Antwerp: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the Old City

This self-guided audio walking tour explores the historic heart of Antwerp. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want a clear introduction to the city’s medieval streets, grand squares, churches, and trading heritage, with stories that connect the landmarks you see along the way. Your route begins at Het Steen, the old fortress beside the River Scheldt, one of Antwerp’s oldest surviving buildings. From there, you continue to Museum Vleeshuis, the striking red-and-white guildhall of the butchers, then into Grote Markt, where the ornate guild houses and Renaissance City Hall show the wealth of the 16th-century city. The walk leads on to the Baroque splendor of Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk, the quiet courtyard of the Heritage Library Hendrik Conscience, the elegant Handelsbeurs, and the early skyscraper Boerentoren. You then cross lively Groenplaats and slip into the hidden alley of Vlaaikensgang before the tour ends at the Cathedral of Our Lady, crowned by its soaring Gothic spire. Along the way, the most memorable moments include the riverfront fortress walls, richly decorated facades, peaceful historic passages, and the dramatic contrast between Antwerp’s medieval streets and its bold commercial ambition.