Part of Antwerp South and around
Is Antwerp worth visiting? How to spend a weekend there
Yes, Antwerp is worth visiting for a weekend. Two days cover the old town and cathedral, the MAS by the docks and a museum or park, and many highlights cost nothing. From Antwerp South, trams 2 and 6 run to Antwerpen-Centraal. Our short-term rentals in Antwerp take stays from 2 nights, exactly one weekend.
You have a free weekend and wonder whether Antwerp is enough for a city break. Or you want to fit the best of it into two days. Maybe you are coming with children, or with friends who want more than one museum. This plan starts from Antwerp South, a quieter part of the city with trams to the centre.
Is Antwerp worth visiting for a weekend?
Antwerp is worth visiting for a weekend because its main sights sit close together and two days are enough to see them without rushing. You get a historic centre with the Cathedral of Our Lady and the MAS museum by the docks. Add Rubens, printing history and a large open-air art park. Many highlights, such as the MAS rooftop, are free.
Be realistic about what Antwerp is. It is a working port city with busy shopping streets, not a quiet open-air museum. That mix is the appeal for many visitors. A third day lets you add a train trip; see our ideas for day trips from Antwerp.
Where you sleep shapes the weekend. The old town is lively until late, while Antwerp South is calmer and greener. Our guide to Antwerp South and Middelheim Park describes the area this plan starts from.
A weekend in Antwerp, day by day
A weekend in Antwerp works best with the old town on Saturday and the docks and parks on Sunday. Museums close on Mondays, so do the indoor sights first. The plan below uses opening information from each venue’s own website, checked on 14 October 2026.
A two-day plan for a weekend in Antwerp
| When | What | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday morning | Antwerpen-Centraal, then the Meir to the old town | Tram 6 or 2 from Antwerp South to Astrid or Diamant |
| Saturday midday | Grote Markt, city hall and the Cathedral of Our Lady | The cathedral holds masterpieces by Rubens |
| Saturday afternoon | Museum Plantin-Moretus, a printing house and family home | Closed for renovation until early December 2026 |
| Saturday evening | Dinner in the old town, then the Scheldt quays | Tram 11 runs from the Meir area back to the Central Station |
| Sunday morning | MAS on the Eilandje: museum, boulevard and rooftop | Museum halls open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00 |
| Sunday afternoon | Middelheim Museum, an open-air art park | Free entry, closed on Mondays |
The cathedral’s website notes that one Rubens triptych is being restored and is not on display. The MAS opening page says the boulevard and panorama stay open until 22:00 from Tuesday to Sunday. From 1 April to 31 October they stay open until midnight, so the rooftop also works as an evening stop.
Travelling with children? Our guide to Antwerp with kids has more family ideas. In December, combine the plan with the Antwerp Christmas market, which runs from 4 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
What can you do for free in Antwerp?
Two of the best stops on a weekend in Antwerp cost nothing. The MAS says you can visit its boulevard and the panorama on the roof for free, without a ticket. The Middelheim Museum in Antwerp South is an open-air art park, and its website states that admission is free with no ticket needed.
The Middelheim Museum is open every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 17:00 between October and March. In summer it stays open longer, until 20:00 from May to August. It closes on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and in stormy weather. Middelheim Park is about 1.9 km in a straight line from the Hoost building, so it fits a slow Sunday afternoon.
Walking the old town is free as well. The Grote Markt, the streets around the cathedral and the Scheldt quays need no ticket.
How do you get around Antwerp at the weekend?
Getting around Antwerp at the weekend is easiest by tram. From Antwerp South, trams 2 and 6 run north to the Astrid and Diamant stations at Antwerpen-Centraal. Both stop near the Hoost building.
Important
The premetro tunnel on the Opera, Meir and Groenplaats axis is closed for renovation until 2027. Trams no longer stop at Opera, Meir or Groenplaats. De Lijn lists the changes on its tunnel renovation page.
For the old town, De Lijn runs tram 11 above ground from the Central Station along the Meir to the Melkmarkt. You can also walk the Meir, the main shopping street. If you come by car, note that the Hoost building is outside the low-emission zone. P+R Olympiade is about 0.2 km away, at the end of tram 6.
Is your weekend built around a concert at the AFAS Dome? Plan for a longer trip: it is in Merksem, about 6.4 km away on the north side.
Weekend accommodation in Antwerp
Weekend accommodation in Antwerp at Hoost means a furnished apartment in Antwerp South, in one building at VIIde-Olympiadelaan 19 near Middelheim Park. The minimum stay is 2 nights, which matches a Friday to Sunday weekend. Here is how a short stay runs:
- Arrival: self check-in with a lockbox from 15:00, so you can arrive on Friday evening. Check-out is by 11:00.
- Space: a 1-bedroom apartment for 2, or a 2-bedroom apartment for up to 4. Up to 14 guests fit across the building.
- Breakfast at home: every apartment has a kitchen with cooking basics and a dining table.
- Families: a cot and a high chair on request. The first-floor apartment with terrace has two bedrooms and outdoor space.
Send your dates and the number of guests, and we reply with a proposal.
When Hoost is not the right choice
Hoost is not the right choice if you want to step out of the door into the old town. Antwerp South is quieter than the centre, and the Grote Markt is a tram ride away. For a first visit with no transport at all, a hotel in the centre may suit you better.
Hoost also does not fit if you need a single night, daily housekeeping, parking on site or a place for a pet. Pets are not allowed, and cleaning is done per booking. For the full picture of the area, see what staying in Antwerp South is like.
Frequently asked questions
Are Antwerp museums open on Mondays?
Many are not. The MAS, the Middelheim Museum and the Museum Plantin-Moretus all close on Mondays, except Easter Monday and Whit Monday. Plan museums for Saturday and Sunday.
Is two days enough for Antwerp?
Two days are enough for the old town, the MAS and one museum or park. Add a third day for a train trip to Ghent or Bruges, or a slower look at the Zuid and Antwerp South.
Is the MAS rooftop free?
Yes. The MAS says you can visit the boulevard and the panorama on the roof for free, without a ticket. They are closed on Mondays and may close in bad weather.
Can I stay only one night at Hoost for a short city break?
No. The minimum stay at Hoost is 2 nights, so a Friday to Sunday weekend is the shortest stay.
Sources
- How & when to get here, MAS (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Tickets & Rates, MAS (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Plan your visit, Middelheim Museum (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Plan your visit, Museum Plantin-Moretus (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Home | De Kathedraal, De Kathedraal (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Tunnel renovation metro in Antwerp, De Lijn (checked on 14 Oct 2026)
- Tram lines Rechteroever, De Lijn (checked on 14 Oct 2026)