For Day 5 of my trip I bid goodbye to Amsterdam in the morning and hopped on a train to Belgium. My main reason for visiting Antwerp was to see the cathedral, so I only allotted a few hours to spend in the city. However, Antwerp definitely has its own charm and I would love to spend more time there if I have the chance to visit again.

Most people would probably take the high speed rail to Belgium, but since I had time, I ended up taking an Intercity train which was a lot cheaper. It took a little over two hours to get to Antwerp.

I was already impressed with Antwerp from the moment I stepped inside the station. Even if you don’t spend much time in the city, the station alone is worth seeing, as both the interior and exterior of the building were beautifully designed. The layout was also quite unique, as you can see all four levels of the tracks from the centre of the station.

I stopped by the tourist info to pick up a map of the city, then I quickly dropped off my luggage inside a coin locker. Once you exit the station there’s a huge pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants. Since it was super warm that day, a lot of people were enjoying the nice weather outside. The weather also made for a lovely walk to the cathedral, which got even better once I picked up a freshly made waffle from a street vendor. =)

Once I reached the cathedral, I took a moment to admire the statue of Nello and Patrasche from the story A Dog of Flanders. The statue was put up in 2016 and depicts them sleeping under a blanket of cobblestone. While their story is quite tragic, the location is very befitting for their tale. 

As for the cathedral itself, it was pretty spectacular once I got inside. After I paid the admission, I spent about an hour admiring all the artwork, stained glass windows and of course the gothic style architecture. Peter Paul Rubens also has paintings on display and there is an underground crypt you can visit.

Later that afternoon I walked through Antwerp’s main market and grabbed a bite to eat before heading back to the station. I’m not sure what I ended up ordering, but it was some massive cordon bleu French taco with french fries inside. (@_@) Needless to say I didn’t end up finishing it lol. I also walked past Antwerp’s Chinatown, which is right next to the station. Afterwards I bought a one way ticket to Brussels, which is about 45 minutes away by train. 

After spending an amazing few hours in Antwerp, arriving at Bruxelles-Central was a bit of a disappointment. There’s no other way to say this, but the station was just… hideous. Lol. It didn’t compare at all to the beauty of Antwerp Station. I guess I must have been too spoiled earlier in the day. =P

From the station I walked about 15 minutes before I reached my Airbnb. I quickly dropped off my luggage and freshened up, then I was off again to the Grand Place, which is a 5 minute walk from the apartment. The Grand Place is another example of exquisite European architecture. Everything from the Town Hall to the guild houses were just magnificent. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe. 

For dinner I ended up on a patio right in the square. My first taste of Belgian food was Waterzooi, which is a traditional Flanders dish made with either fish or chicken. And because one waffle for the day wasn’t enough, I also had another one for dessert. It was the perfect way to cap off my first day in Belgium.