Anvers/Antwerpen in Dutch/French) is Belgium’s largest harbor, the second-largest city, and centre of cool. It has always been a strong lure for everyone, from club queens and fashion moguls to art lovers and diamond dealers. The famed baroque painter Pieter Paul Rubens called it home; it was one of the most important cities in Europe in the middle of the 16th century.

In spite of countless following historical defeats and extensive WWII bombing, Antwerp nonetheless retains a wonderful medieval heart with a number of café-filled cobbled lanes, a riverside fortification, and an absolutely gorgeous church. However, the vibrant fashion and entertainment scene, as well as the dramatic architectural and cultural contrasts, are now the city’s main draws.