Antwerp, Belgium – A Weekend Travel Guide To The Diamond City
Antwerp is a very old place known for its super friendly people, its trade in diamonds, delicious food, and relaxing, low-stress lifestyle. The mixture of old and new combines to create a city with a very unique sort of atmosphere. So if you’re looking to take an easy-going, laid-back vacation, consider visiting Antwerp. Just remember that you’ll need a passport to travel outside the United States. And now, USA passport services are available online, making trip preparation a breeze.
Going online to deal with passport processing is a new sort of way to help you through trip preparation. This safe and convenient sites offer services like passport applications and rush passport renewal, and the steps to follow are very simple. All you do is fill out an application, select your delivery date, and you’re done.
Antwerp is definitely a city composed of history. The Farmer’s Tower – called Boerentoren by the people – is considered to be Europe’s first skyscraper. You can get one of the best views of the city around on the 25th floor observation deck. Het Steen, translated as “The Stone” is an extremely old castle that was built originally in 1220-1225. This age makes it Europe’s oldest building and castle. Now on the inside there’s a little naval museum. At the bottom of the castle marks the beginning of Wandelterrassen, a board walk with some scenic routes. Rubenshuis, or Rubens House, is where the world famous artist used to live and paint. You can still see some of his paintings on the wall.
In the middle of the historical district of Antwerp, you can find City Hall and Old Market Square. City Hall is a very special building with its unique mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, a mixture found almost exclusively in this building. Around the Square are Medieval houses that look like something straight out of a story book – it really is enough to make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. In 1351, The Cathedral of our Lady was built. Standing more than four hundred feet tall, it is one of the largest Gothic Cathedrals in North Europe.
Because this city is so old, it is a prime location for ghost tours. So if you’re the type that enjoys a little paranormal phenomena, be sure to check out what ghost tours are available. Another little mysterious part of Antwerp is the hidden street Vlaeykensgang. This street is only accessible through a pair of Medieval doors. See if you can find it yourself.
The Port of Antwerp is a historically and culturally significant location in Antwerp. This Port is the largest in all of Europe, and one of the largest on the planet. There are tours that can give unfold for you the background of this commercial site, and because it has been so pivotal in Belgium’s development, it’s worth seeing for yourself.
This is just a small fraction of the stuff you can see and do in Antwerp. One of the benefits of an Antwerp vacation is the cost; there is so much to do that costs little to no money. For example, taking a bike ride around the city is one of the best ways to explore, and Antwerp is one of the most bike-friendly cities around. Just be sure to remember your passports, and don’t forget about online And now, passport services. These sites offer rush pass port renewal among other things, so get ready to start your adventure!
Filed under travel and leisure by on Nov 9th, 2010.
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