Download - This Is Antwerp #5
Colophon p.4
ART | Inspiring Antwerp: Inge Rylant p.5-9Antwerp graphic designer Inge Rylant created the cover for this magazine and talks about how the city inspires her
MUSIC | Band Camp p.10-12Meet Gentlemen Unexpected & The Hickey Underworld
FAShIon | happy Birthday Dear Academie p.13-15Ex-students of the Fashion Department: Where are they now?
FAShIon | Street Style p.16-17
lIFE | An ode To Midnight Snacking p.18-19 Find out where to snack at 2am
ART | Walk Your Way Through Art p.20-24Discover Antwerp’s graffiti spots
SoCIAl | Antwerp After Dark p.25-27Look no further if you love the underground party scene
lIFE | Summertime p.28-33Hang out, relax, have a drink, …
SoCIAl | Tips Tips Tips p.34-35Places to sleep, where to rent a bike and find free wifi hotspots
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ColophonThis magazine is a publication of the city of Antwerp and Antwerp Tourism & Con-ventions. It was edited with great care. Antwerp Tourism & Conventions cannot be held responsible for printing errors or changes. No part of this publication may be used by third parties without prior written consent of Antwerp Tourism & Conventions. None of the addresses mentioned in this magazine paid for mentioning it in any way.PublisherAntwerp Tourism & Conventions – Annik Bogaert Grote Markt 15, BE2000 AntwerpEditors in chiefAntwerp Tourism & Conventions Design & IllustrationAfreuxInge Rylant PhotographyJan CrabLaura Schillemans David VinkenroyeAntwerp Tourism & ConventionsCopywriteAntwerp Tourism & ConventionsLaura SchillemansLara RichirLiesbeth VermaerckeMelissa JanssenCleo KlapholzSpecial thanks to: Tine Van den PoelHelen Van den PoelJasper DeclercqLucia AdamickovaTim GhyselsErik De BeukelaerJoke HoevenKarima Ben AmmarJoris CasaerWim VandammeCaia CroesTim LubberdinkRobin HectorsEva De FréPrintArtoosDepotnumberD/2013/0306/147
54
As you might
have noticed,
we have changed
the whole This Is
Antwerp look, with
the help of Afreux.
We’re going back
to our roots and
asked locals to ac-
tively participate in
the making of this
magazine. This is
also the first time
we asked a local
Antwerp artist
(Inge Rylant) to
design the cover
for the magazine.
Therefore we
would like to thank
all the locals for
their input and
dedication.
This year
Antwerp is cel-
ebrating the 350th
anniversary of the
Royal Academy of
Fine Arts Antwerp.
We thought this
was the perfect
time to zoom
in on art in our
city. Laura takes
you on a graffiti
filled tour around
Antwerp, but
don’t worry, she
planned plenty of
coffee breaks. The
academy’s Fash-
ion Department is
also celebrating its
50th birthday this
year so what better
time to introduce
a couple of gradu-
ates? These young
designers are work-
ing hard at making
a name for them-
selves in fashion.
Music is also a
big part of
life here and there
are a lot of dif-
ferent genres out
there but with our
pop-up culture it’s
not always that
easy to find out
where to go. For
those who’ve heard
of psytrance and
frenchcore, Cleo
wrote a piece on
this kind of music
and where to find
it while Melissa
talked with 2 bands
about what it is
like as musicians
in Antwerp. Still
looking for a place
to sleep after go-
ing out? Check
“Tips Tips Tips”
for info on where
to sleep. Not quite
ready to go to bed
yet? You might
want to keep our
list of midnight
snack bars on you
at all times cause
it could come in
handy!
This is Antwerp
is a guide for
travellers who
want the discover
the city from a
local point of view.
The magazine,
the website, the
callendar, our app
and our Facebook
page are full of tips
from locals about
what to do and
where to go. Ex-
perience the city
and let us know
what you think!
check out www.thisisantwerp.be and follow us on facebook.com/thisisantwerp or twitter.com/_thisisantwerp_
InSPIrIng AntwErP: grAPhIC DESIgnEr IngE rylAnt
“My inspiration for the cover is of course Antwerp, especially my own experiences and life in the city. I tried to mix the typical tourist image of Antwerp with the contemporary Antwerp I know. The most obvious objects on the cover are beer, diamonds and the river Scheldt but to me coffee, bikes and Jewish people are as typical for Antwerp. The neigh-bourhood I live in is home to a big community of Orthodox Hasidic Jews. They tend to stand out because of their tradi-tional clothing (black and white) and the typical male side curls… hence the curls on the cover. Another frequent sight in Antwerp are the fixed gear bikes or fixies (a single-speed bicycle). I don’t own one myself, but I do bike a lot through town. I didn’t even use a car to move from one apartment to the other, I just used my bike instead. Really, I just strapped everything on it: tables, cabinets, chairs, … (giggles)”
By Liesbeth Vermaercke “To me Antwerp is coffee,
bikes and Jewish people.”
Born and raised in
Antwerp, graphic designer
Inge Rylant (26) really
enjoyed making the cover
for this magazine.
colophon ART
“After grAduAtion, i decided to do everything i could to solely work As An illustrA-
tor or grAphic designer”
6 7
how did you become a graphic
designer?
“I don’t think I really knew what a graphic designer was as a kid but I did go to art classes from the age of four. Later on I went to art school and even-tually finished my master illustration at St. Lucas University College of Art and Design Antwerp about 4 years ago. Even before I graduated, I started work-ing for Anne Kurris, a well-known kid’s fashion designer from Antwerp. To this day I still design prints and fabrics for her label. After graduation, I de-cided to do everything I could to solely work as an illustrator or graphic designer. There are too many examples of people who studied illustration, then started working in a bar or a restaurant to earn money and never picked up their craft again. Of course, I too experience that earning enough money with illustration isn’t easy. At some point you have to start taking on some commercial stuff as well, because you have to pay the rent, right?”
what do you love about
your job?
“The variation! Each day brings some-thing new. It might sound cliché, but my job doesn’t feel like working to me… Because I am self-employed, I can work whenever and wherever. Working at home is a big plus. I’m really not up for working as an in-house graphic design-er for a big agency.”
has your style changed
over the years?
“I used to only make hand-drawn sketches but right now I make every-thing in Illustrator. And since I started silkscreen printing, I abstract more; my drawings are cleaner and sharper. When I start illustrating, I do a lot of research on the subject to try and cap-ture the essence of it. Another project I tried, was having my own silkscreen printing studio, but that wasn’t an over-whelming success. I tried using an old
tanning bed instead of an expensive light box, but all I got was lots of smoke, even after I’d pulled the plug…”
who or what inspires you?
“My heroes are illustrators Charley Harp-er and Dick Bruna. Dick Bruna is famous for ‘Miffy’ (Nijntje in Dutch), a small rab-bit drawn with heavy graphic lines, simple shapes and primary colours but I am even more fond of the graphic work he did for the covers of the book series ‘Zwarte
ARTART
Inge made this poster for Villanella’s Kunstbende (an art/literature/music competition for teenagers), on which you can see her trademark style and fluo colours which she loves to use.
“i love thAt everything is within biking distAnce And thAt there
is AlwAys something to do”
8 9
Tips for TourisTs
“The botanical garden is a beautiful peace-ful oasis in the middle of the busy city center. (Leopoldstraat 24, 2000 Antwerp). Also peaceful and fun to do with friends is having a picnic or barbecue on the quays of the Scheldt (Steenplein, 2000 Antwerp). The Fashion Museum (MoMu) always has interesting expositions. Be-low the museum you’ll find a unique bookshop called COPYRIGHT. (Nation-alestraat 28, 2000 Antwerp). And last but not least: the Dageraadplaats is an awe-some square, a bit outside of the city cen-ter, with lots of bars and restaurants and big trees. And at night, you can see stellar lights lightening up the square.”
Inge Rylant is an illustrator for Villanella/DE Studio and Flemish magazines including DS Magazine, DM Magazine, Knack Weekend. As a graphic designer she also lay-outs books and magazine, creates identities and designs prints for clothing. Her book ‘ I Love Costa Brava’ will be exposed in the show Jerwoord Visual Artes (15 May- 23 June) in London. You’re invited to Play Time: flocking fashion and shaping silkscreen. A playful collaboration between fashion designer Mattia Van Severen and illustrator Inge Rylant.
Thursday, June 20th, 6-10 pm at Rijnkaai 22, 2000 Antwerp. Menswear collection by Mattia Van Severen + book by Inge Rylant
www.ingerylant.be
…RElAx?
“At the stairs of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. (Leopold De Waelplaats, 2000 Antwerp)
…Go oUT?
“Recently, DE Studio started throwing very fun parties. But there’s some kind of a pop-up culture for parties in Antwerp, so the locations are constantly changing.” (DE Studio, Maarschalk Gerardstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp)
Beertjes’. I also admire how Dutch design-er Karel Martens uses colour and typog-raphy and of course I’m always inspired by cities, books, posters, fashion, photog-raphy and travel. For example, I really like the typical tiles, the painted facades and the typography they use in Portugal.”
how do you feel about
antwerp?
“I love that everything is within biking distance and that there is always some-thing to do: parties, flea markets, events and exhibitions. Antwerp is pretty small, without having a claustrophobic village feeling, but it’s nice to know that you can go out to a bar and you can be sure to bump into some-one you know. You won’t find this vibe in other cities like Leuven or Ghent which are real student cities. Antwerp has the perfect mix: stu-dents, families, old people and just a lot of people from different cultures.”
what kind of assignments do
you like?
“I really loved this one. I do a lot of graphic work which I like, but making illustrations, like this cover, is still my favourite part of the job. Another cool one was making illustrations for a New York organization that encourages kids to eat healthier. I love drawing food! I hope I can keep illustrating and design-ing the next few years and I’m looking forward to many fun assignments and collaborations!”
ARTART
Quick QuesTions: Where do you …
…Go FoR lUnCh?
“Stanny. I like to come here at noon for a sandwich. It’s more relaxed than in the evening.” (Stanleystraat 1, 2018 Antwerp)
…Go FoR DInnER?
“Café Zürich. Good food, good prices and a great atmosphere.” (Verlatstraat 2, 2000 Antwerp)
…DRInk YoUR CoFFEE?
“In de Roscam, where they serve nor-mal coffee for a normal price. I don’t
like trendy coffee bars with fancy cof-fees with milk, honey, cinnamon or whatever
they put in there. I drink my coffee black.” (Vrijdagmarkt 12, 2000 Antwerp)
…Shop?
“COS for clothes and Atelier Solarshop for awesome and beautiful things” (COS, Hopland 31 and Korte Gasthuisstraat 16-18, 2000 Antwerp. Atelier Solarshop, Dambruggestraat 48, 2060 Antwerp)
…DRInk A BEER?
“In the bar Witzli Poetzli near the Ca-thedral. It’s very cozy.” (Blauwmoezel-straat 8, 2000 Antwerp)
10
By Melissa Janssen
Gentlemen Unexpected is a young two-piece hard/blues rock band from Antwerp. Robin Goethals (guitar & vocals) and Bram Van Landuyt (drums) have been best friends since kindergar-ten and started the band after seeing their heroes Triggerfinger (now famous thanks to their “I Follow Rivers” cov-er) perform live. Robin gave us some insight into being in a young band in Antwerp…
how’s life in antwerp for a
young musician like yourself?
It’s fun! There are so many ways to put yourself out there. Antwerp has a lot of venues and there are a lot of festivals where we get the opportunity to play, like TRIX where we rehears and which happens to be the biggest venue in town. Another great thing about this city is the welcoming crowd, there’s definitely no better place to play music.
BAnD CAMP
what has been your best expe-
rience in this city?
A few weeks ago we played at “Out Of The Basement”, a concept by TRIX which gives young bands a platform. We were treated like VIPs; a nice back-stage, food and drinks, great PA and lightshow... We kind of felt like rock stars that day. We also chilled for a while and got to hang out with Trig-gerfinger and netsky, so that was pret-ty awesome. I wouldn’t complain about a life like that (laughs). Thanks to this show, we were also able to perform at Scheld’apen and that’s exactly what I love about Antwerp: all venues and music fans are connected in some way so word about your band gets around pretty fast.
do you feel other cities in bel-
gium are different?
We haven’t performed that much in other cities. All I can say is that there’s a great community feel here in Antwerp. Everyone’s welcoming and if you’re any good, people will come to see you at other places.
muSIc 11
Unlike Gentlemen Unexpected, the Hickey Underworld has been around for a pretty long time. Younes Faltakh (singer, guitar) & Jonas Govaerts (gui-tar) have been playing together for al-most 20 years. In 2006 the band won Humo’s Rock Rally and have since released 2 full albums. You might know them from their single ‘Future Words’, ‘Blonde Fire’ or ‘The Frog’. We talked to Younes (33) about his life as a musician in Antwerp.
you’ve lived in antwerp your
whole life. what’s it like for a
professional musician in this
city?
Antwerp’s pretty small and there’s not really a live circuit, so you tend to see the whole of Flanders as your home-town. But I’ve been in bands since I was thirteen and getting gigs in Antwerp is not easy. Either way, when you’re start-ing out, the most fun shows are those you put on yourself or those at a friend’s party or something. So a strong DIY ethic is highly recommended!
would you (the band) ever
consider moving ?
Yeah, we’ve discussed it jokingly. But we’re writing our third album right now, and we have our set up here, so we’re not in a headspace of planning out logistical strategies or anything.
what’s the most memorable
gig you played in antwerp?
On December 21st of last year we did an ‘end of the world’ themed gig at TRIX. We had a lot of guest musicians and friends playing covers and their own stuff. That ran pretty smoothly, almost zero casualties…
when you go out, you usually
hang out at the bars around
the mechelseplein. are there
any other bars or restau-
rants you would recommend?
After I go to the movies I might have a drink at kassa4, cause it’s close by. Besides that, I’m really starting to enjoy the perks of getting drunk at home by myself. Restaurant wise, I like Indian food, I think Yeti house, Taj mahal
muSIc
13
let’s get into clichés and ask: “What is Antwerp famous for?”. You are thinking about diamonds? Well, you’re not wrong but we were thinking of something that shines equally bright: fashion! The last 50 years the world renowned Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp has been re-sponsible for shaping and mentoring the top of the crop in fashion. Reason enough to give them ku-dos and some extra min-utes of fame. let’s bow in awe and zoom in on the fashion passports of a few ex-students.
hAPPy BIrthDAy DEAr ACADEMIE
By Laura Schillemans
fAShIon12
and Saffraan are pretty good! If you’re a vegetarian, check out Aahaar.
tell us a personal anecdote
Last year I played a fund raiser with a cover band for national radio station Studio Brussel, we had a fun night. A few weeks later I got called up by police for questioning. At the police station I was shown pictures of secu-rity footage from that night and was asked if I knew the person in the pic-tures. Even though I did not know the suspect, I would never rat out a homey, that’s street code. I asked what this was about, but they could not lawfully dis-close it. I heard other people from other bands got called in for questioning too. Police then asked me to come in a sec-ond time, it was then revealed to me that it concerned a theft. The theft of a frying pan. Not kidding. The case is still under investigation, Antwerp’s fin-est are working on it. Funny thing is, we took a very large painting of a horse in a field off the backstage wall that night, strapped it to the roof of our car and took it home, never heard anything about that.
YoUnES’ AnTWERp hoTSpoTS
kASSA4• : ossenmarkt 21, 2000 antwerp. a bar where a lot of students hang out but you’ll also find a lot of musicians here.YETI hoUSE• : van arteveldestraat 45, 2060 antwerp. an indian and nepalese restau-rant, close to central station.TAJ MAhAl• : statiestraat 15, 2018 antwerp. an indian restaurant near ugc, the big-gest cinema in the city. try the chicken tikka masala !STRInGS & ThInGS• : bresstraat 12, 2000 antwerp. one of my favorite music shops in antwerp. they also have a bass shop down the street.MIlESTonES• : turnhoutsebaan 329, 2140 borgerhout. if you’re going to trix, pass by this music shop. they have a wide vari-ety of guitars!
RoBIn’S AnTWERp hoTSpoTS
TRIx• : noordersingel 28-30, 2140 borger-hout. without a doubt the best music ven-ue of the city. ThE kIDS• : grote markt 50, 2000 antwerp. this is a rhythm & blues café in the city center BAR DéCo• : torfbrug 2, 2000 antwerp. they have lots of beers!VIBES• : grote pieterpotstraat 14, 2000 antwerp. a bar where i enjoyed some free funk, soul and jazz shows. it hasa small basement where everyone dances like there’s no tomorrow.BUSTER• : kaasrui 1, 2000 antwerp. people consider buster as a cultural platform where lots of events take place. SChElD’ApEn• : ‘d herbouvillekaai 36, 2020 antwerp. a small venue (former railway personnel canteen) next to the river scheldt, where you can see a show or go to a party.
muSIc
14 15
Meet Jan-Jan Van essche | Graduated in 2003.
He’s a true Antwerpian, sticking to his roots!
opens a whole new world of: menswear
Gives a new dimension to: mix and
match - discover wardrobes to be worn
throughout the year by layering up and
down, adapting to the seasons as they
pass by
key elements: natural loose forms &
colours and refined patterns
Mantra: yukkuri (Japanese for “taking it
easy”)
To discover at: Atelier Solarshop -
Dambruggestraat 48, 2060 Antwerp
www.janjanvanessche.com
fAShIon
Meet Lenny LeLeu | Graduated in 2007.
Lenny moved to Antwerp from Germa-ny to study fashion design and is now producing her own label in Belgium.
Makes you think differently about:
swimwear
Indispensable items: geometrical forms
and transparent parts that tease your
imagination
Mantra: channeling the past
without imitating it
Most recent collection: dipped and
died in a sea of flowers
To be found at: pretty Woman –
hopland 57, 2000 Antwerp
facebook: lenny leleu
lennyleleu.tumblr.com
Meet nieLs Peeraer | Graduated in 2011.
Born in Antwerp but moved to Paris after his graduation.
Gets you addicted to:
leather accessories
partners in crime: vegetable tanned
leather and brass fittings
Signature items: bows and studs
Mantra: bringing innocent happiness to
everyday life
To worship at: RA – kleine Markt 7-9,
2000 Antwerp
facebook: niels peeraer
www.nielspeeraer.com
fAShIon
Meet Matthias Weber, nikLaus hodeL and FLo-rian Feder | Graduated in 2011, 2012 & 2012.
They are the three (German-Swiss) founding fathers of WeberHodelFeder who met while studying in Antwerp. Makes you running barefooted to the
store for: men’s footwear
Serves up a fresh side of: the “casual
chic” style
Their touch of magic: blending sports-
wear details with dress shoes and dip-
ping it in fresh colours (think brogues in
banana colour)
Mantra: walk away from the ordinary &
standard offerings of large-scale houses
To discover at: Coccodrillo – Schutter-
shofstraat 9, 2000 Antwerp
facebook: WeberhodelFeder
www.weberhodelfeder.com
16
name: petra Dudea (Germany)Age: 20occupation: Student at the Fashion AcademyFavourite store: CoS (hopland 31, 2000 Antwerp and korte Gast-huisstraat 16-18, 2000 Antwerp)outfit:Coat – CoSJacket – own designBag – own designShoes – Topshop
StrEEtStylE
fAShIon 17
name: Yunjin Cho (South korea)Age: 22occupation: Student at the Fashion AcademyFavourite store:labels Inc. (Aal-moezenierstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp)outfit: Coat – Martin Margielaother clothes bought in South korea
fAShIon
lIfe lIfe18
An Ode To Midnight Snacking
There are so many times, when you’re
on your way home from the party, you’d
love to eat something before going to
bed. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy
to find a place where you can snack at
2am. But fear no more! We made a list
of a few hotspots so next time you go
out, you know where to go afterwards.
Enjoy your burger at the Groenplaats
at 3am, never go hungry again and cure
your hangover before it begins…
By Cleo Klapholz & Liesbeth Vermaercke
19
WhERE WhAT WhEn WhY noT TRY
McDonald’sGroenplaats 17, 2000 Antwerp
burgers, fries, chicken nuggets, milkshake,…veggie options
mon-wed: 9am-10pm thu–sat: 9am-5amsun: 9am-10pm
a big mac menu: burger, fries and a soda (+_ €6)
QuickDe keyserlei 22, 2018 Antwerp
burgers, fries, chicken dips, milkshake,…veggie options
mon-sun: 10am-midnight
a giant menu: burger, fries and a soda (+_ €6)
FinjanGraaf Van hoor-nestraat 1, 2000 Antwerp
kebab, pita, falafel, middle eastern food,…veggie options
mon-thu: 11am-4amfri-sat: 11am-5amsun: 11am-4am
pita falafel hummus with extra feta and fries (+_ €10)
Frituur De Jeanossenmarkt 29, 2000 Antwerp
fries, burgers, fried snacks (very typical for belgium!)veggie options
most nights. hours are un-known
bicky burger or fries with mayo and a “curryworst” (+_ €5)
Café De Ruioude Vaartplaats 60, 2000 Antwerp
sandwiches. it really is a bar so don’t expect too much food. on saturday and sunday you can go to the market (from 6am)
open 24/7 croque monsieur: a ham and cheese toasted sandwich (+_ €4)
Taverne De BalieJustitiestraat 67, 2018 Antwerp
anything really; steak, spaghetti, vol-au-vent, …veggie options
open 24/7 try the steak (+_ € 10), just because you can
MuradimGijzelaarstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp
pita, dürüm, kebab, falafel,….veggie options
closed on mon-daytue–thu: 6:30pm-2amfri-sat: 6:30pm-5amsun: 6:30pm-1am
turkey dürüm with pineapple and garlic sauce (+_ €6)
ChipzWaalse kaai, 2000 Antwerp
burgers, fries, pa-nini, salad, sandwiches, pasta,…veggie options
sun-tue: 5pm-11pmwed: 5pm-2amthu-sat: 5pm-5am
beef stew and fries, a true belgian clas-sic (+_ €4)
De laet - AstridAstridplein 38, 2018 Antwerp
chicken wings, burgers, pasta, sandwiches, pita, dessert, …veggie options
sun –fri: 9am-1amsat: 9am-2am
full english break-fast for €10
Sinbadkerkstraat 30, 2060 Antwerp
moroccan food, burgers, tajine, kefta, couscous harira,…veggie optionshalal
mon-thu: 12pm-1amfri-sat: 12pm-2amsun: 1pm-1am
harira for €2,5
20 21
Art used to be a high
society thing. Times have
definitely changed and
there is no form of art
more social than street
art. You can’t own the
pieces: they are created
in public space for every-
body to see, enjoy and
love. They are a remem-
brance of the certainty
you should live in the
here and now: before you
know it, the drawings
fade or get covered with
tags. But it’s all part of
the magic…
wAlk your wAy through ArtBy Laura Schillemans
Antwerp has a vivid street
art scene for you to ex-
plore. let’s start off with
a short list of must-sees.
often the most beautiful
pieces are overlooked be-
cause we’re all too busy
going somewhere so try
to look around the corner
every now and again and
who knows what gems
you might discover!
AnD oFF WE Go…
We’ll take you on a walk (takes about
one hour), starting at Park Spoor Noord
where you can start the day off with
breakfast (try Caravan or Zum!). You can
print out the full walk by visiting http://
bit.ly/streetartwalkantwerp. of course
you’re free to switch it up and visit the
spots randomly and for those who want
to make a day out of it; we’ve added a
few hotspots along the way.
(1) Park SPoor Noord
When you arrive at park Spoor noord (by
Velo for example), after you’ve enjoyed a
delicious breakfast, walk into the direc-
tion of the big towers at the end of the
park. You’ll find rows and rows of bridge
pillars covered with graffiti. It’s like a big
cake: you think the topping is sweet but
wait until you get to the other layers!
Catch a glimpse of the skating ramp while
you walk by, heading into the direction
of ’t Eilandje. It’s a 15 min walk straight
towards and across the Londenbrug. If
you need an orientation point: try to get
close to the MAS (the big red building).
If you have some spare time, go up to the
roof to see the magnificent views.
ART
hoTSpoT n°1
after you’ve crossed the
bridge, get yourself a really
nice cup of coffee at broer
bretel (nassaustraat 7).
ART
22 23
(2) SiNt-aldegoNdiSkaai
When you exit the MAS, continue your
path down south, turn right and spot
a big mural covering up lost space be-
tween two pubs on your left.
Head back to where you came from (to-
wards the MAS) and take the second
street to the right. You should cross
the busy Oude Leeuwenrui which heads
straight to a little square called Falcon-
plein.
a bright artwork that covers the entire
side of a house.
And we’re off again for a 15 min walk
towards the historic city center. Walk
through the Houtenbrug, then go right
(Klapdorp). Keep on walking and you’ll
see the Cathedral appearing in the
distance. Cross the Minderbroedersrui
and take the second street on the right
(Zirkstraat), followed by the first street
on your left (Hofstraat). Now it’s “altijd
rechtendeur” like they say in Antwerp:
always straight ahead! You’ll cross the
Grote Markt (photo opportunity!) and
walk straight into the Hoogstraat (shops
are open on Sundays!). Keep on going
until you reach the two squares at the
end of the street.
(4) oever
Gaze upon yet another mural and let your
imagination take flight. You can make up
your own stories with all the characters.
To continue your walk, pass by the mural
and take the first small street on the left
(Munstraat).
(5) MuNthof
A few steps later you’ll discover a nice
green square (Munthof) where almost all
the walls are covered in art as well!
Get to the next location by going back
to the Muntstraat and going right, fol-
lowing the Augustijnenstraat. When you
reach the Nationalestraat, turn left and
take the second street on the right (the
street is part of a small square), then im-
mediately go left again.
(6) koPStraatje
hopefully you still have some room left
on your camera to take shots of this alley
where numerous artists showed off their
skills. It’s definitely worth to get lost in
the details!
Walk all the way through the street and
take a left to the Kammenstraat (beware:
your pace might slow down when you
see all the shops lining up). The end is
near: take the second street on your left
(Oudaan).
(7) kavka, oudaaN
Sit down at kavka’s courtyard and enjoy
the last mural of this walk. The text isn’t
fully readable anymore which reminds us
of the expiration date of street art but
luckily we have photographs to remem-
ber it in its full glory: “the future can only
be understood backwards”.
hoTSpoT n°2
viktor (falconplein 45), an
espresso bar and concept
gallery showcasing talent-
ed creatives is located on
this square.
Keep on following the street down as
it bends to the right and turns into the
Huikstraat. Then take the first street on
your left.
(3) houteNbrug
Although we went away from the water
you’ll still be able to spot whales! Take
a peek around the corner and behold
hoTSpoT n°3
la chascona (oever 18) is lo-
cated on the last square. it’s
a small coffee house with a
twist. they serve a delicious
coffee and cake with the
twist being that you can buy
everything you see!
ARTART
24 25
by Cleo Klapholz
nIGhTlIfe
When you stroll along the river Scheldt, heading South, at some point you arrive at a pretty iso-lated place. There are no houses, only a deserted cobble stone road in front of you, the river on your right where you might see a ship passing by,… Keep on walking. A weird square building with no windows pops up on your left. You’re not re-ally sure you are following the right direction although something tells you that you’re almost there. A distant beat becomes louder. You see other young people, walking towards a parking lot. You finally ar-rive at probably the best club in Antwerp: petrol.
AntwErP AFtEr DArk
SocIAlART
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CREWS
A few years ago every alternative young-ster in Antwerp had to hop on the train to Brussels or Ghent to find a good party but these youngsters grew up and got tired of travelling halfway through the country for a night of mayhem. Luckily, they decided to start their own crews and began organizing the best parties in town. Banging, Abused, Rolling, furthur, Teknofarm, n2o productions, city-flow... these are all active crews in Antwerp and each and every one of them is specialized in a particular scene. If you’re into one of the genres listed above, you should definitely fol-low them on Facebook.
SocIAl
WHERE TO GO
Sometimes parties are hosted at iso-lated places like petrol, but there are some that can be found in the center of the city. At Kavka, for example, right in the heart of Antwerp, next to the po-lice station/tower and very close to the main shopping area. When you walk through the school-like entrance doors, a hallway covered with graffiti wel-comes you. At the end of this hall, you find a dance floor where you can party like there’s no tomorrow. This place is quite small though, so if you decide to party here, it’s best to buy your tickets in advance.On the other side of town lies Zappa, a bit out of the center and rather secluded but on the positive that means the beats can pound through the sound system all night long without having to worry about angry neighbours complaining. The club is also accessible by public transportation so that makes it even better.
If you prefer a more psychedelic kind of electro music like psytrance, it’s a bit harder but every now and then some huge parties can be found in Antwerp (the scene has moved more to the South, to the area around Brussels). Have you ever heard of our soccer team ‘Den
Antwerp’ ? These guys have a huge sta-dium in Deurne, part of the suburbs of Antwerp. The stadium has a cafeteria with some gigantic rooms that are per-fect to host a party. It’s not really a club,
but it’s a pretty cool location to party, and only a 20 minute tram ride away.
I kept my favourite spot for last. It’s called Magiq and it’s actually a moving club. This club is known in Antwerp as the mirror palace (Spiegeltent in Dutch). It’s an enormous tent with lots of mir-rors inside, incredibly beautiful and it changes location 5 times a year. Magiq hosts all kinds of parties, so anyone can find the opportunity to pass by.
So you see, Antwerp has a lot to offer. Even for people like me, people that have to dig a bit deeper to find a perfect party spot. Antwerp has it all, some-times well hidden, but it makes it all worthwhile when you find it.
SocIAl
PETROL
petrol is one of those places where people with a slightly different taste in music will find what they are looking for. It’s located next to Scheld’apen, an-other local hangout, but the rest of the area is pretty deserted. It’s big enough to host parties where 1500 people can dance till sunrise. There’s no public transportation going directly to Petrol however it’s only a 20 minute walk from the city center. Petrol is home to a lot of different styles including drum&bass, breakcore, dub-step, hardtek, frenchcore, psytrance, and so on… Lovers of these underground genres know that it’s not always easy to find clubs that match their taste in mu-sic. But in Antwerp every junglist, neo hippie or core jumper can find his or her favourite DJ performing every now and then.
Petrol: D’Herbouvillekaai 25,2020 Antwerp
www.petrolclub.be — facebook: Petrol
Kavka: Oudaan 14, 2000 Antwerp
www.kavka.be — facebook: Kavka Jc
Zappa: August Leyweg 6, 2020 Antwerp
www.zappaworld.be — facebook: Jcc Zappa
Magiq: Noordkasteel Oost, 2030 Antwerp (during the summer)
www.magiq.be — facebook: Magiq Spiegeltent
28 29
Most of the time, during the summer, you just want to lay in the grass, relax or sit in the sun with a drink in your hand. Antwerp has it all: parks, bars and even a beach… here’s a quick guide to some of the best places to soak up the sun and have a good time.
SUMMER-TIME
lIfe
Parks
Parks provide plenty of room if you’re looking for some quiet time or just want to take a breather from city life. Stadspark (1) is an excellent spot for an impromptu picnic after a visit to the market. It has a lot of open spaces, a skate bowl and a beautiful pond. park Spoor noord (2) is a different story; It looks a bit like a giant field but there are plenty of things to do. You can have a barbeque (just bring your own food) or have a cocktail at cargo Zomerbar. middelheimpark (3) & nachtegalen-park (4) are both a bit out of the city centre but definitely worth the visit. On offer are an open air sculpture mu-seum, a playground, gardens and even deer!
Quiet PLaces
Looking for a more quiet spot? Head for one of the numerous squares and hidden spots in the city. The botani-cal garden (5), a green oasis right in the middle of the city, is a nice example. If you like to sit by water, the pontoon (6), a platform placed on the river Scheldt, next to ‘t Steen is a great place. A lot of people hang out here at night. Dur-ing the summer months you can also go to the Sunset (7), which is a concept by Zomer van Antwerpen. They installed a tribune so you can sit and watch the sunset while you barbeque! Just keep on following the water and head to noordkasteel (8). It’s a beautiful hid-
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30 31
den spot; excellent for walking and just working on your tan and if you stay late enough, you can always go next door to magiq Spiegeltent (9) for a concert. Looking for something different? Go to the other side of the river (just take the voetgangerstunnel (10) ) ,visit Sint An-neke plage (11) and enjoy the fantastic views of the city skyline.
haVe a drink
During the summer there are lot of summer pop-up bars. They all have a different vibe. One really cool place is De Zomerbar (12). Not only does it have a very relaxed atmosphere, it has an outside library, sun chairs, a bar, two restaurants, a few tree houses, … Swing
by next door neighbour Strantwerpen (13), if you’re looking for a beach and a bit more exclusivity. Not quite sure where you want to go but you know you want to go drinking? Go to mechelse-plein (14) or ossenmarkt (15). These squares, both in the heart of the city are always packed, summer through winter. Looking for a party during the summer (July-August)? De Zomerfabriek (16) is always open and free of charge!
lIfe
rooFtoPs
There is just something about being on a rooftop: sometimes the view is mag-nificent and sometimes you can’t see anything but it feels like you are some-where else. m hKA (17) has the perfect secluded rooftop terrace if you want to have a drink and a bite to eat. Looking for breathtaking views? mAS (18) has a big rooftop which you can reach every day till 11pm. Another well kept secret is the Italian restaurant on the Keyser-lei: Gran Duca (19). It’s a bit more expen-sive than the average Italian restaurant, but you get your money’s worth! If you just want to grab a cocktail after dinner, SkyBar Antwerp (20) located on the top floor of a hotel, is worth a visit.
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32 33
sWiMMinG
Even though the weather in Antwerp isn’t always the best, there are times when you just wish you could go swim-ming. And luckily, we do have a few places where you can take a dip outside. The BadBoot (21), a giant boat floating on the water, is probably the most well know swimming pool, located at the docks. If you want to be sure you’ll get in, make a reservation online. We also have an ecological swimming pond at Boekenberg park (22) where you can take a dip for free but it will only last for 15min. If you’re at the other side of the river, you could always hop into De molen (23), which is another big open air swimming pool.
lIfe
breakFast
Imagine, you went out late last night and the best remedy for that nasty hangover is a big breakfast. Lucky you, because Antwerp has some great places to go to. On ‘t Eilandje you’ll find felix-pakhuis (24) which used to be a ware-house in the 1860, but they’ve turned it into the city archives and a restaurant. It’s located next to the MAS, so even the view is beautiful. Their brunch à volonté on Sunday is one to try. Sal-ads, pastries and all the breakfast spe-cials you can dream of! plein midi (25) is a small yet cozy eatery, located on the Sint-Paulusplaats, where they serve all kinds of different breakfasts (Swedish, Spanish, English,...). Tartine (26) is located a bit further down the street. It’s a small breakfast and lunch bar where the menu is filled with deli-cious sandwiches and a few weeks ago a new cake house opened at Nieuw Zuid called Baked (27). When you walk in, you will be overwhelmed with choice! The owner Karolien, sells sugar bombs (think brownies with peanut butter) as well as hearty cakes with feta and ba-con. The pieces are huge and the prices are tiny! The most you’ll pay for a piece is €3,90.
If you’re looking for more things to do (like take a bike ride) of where to shop vintage, drink a coffee,… Check out our website (www.thisisantwerp.be) where you can download these maps or down-load our free app!
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3534
TIpS TIpS TIpSAnTWeRp phRASeS
WhAT To SAY
“MERCI” - mer cee – “Thank you”“ZWANST NA NI” – zwanst na ne – “stop joking around”“IK KöS M’N SCHUP AF” – eek cos men schoop af – “I’m quitting”“DIE VAN ONGS” – de van ongs – “my man/woman”“IK GON M’N PETATJES AFGIETEN” -eek gon men pehtad-yes afgeeten – “I’m going to take a leak”“OEPT GEMAK, É ”- oopt gheh-mak, a – “take it easy”“SCHOON MARCHANDIES” -skaan mar-chan-des – “looking good”“AMAI MENNE FRAK” -amai, men naa frak –“ holy moly”“MAK IS PASSEREN” - mac is pass eran – “Can I get through”“EEN DAANSKE PLACEREN” – an daanske pla-ceren – “going dancing”
hoW To RenT A BIKe Velo Biking is always a nice way to explore a city. You can rent a red bike (you see them all over town) with your credit-card in 3 different ways. 1) Go online to www.velo-antwerpen.be and buy a day or week pass. 2) You can call the information desk (+32 (0)3/206 50 30) or 3) You can visit the info desk at Kievitplein 7, 2000 Antwerp (closed on the weekends).
SpInlISTeR You can try Spinlister (www.spinlis-ter.com) and see if there are any avail-able bikes for rent. This site allows people to rent bikes from locals.
SocIAl
WheRe To Sleep We hAVe 4 YouTh hoSTelS In AnTWeRp
ABHostel – Kattenberg 110, 2140 Borgerhout +32 (0) 473 57 01 66, www.abhostel.com
Pulcinella – Bogaardeplein 1, 2000 Antwerp, +32 (0)3 234 03 14, www.vjb.be
Scoutel – Stoomstraat 3-7, 2018 Antwerp +32 (0)3 226 46 06, www.scoutel.be
Boomerang – Lange Leemstraat 95, 2018 Antwerp +32 (0)3 238 47 82, www.boomeranghostel.be
During July & August you can also stay at Zero Star Pension (Nulsterrenpen-sion) at De Zomerfabriek for €18pp/per night (breakfast incl.)Minckelerstraat, 2018 Antwerp,www.zva.be
fRee WIfI IT’S AlWAYS hAnDY To KnoW WheRe You cAn GeT fRee WIfI
cAfé/BARVitrin – Marnixplaats 14De Muze – Melkmarkt 15Chatleroi – Graaf van Hoornestraat 2Bar Leon – Reuzenstraat 23Korsakov – Sint Jorispoort 1Vagant - Reyndersstraat 25Fixerati - Lange Koepoortstraat 13Homey - Sint Paulusplaats 24Baah Bar - Sint Jorispoort 2De Kroon - Kerkstraat 91
coffeeBARPalanca – Sint-Jacobsmarkt 59Coffeelabs – Lange Klarenstraat 19Caffènation – Mechelsesteenweg 16Broer Bretel – Nassaustraat 7Viggo’s Coffeebar – De Coninckplein 21Normo Coffee - Minderbroedersrui 30Kolonel Koffie - Grote Pieter Potstraat 38Viktor - Falconplein 45Coffee & Vinyl - Volkstraat 45Revista - Karel Rogierstraat 47
eATInG ouTPerruche – Oude Vaartplaats 60Café Camino – Vrijdagmarkt 5Café Stanny – Stanleystraat 1Plein Midi – Sint Paulusplaats 23Barnini – Oude Vaartplaats 10Caravan - Damplein 17Felixpakhuis - Godefriduskaai 30Café Storm - Hanzestedenplaats 5Krokbar Fabiola - Sint Antoniusstraat 4ViaVia - Wolstraat 43
SocIAl
fRee App!
hoTSpoTS
Eat, drink, shop, party, relax and act like a local! Wherever you are in Antwerp, we can show you all the HIDDEN SECRETS in your neighbourhood. Complete and up-to-date information in the palm of your hand: opening hours, tram stops, telephone numbers,… Download it or you’ll miss the hottest parts of Antwerp!
CAlEnDAR
What is happening right here, right now? The calendar keeps you informed about what is going on today, tomorrow or next week. From parties to expositions, from live music to events,…
loCAlS
Meet the Antwerp locals who are sharing all their secrets with you!
CoMMUnITY
Read and make suggestions, get a date or say hello to your fellow visitors and the locals. A Foursquare plug-in tells you where to find the trending places
oFFlInE?
The app will help you find free wifi spots. You only need an internet connection to download updates, get directions or watch videos. The rest is as offline as can be!
ThIS IS AnTWeRp: foR YouR SmARTphoneAntwerp is All About trends.
whAt’s hot todAy, mAy be gone
tomorrow. sure you wouldn’t
wAnt to miss the numer-
ous pop-up bArs And shops.
thAt’s why we mAde the this is
Antwerp App for iphone And
Android, which keeps you up-
dAted About whAt is hot And
hAppening. totAlly locAl And
totAlly free.