The traditional gatehouse on Korte Nieuwstraat offers no hints to the eccentric wonderland that awaits within. A historic merchant’s quarters dating to the 15th century has been converted into Hotel Flora. The seven-suite boutique hotel is full of personality—thanks to fêted Belgian designer Gert Voorjans, who waved his wand over the interiors to create the ebullient mix of color, pattern, and decor styles. You can take over the entire place as your very own aesthete’s mansion, complete with a magical courtyard garden.
The Insider
Fashion designer Annick Van De Weghe, who runs the travel-inspired AVDW brand with her daughter Romée Bleys, on the pair’s favorite city spots
Snake bites
“Cobra has been a go-to for the fashion community since it opened earlier this year. There’s always a great vibe, and the dishes are meant to be shared. Try the pizza with chutoro tuna and the fennel salad with a Modern Mary cocktail.”
Start and finish
“For a cappuccino, Caffènation is still the best in town—Rob Berghmans was a pioneer of specialty coffee in Europe when he opened in 2003. After work, we like Revista for spritzes and snacks like grilled pita and dips.”
Boutique beat
“Renaissance is great for pieces that really pop. Baby Beluga is our favorite for emerging designers, and Enes, in a beautiful space decorated by maximalist Gert Voorjans, is the best in town for classic brands.”
Fresh air
“We love walking along the quays of the Scheldt—the city is adding parks and playgrounds. It’s fun to ride the old wooden escalators in St. Anna’s Tunnel, an underpass beneath the river, and view the city from the other side.”
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Culture crush
From the neo-Gothic Handelsbeurs, which became a multipurpose event space in 2019, to the Red Star Line Museum (famously supported by Diane von Furstenberg), Antwerp has a wealth of cultural institutions, and two of its best are recently renovated. Following a 2021 expansion, MoMu stages thought-provoking exhibits like the recent “Man Ray and Fashion,” which tracks the avant-garde photographer’s impact on fashion houses from Chanel to Loewe. After an 11-year-long closure, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) reopened last year. No longer just a showroom for Old Masters, it’s now a place to hang out and listen to DJ sets, sit on a contemporary sculpture by Christophe Coppens, and enter into deep conversations. The museum’s new Radio Bart programming pairs visitors with blind KMSKA hosts, who encourage new ways of thinking and talking about art.
This article appeared in the September/October 2023 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
