Why go now?
A survey of travel writers recently named Antwerp one of the top 10 must-visit destinations for 2009 - and with good reason. It is a focal point of Europe's art and fashion scene, with bars, restaurants and nightlife to match. The big deal in November is the Maison Martin Margiela exhibition at MoMu (momu.be), the city's first-rate fashion museum. Margiela's work consists of a special blend of classic tailoring and conceptual thinking and this unique retrospective delves into the various themes that underpin his high-octane clothes. Also on show in November is 'Heads on Shoulders', featuring two centuries (1600-1800) of Dutch and Belgian portrait busts, the realistic and the romantic side by side - and all in startling Baroque detail. The exhibition is at the Museum voor Schone Kunsten, or KMSKA (kmska.be) for short, a five-minute tram ride south of the centre.
Checking in
Many hotels are near the train station, which is a couple of kilometres from the city centre, and can be a bit of a pain. For atmosphere, stay near the main square - the Grote Markt - and it's here you'll find the plush and smart Rubens Grote Markt (Oude Beurs 29, 00 32 3 222 4848; hotelrubensantwerp.be; doubles from €150) and the chic and stylish Matelote (Haarstraat 11, 00 32 3 201 8800; matelote.be; doubles from €120). The city also has a battery of B&Bs, one of the best being the ultra-cool M0851 (Nationalestraat 19, 00 32 3 297 6066; m0851.be; doubles from €140).
Hit the streets
Start the day with a visit to Antwerp's magnificent Gothic cathedral, Belgium's finest church, whose soaring nave holds several wonderful canvases by Pieter Paul Rubens. From here, it's a couple of minutes' walk to the Grote Markt. Next up, wander the narrow lanes and alleys of the old centre before strolling down to the banks of the River Scheldt, a pretty prelude to the string of ancient buildings trailing north to the Baroque delights of St Pauluskerk (St Paul's church). With kids in tow, be sure to drop by De Antwerpse ruien, on Suikkerrui for a tour of the city's sewers - but don't plan to eat immediately before, or afterwards.
Coffee break
For coffee and cake, look no further than Popoff (Oude Koornmarkt 18), a tiny café with the best desserts, tarts and gateaux in town. It's open Tuesday to Saturday, noon-10.30pm and Sunday, noon-10pm.
Neighbourhood watch
Most of the action is on the east bank of the River Scheldt, but a pedestrian tunnel leads under the river to the Middenvijver Nature Park, a local favourite, popular for its river views and birdlife. And don't miss Het Eilandje, a sprawl of canals, wharves and docks whose warehouses and maritime buildings are being turned into one of the city's most fashionable areas.
Retail therapy
New to town is the Designcenter De Winkelhaak, where the emphasis is on high-end domestic goods from chairs and sculptures to tin openers and fancy gift boxes; the shop is near the train station at Lange Winkelhaakstraat 26 (00 32 3 727 1030; winkelhaak.be) and is open Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm. Antwerp is famous for its diamonds. The trade is carried on behind closed doors, but there are about a dozen diamond shops near the train station on Pelikaanstraat. The city also has an international reputation for fashion and there are several dozen designer boutiques a brief walk south of the centre. Highlights include Dries van Noten's Modepaleis (Nationalestraat 16) and Veronique Branquinho's boutique (Nationalestraat 73).
Worked up an appetite
Antwerp is an enjoyable and inexpensive place to eat, its busy centre liberally sprinkled with laid-back cafés and restaurants, which excel at combining traditional Flemish dishes with Mediterranean, French and vegetarian cuisines. Cream of the gastronomic crop is De Kleine Zavel (Stoofstraat 2, 00 32 3 231 9691), a bistro-style restaurant with wooden floors and old-style furniture serving Franco-Belgian cuisine at its tastiest. A great second choice is De Groote Witte Arend (Reyndersstraat 18, degrootewittearend.be), an eminently appealing café-bar which occupies one wing and the courtyard of an old mansion. Great range of beers - including authentic Gueuze and Kriek - plus delicious Flemish dishes, including stoemp (mashed potato with veg) and stoofvlees (beef cooked in beer) - all to a classical music soundtrack.
Big night out
Start by sipping your way through some of the vast range of Belgian beers. Paters' Vaetje (Blauwmoezelstraat 1) in the shadow of the cathedral offers more than 100; Het Elfde Gebod (Torfbrug 10) has become a tourist trap but is worth a look for the kitsch 19th-century religious statues cramming every surface (don't bother with the food though); or try De Herk (Reyndersstraat 33), a tiny bar down an alley and set around a courtyard; it's popular with a young hip crowd. Afterwards, all roads lead to Café d'Anvers (Verversrui 15, 00 32 3 226 3870; cafe-d-anvers.com). It's in the red light district (next to one of Europe's biggest brothels), but don't be put off. The club, in a vast old warehouse with brick walls and huge industrial fans to make revellers' hair fly back dramatically, is one of the best in Europe.
Getting there
Train is the best bet - from London it takes as little as two hours 55 minutes, changing in Brussels, and costs from £59, book through Eurostar (0870 518 6186; eurostar.com). Alternatively, VLM (0871 666 5050; flyvlm.com) flies from London City and Manchester to Antwerp from around £115.
• Phil Lee is co-author of The Rough Guide to Belgium & Luxembourg, £13.99 from roughguides.com
