A wine fan in Antwerp

Sometimes impulsive decisions in life are the best. So we decided last minute to go to Antwerp for a few days. It's just over an hour from Amsterdam if you take the Thalys. So easy!

I've compiled all my tips & tricks for you to ensure you get the most out of your next short city trip here.

Practical matters

Antwerp is incredibly bike-friendly, so that was our preferred mode of transportation. You can rent bikes anywhere in the city through Velo-Antwerp for just €5 a day. If you're feeling a little less energetic, you can also rent an electric bike through the Uber app. Going out for dinner has never been easier than in Antwerp.

The best wine hotspots in Antwerp

#1 Bardeau

A cozy, contemporary wine bar with two friendly, knowledgeable gentlemen. They've only just opened their doors. It's accessible yet stylishly decorated.

Nice wine list and some great wines by the glass. We drank the IPA beer from The Jane (I sometimes drink something different too). drink local the mission was to drink more Belgian wines. We drank the Liège Contrepoint 2018 An orange wine from Wallonia that was surprisingly delicious and easy to drink. The wine is made from the modern Solaris and Souvignier Gris grape varieties. Cocktails are also a good option here. In short, the first wine bar was immediately a shot in the rosé .

For more information, see Bardeau's website .

#2 Tannin

Tannin is another cozy wine bar, a favorite among Antwerp locals. We discovered it's always busy. Not surprising, considering they have a fantastic wine list with a huge selection. It was difficult to choose, so we asked the sommelier to pour us a bottle blind. It's especially fun to see what they come up with themselves.

We were presented with the Martin Wassmer Weisser Burgunder Schlatter Maltesergarten 'SW' Spätlese Trocken 2019 – a mouthful. The wine was aged in French oak barrels. It reminded us of a white Burgundy. What a delicious and affordable glass of wine. Natural wine lovers will certainly find something to their liking here.

For more information, see Tannin's website .

#3 Bar Brut

Bar Brut is located in the "Eilandje," a modern neighborhood where apartment prices are as high as an average house in Rotterdam. We're told that Gert Verhulst also has an apartment here with a view of his private yacht. The place to be , so.

At Bar Bruut, natural wine takes center stage, with uncomplicated, delicious bites. It's a great place to enjoy a quick glass of wine in a relaxed atmosphere. No concept, no bullshit is the motto and we completely agree with it.

For more information, see the website of Bar Brut .

#4 Vinetiq (shop)

At the invitation of Sammy (a WSET Diploma classmate), we had a fantastic tasting at Vinetiq. They sell exclusively cool-climate wines. Anything but the standard selection.

'A grape that has to fight, a winemaker who has to excel to achieve results: cool climate is about getting the most out of the craft of winemaking and playing with the boundaries of what nature can offer' .

There's plenty to sample here, and the shop has a modern design. The wines that stood out during our tasting were the 2018 Chardonnay from Aldeneyck and a Tondonia-style oak-aged rosé from Daniel Ramos Ka Pi Rosé '100% Garnacha +60 Year Old Vines' 2018. It's worth a visit, as you're guaranteed to be surprised.

Did you know that Vinetiq also makes its own cool climate wines in Belgium at its Valke Vleug estate and sells a large selection of Belgian wines?

For more information, see website of Vinetiq .

#5 Restaurant Marcel

Antwerp's most extensive wine list can be found at Restaurant Marcel. The food is also fantastic. You can choose à la carte or opt for a set menu. We went there, of course, for the wine list, which has been awarded two glasses by Wine Spectator – something only 1,244 restaurants worldwide have.

Because choosing from such a menu is impossible, we once again enlist the help of the sommelier. He gets to choose. The nice thing is that the sommelier often knows exactly which wine is ready to drink. We drank Chassange-Montrachet 1er Cru from Francois Jouard. A sommelier's discovery, a truly fantastic glass!

For more information, see Marcel's website .

#6 Belgian Wines

Wine bar and wine shop Belgium Wines sells and serves—you guessed it—only Belgian wines. Here you can fully immerse yourself in the world of Belgian wine. You'll immediately wonder, why don't we have this already? Amsterdam ?

For more information, see website of Belgian Wines .

More tips from Nadien

Nadien also visited Antwerp and has a few additions.

#7 Wine bar and wine shop Titulus

Near the Scheldt River, you'll find the wine bar and shop Titulus. Here you can indulge in fine wines (many of which are minimalist). I bought the Clos de Jauygueron, a juicy Bordeaux that I recently tasted for the first time at restaurant Terroir in Utrecht.

For more information, see website of Titulus

#8 Beer café Paters Vaetje

If you're tired of wine, you can visit Paters Vaetje in the city center. Here you'll find more than 100 beers from Belgium and beyond.

For more information, see website of Fathers Vaetje

If you're still looking for a hotel, Hotel Franq is the answer. The hotel boasts a beautiful entrance and a Michelin-star restaurant. Also important: wonderful beds. We enjoyed a bottle of Les Crais Auxey-Duresses and a Flemish Pinot Noir from Wijndomein Aldeneyck in the restaurant. Pure enjoyment.

The nicest places in Antwerp

We love Antwerp! It's a modern and dynamic city with great spots everywhere for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. So one thing's for sure: I'll be back soon, and from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or Breda, you can get there in no time.

Finally, a nice non-wine tip: Museum aan de Stroom . Between all the visits, it's sometimes nice to immerse yourself in the tranquility of a museum. The MAS has unique and fascinating exhibitions and is a real eye-catcher in Antwerp. The building was designed by a Dutch architectural firm, and from the roof, you have a beautiful panoramic view of Antwerp. If you have a well-filled wallet, you can eat at the restaurant on the ^{18th floor.} floor-standing restaurant 't Zilte, one of the best restaurants in Belgium.