Spend a Weekend

Check into De Witte Lelie or Hotel Julien, both ideally situated close to the heart of city, then head out for a quick aperitif. For wonderful views of the Grote Markt, settle into Ultimatum or to enjoy a little neighbourhood snug, go to the wine bar Raga, close to both hotels, which serves up serious wine by the glass.

For dinner, book a table at Hecker (Kloosterstraat 13), a buzzy restaurant with an intimate interior that serves up innovative modern north European cuisine, created by Chef Kasper Kurdhal. Make sure you leave space for the bubbling chocolate pudding with olive oil, salt and chilli, it's sublime.

On Saturday morning, get to Rubenshuis for its 10am opening to ensure a good dose of culture. Then make your way over to Nationalestraat, making time, if you wish, for the Museum Mayer van den Bergh and the up-market shops of Leopoldstraat. On Nationalestraat, if you are interested in fashion, do not miss MoMu the fashion museum.

Alternatively, wander along and around Nationalestraat, where many of Belgium's top designers have their stores, including Veronique Branquinho, Walter (Van Beirendonck), Christa Reniers and Het Modepaleis (Dries van Noten). Stop for lunch in either the Mode Museum's contemporary Italian cafe or at Gusto (Steenhouwersvest 29), a cool Mediterranean restaurant.

Spend the early afternoon browsing the antiques, bric-a-brac and home interior shops of Kloosterstraat, making sure you leave time to visit the truly fascinating Plantin-Moretus Museum, before it closes at 5pm. Wander back to your hotel via the Grote Markt and surrounding areas, stopping for a hot chocolate or beer at Den Engel, something of an institution in Antwerp.

In the evening, dine at the trendy but cosy Hippodroom (Leopold De Waelplaats 10) in the heart of Zuid, before heading out for a few drinks in one of the many bars and clubs found in the neighbourhood - Entrepot du Congo (Vlaamsekaai 42) and Bar Tabac (Waalsekaai 43) both come recommended.

On Sunday, head back to Zuid for more cultural pursuits - don't miss Het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Fine Arts Museum) and, if you have time, also take a look at the Modern Arts Museum, Museum voor Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen and the Museum voor Fotografie. It's also well worth wondering around Zuid during the day to admire the architecture - both the Art Nouveau buildings and the modern Law Courts, designed by Richard Rogers and opened for business in 2006.

Before returning home, check out the area around Central Station, an architectural gem in its own right. There's the interactive Diamond Museum to visit and the Zoo, which is one of the oldest in the world and famous for its breeding programmes for threatened species. If you are travelling home on the Eurostar, you can always leave your bags in the station's secure lockers, then collect them once you've been to the Museum and Zoo, and are ready to take a train back to Brussels.