Skip to Content

Antwerp by Bike: Things to See, Route Itinerary & Tips

Antwerp by Bike: Things to See, Route Itinerary & Tips

Visiting Antwerp and looking to explore the city a bit more? Get on a bike! The city has so much more to offer than just the main tourist attractions of Antwerp that everyone visits!

We live in the Antwerp area for many years now. But it was not before we set to explore Antwerp by bike that we realized how little of the city we actually know, and how much there is to be discovered off the beaten path in Antwerp!

Since our kids were little when we moved here, we never really took the time to visit Antwerp by bike. But when the Antwerp Tourism board asked me if we would be interested in trying out their (free) easy-going bike route of Antwerp, I immediately said yes.

I was hoping to get to know the city a bit better, maybe find one or two new places, but I never imagined that this route would actually be that good!

We discovered a whole new side of Antwerp that we were vaguely aware of or only knew by name. We saw some amazing historical places, incredible new architecture, beautiful parks, and so much more…

In this article, you can read about our experience. And if it looks like something for you, you can easily rent a bike and explore the same places in Antwerp on your own. See also our practical tips below for more info.

 

In this post, I am sharing just the main highlights, a small selection of the amazing places that we discovered in Antwerp by bike. I hope this will inspire you to see the less known side of Antwerp for yourself and find many more hidden gems in this incredibly diverse city.

Many of these places are located in the city center and you can also walk there on foot. However, distances are quite big and it’s more relaxing to explore some parts of the city by bike. Also, renting a bike or joining a bike tour allows you to see so much more in a shorter time!

You can find all the practical information for the bike route below. But first, here are some of our favorite stops along the easy-going bike route in Antwerp.

Antwerp bike route maps
We followed the Easy-going bike route
 

Here are some of the best places to visit in Antwerp by bike:

Port House of Antwerp – Het Havenhuis

The newly restored/ built Port House of Antwerp is an absolute highlight in the city. No matter how many pictures you have seen, it’s so much more impressive in reality.

You can only visit the inside of the building with a guided tour that you have to book in advance. But you can appreciate the unusual architecture of the exterior at any time!

Drawbridge at the Port House of Antwerp
Drawbridge at the Port House of Antwerp
 

Red Star Line Museum

Red Star Line Museum: a trip back in time with the stories of people who sailed from here to their new life in North America.

This is one of the best museums to visit in Antwerp at the moment. But even if you just pass by bike, it’s an interesting building in a quickly growing part of the city.

"<yoastmark
 

MAS – Museum Aan De Stroom

Even if you’re not much into visiting museums, don’t miss this one! You will definitely enjoy the view from the roof terrace of MAS. You can access the rooftop by escalator and it’s free of charge.

MAS museum Antwerp
MAS museum
 

Park Bridge – Parkbrug

Enjoy the architecture of the Park Bridge, a new bike- and pedestrian bridge that takes you from the Eilandje district to Park Spoor Noord.

Antwerp Park Bridge is a must if exploring the city by bike
Park Bridge
 

Rivierenhof

Rivierenhof Park is located outside the city center of Antwerp and you will not find many tourists here. But coming by bike, I realized that it is actually much closer than I thought it was, and I couldn’t believe we never visited this place before!

Rivierenhof park has it all: a castle, a pond, beautiful gardens, lots of flowers, and plenty of shade for those looking to escape the heat in summer. It’s a perfect place for a picnic too!

Rivierenhof park can be easily reached by bike from the center of Antwerp
Rivierenhof
Rivierenhof Castle in Antwerp Belgium
Rivierenhof Castle
Spring flowers in Rivierenhof park near Antwerp in Belgium
Spring is the perfect time to explore Antwerp by bike
Sterckshof Caste in Antwerp Belgium
Sterckshof Caste near Rivierenhof
 

Middelheim Park

Middelheim is another beautiful park you can explore along this route. If you have more time, make sure to check out the Middelheim Open Air Sculpture Museum. If you are biking with kids, look for the animal farm!

Deer at the Nachtegalenpark - Middelheim in Antwerp
Deer at the Nachtegalenpark – Middelheim
 

Harmoniepark

The magnificent concert hall of Harmonie that has been abandoned for years has now been restored and got its grandeur back. Nowadays, it’s a city administrative building, but still well worth seeing from the outside – the architecture is beautiful!

When we visited, Harmoniepark was a nice place to see some colorful street art. You couldn’t help but wonder why in the world would a building like this was left vacant for years…

Street art at Harmonie Park Antwerp
Street art at Harmonie Park
 

De Koninck City Brewery – Stadsbrouwerij De Koninck

No visit to Antwerp would be complete without tasting the legendary ‘Bolleke’ beer.

If you have an hour to spare, you can join a guided tour of De Koninck City Brewery (and of course taste the beer for yourself at the end).

Beer tasting at De Koninck City Brewery in Antwerp
Sample the beer at De Koninck City Brewery
 

The City Park – Stadspark

The City Park – Stadspark: kids playing and skating, people strolling or sunbathing, a very lively place to take a rest.

Explore Antwerp City Park by bike
Antwerp City Park
 

The New Law Courts – Nieuw Justitiepaleis

The New Law Courts of Antwerp is a modern architectural masterpiece by Richard Rogers (also known from the Millenium Dome in London or Centre Pompidou in Paris, etc).

"<yoastmark
 

The Port of Antwerp – Antwerpse Haven

The port of Antwerp is a perfect place to discover by bike. Enjoy a bike ride along the Scheldt river quays and the Steen Palace (the oldest building of Antwerp), and watch drawing bridges and locks in action in the harbor.

If you have more time, you can also take a boat trip in the Port of Antwerp. But that usually requires some advance preparation and advance booking.

Old container cranes at the port of Antwerp in Belgium
Old container cranes at the port of Antwerp
Antwerp architecture off the beaten path
You’ll pass some amazing architecture along this bike route
Exploring Scheldt river quays in Antwerp by bike
Scheldt river quays
 

Also the main landmarks of Antwerp can be visited by bike!

In addition to all these places, you will pass the most well-known landmarks of Antwerp along this bike route as well.

Make sure to take a look inside the Central Station; if you have more time you can visit the adjacent Zoo. The Antwerp ‘Grote Markt’ with the beautiful City Hall and the Cathedral are close to the bike route as well, so you can easily combine the bike tour with a visit to these places.

READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Antwerp

Discover Antwerp by bike
Grote Markt and Antwerp Cathedral
Discovering the landmarks and the hidden gems of Antwerp by bike
Antwerp City Hall and the Grote Markt
 

Antwerp by bike – practical information

BIKE. You use city bikes VELO or rent a bike at of the central locations in Antwerp. Of course, you can bring your own bike by car or by train (you have to buy a special ticket though unless you have a folding bike).

PARKING. If you come by car, there are several free car parks that you can use. We left our car at one of the parkings close to the Port House, next to Het Pomphuis restaurant.

Het Pomphuis restaurant is another architectural pearl in the Port of Antwerp
Het Pomphuis restaurant is another architectural pearl in the Port of Antwerp
 

ROUTE MAP. We followed the Easy-going bike route from a free map that we picked up at the tourist information center (you can find Antwerp Tourist Information at the Central Station or on the Grote Markt).

Alternatively, you can download the map on your smartphone. We found following the paper map more relaxing as it uses a very handy system with bike route numbers. So all you need to do is look for the bike route signs along your way and follow the road to the next ‘knooppunt’ (intersection) number of your route. It’s so much easier than I thought and it’s more relaxing than having to look for street names, etc.

Bike route numbers along the Easy-going route in Antwerp
Following the bike route numbers is really easy
 

The other side of the Easy-going map has another cycling map called ‘Urban Jungle’.  If you feel more adventurous and don’t mind riding a bike on the busy streets in the center of Antwerp, then this route might be something for you too.

LENGTH. The Easy-going route is in total over 30km long. It’s a very easy, mostly flat ride with separate bike paths for the biggest part of the route (except in the city center). So it’s really something anyone with a regular physical condition can do except maybe for young children, due to the total length of the route.

BIKING WITH KIDS. Antwerp is a great city to visit with kids. However, I think this bike route is too long for young children. If you want to explore Antwerp by bike with kids, you could try just a part of this route. I suggest the area around Het Eilandje – The Porthouse, MAS, and the Park Bridge. There is a lot to see here. On top of that, there are several restaurants and playgrounds for the kids.

However, the distances are rather big for walking, so biking could be a nice way to discover this part of Antwerp with the family. Another nice place for a bike ride with kids is Rivierenhof Park.

READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Antwerp with Kids

Rivierenhof is one of the most beautiful parks of Antwerp
Rivierenhof
 

DURATION. We followed the Easy-going route and it took us 5 hours to do the whole loop. But we took it really easy, made many photo stops along the way, visited several parks, stopped for a drink at the Antwerp City Brewery, and had a short lunch.

For example, the route takes you next to Rivierenhof park, but turns away right before you enter. So we left the route and turned into the park to discover more before continuing further. The same at all the other places that interested us.

So use this map as a guideline, but make sure to also stop once in a while and do some more sightseeing as well.

We didn’t visit any museums this time, but if you have the whole day, you could easily visit the Red Star Line Museum, Museum of Modern Art (MUHKA), or the MAS. As a minimum, you could go all the way up to the roof of the MAS museum for the beautiful views over the city (free entrance). Just make sure to always lock your bikes, even if you only leave them for a few minutes.

Discovering the parks of Antwerp by bike
The bike ride was more relaxing than you would think based on this picture 😉
 

FACILITIES. There are many places where you can stop for a drink or for lunch along this route. Or you can bring a picnic.

Whether you live in (or close to) Antwerp or are only visiting for a few days, I can really recommend exploring Antwerp by bike! The Easy-going route is a great way to see different highlights of Antwerp that you will not find in an average travel guide!

TIP: If you would like to explore Antwerp by bike, but are not keen to deal with the practical side of having to look for a bike and a map, why not join a guided bike tour!

READ ALSO: Hidden Gems in Antwerp

More travel inspiration and destination guides for Belgium:

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

Discover some amazing off the beaten path places in Antwerp by bike. Belgium's second biggest city has a lot of hidden gems that can easily be explored by bike. Find out!
 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Kimberly

Sunday 27th of October 2019

Wow! Really lovely places and a great article, Jurga. I visited Antwerp recently and especially loved the Middelheim Park.

Jurga

Monday 4th of November 2019

Thank you, Kimberly. It's great that you took the time to explore Antwerp a bit more - most tourists never leave the Old Town area. Happy travels!

Kayce

Wednesday 3rd of April 2019

Antwerp stole my heart during my first trip to Belgium in 2016. We are going back again and spending two nights in Antwerp. This time, we plan on using your bike route guide to explore more of Antwerp that isn't as touristy but nonetheless beautiful! I love Antwerp!

Jurga

Thursday 4th of April 2019

Glad to hear that! Enjoy your time here. PS there's a new attraction that recently opened in the city - chocolate museum. It's supposedly very nice, so if you like chocolate, maybe worth a try as well. Have a nice trip!

Rafael Cormack

Monday 19th of November 2018

Hello! My name is Rafael, i'm from Brazil, and i loved to find your blog and instagram! I'm planning a daytrip from Amsterdam to Antwerp with my wife and i woul like a piece of advice. For a daytrip, is it worth to rent a bike or just to walk around the central parts?

Thank you and congratulations on your amazing pictures!

Jurga

Monday 19th of November 2018

Hi Rafael, it really depends on what you like more - quietly exploring the centre or trying to see as much as you can in one day... Check this out for all the best places to see in Antwerp. In general, you should be able to see it all in one day even if walking, but not if you also want to actually visit any museums. Exploring by bike lets you cover bigger distances without getting too tired, but as a first-time visitor you'll probably be looking at the map all the time, so I'm really not sure what to advise. Antwerp centre isn't huge, not like Paris or Rome, not even like Amsterdam, so maybe that helps a bit :). It also depends on what time you arrive and leave, of course. There are two types of trains from Amsterdam - the fast one, Thalys, and the slow one; price difference is quite big, but also the time that it takes you to get there... Hope this help a bit? Enjoy your trip!

FYC

Tuesday 13th of February 2018

Thanks so much for your great guides! Lots of helpful information for my upcoming trip in the summer. I just want to ask a logistical question about renting bikes in Antwerp (or Belgium in general). Are there specific places to park bikes? Do I need to lock them when I leave them for a short period (i.e when I go into a building/museum)?

Jurga

Friday 16th of February 2018

Hello. Yes, in general you will find some places to park your bike, or just lock it to a pole or a streetlight... As long as it's not in the way for others. But you always have to lock it. Students who are in a hurry might be tempted to borrow your bike if you leave it just like that... :) An easy way to travel around is by borrowing city bikes (they have designated places all over the city), so every time you don't need it you just put it back and then take a new one afterwards.

melbtravel

Wednesday 31st of May 2017

I love riding bikes and this ride around Antwerp looks like so much fun. You have some great ideas too on where to go.

Jurga

Wednesday 25th of October 2017

Antwerp is much more bike-friendly than I expected, Mel. You can see so much in little time and visit places further away from the main streets frequented by tourists.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.