Antwerp Shopping – Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tips

Antwerp Shopping

Antwerp is a port city in Belgium and is rich in history dating to the Middle Ages. Tourists regularly flock to Antwerp to browse its wide variety of shopping available. Below, we have outlined just a few of the top places to shop.

Jewelry

Antwerp is known for its diamonds and even has an entire diamond district dedicated to the trade for tourists to browse. Antwerp has been the top rated city for diamonds since the 16th century. In fact, one out of every two polished diamonds in existence has passed through Antwerp at some point. These shops are all located south of central station in the diamond district. These stores are not meant for the amateur diamond shopper though and regularly attract the industry experts.

Markets

The Bird’s Market, or the Vogelenmarkt, is the most famous in Belgium. Held every Sunday morning from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm, the streets are lined with stalls from just about every type of vendor imaginable. The name for the market originated in the 16th century when the market was predominantly used for sale of birds such as geese and ducks. The market is held on Theaterplein and the surrounding streets.

Books

The Slegte is a chain of second hand bookstores that are throughout Belgium and The Netherlands. The store owners claim to have over 1 million second hand books available, so be sure to stop in and take a look. As shoppers explore through the additional floors to the shop, they will be treated to find other hidden gems and spaces throughout the shop. Although the name of these bookstores changed in 2013, there are still 8 select stores in Belgium that have retained the Slegte name.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about shopping in Antwerp, Belgium.