website:
De Rots
This small and sweaty rock club doubles up as a record shop and hosts live bands at the weekends. The drinks aren’t especially cheap and the acoustics could be better, but De Rots is a great, down and dirty rock venue located in the heart of the Old Town. If you don’t like Mohawks, ZZ Top style beards and metal bands though, give it a miss.
Address:
Melkmarkt 11, Antwerp, Belgium
Website:
Petrol
Located in Antwerp South, this former warehouse is slightly out of the way but well worth the pilgrimage if you’re a fan of live music. Fun and funky, Petrol has widespread appeal thanks to the sheer diversity of acts and theme nights; expect anything from rock and dub step to seventies soul.
Address:
d'Herbouvillekaai 25, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 226 4963.
Website:
Classical Music in Antwerp
The Halls of the Zoo
This collection of concert halls, as the name suggests, is located within the grounds of Antwerp Zoo. Their flagship hall, the cavernous Koningin Elisabethzaal, has great acoustics and hosts regular performances by Flanders' philharmonic orchestra, De Filharmonie.
Address:
Koningin Astridplein 23-26, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 070 233 354.
Website:
Vlaamse Opera
Restored to its former glory in 2007, this stunning 19th century opera house puts on regular performances throughout the year.
Address:
Frankrijklei 3, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 202 1011.
Website:
Dance in Antwerp
Eilandje
The Koninklijk Ballet van Vlaanderen (Royal Ballet of Flanders), founded in 1960, is the nation's only classical dance company and is based at Eilandje in an impressive, purpose-built palatial grey building.
Address:
Kattendijkdok-Westkaai 16 , Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 234 3438.
Website:
Theatre in Antwerp
Bourlaschouwburg Theatre
Saved from the wreckers’ ball in the 1990s, ‘The Bourla’ is once again Antwerp’s most cherished theatre. Home to the Toneelhuis theatre company, this stunning building also boasts a lavish restaurant on the first floor called The Foyer. Stunning.
Address:
Komedieplaats 18, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 224 8844.
Website:
De Zuiderkroon
Located in the trendy quarter of the Zuid at Vlaamse Kaai, De Zuiderkroon is a fashionable modern theatre which hosts concerts and slightly offbeat shows.
Address:
Vlaamse Kaai 81-83, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 229 1800.
Website:
De Zuiderkroon
Located in the trendy quarter of the Zuid at Vlaamse Kaai, De Zuiderkroon is a fashionable theatre, which hosts contemporary concerts and slightly offbeat shows.
Address:
Vlaamse Kaai 81-83, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 03 229 1800.
Website:
Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre)
The largest cultural centre in Belgium, this imposing theatre attracts over 250,000 people every year. Located in the heart of Antwerp’s theatre district, the contemporary building plays host to a range of concerts, shows and performances throughout the year.
Address:
Theatreplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium
Telephone: 0900 69 900.
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