Guide to Antwerp

Name: Antwerp

Where: City in Belgium

Region: Flanders

Population: 1,669,800

Currency: Euro (EUR) €

Electricity: 230V 50Hz - two pin plug

Time Zones: GMT/UTC +1

Country Dialling Code: +32

Weights and Measures: Metric

When to go: Weatherwise, go between May and September when the sun shines offering pleasant temperatures to up to 5°C (77°F). November to March is pretty dismal with lots of rain and winter temperatures are low hovering between 3°C (32°F) and is 6°C (43°F).

Airport: Antwerp International Airport Tel: +32 03 285 65 00. The airport is 4km (2.5 miles) southeast of the city centre in the sububrm of Deurne.

Getting around:

Trains Stations: There are two main stations. The first, the very attractive Centraal Station is just east of the centre and is located next door one of the oldest zoos in the world right in the heart of the diamond district. Berchem station is a further 2km (1.2 mile) southeast.

Bus and Tram: These are operated by De Lijn Te: +32 03 218 1411. You can buy cards of €8 (10 fares ('dagpas net')) at fixed points in town or buy them inside buses. However, a 24-hours pass can only be bought at the Diamant Underground Station (open Mon.-Frid. 8am-12:30pm & 1:30am-4pm). If you don't have a card you pay more inside the bus (€1.50 per fare).

Each of the 12 tram lines in Antwerp is color coded:

2 Hoboken-Linkeroever GREEN
3 Merksem-Zwijndrecht YELLOW
4 Hoboken-St. Pietersvliet LIGHT BLUE
5 Wim Saerensplein - Linkerover BROWN
6 Olympiade - Luchtbal (FUSHIA)
7 Mortsel-St. Pietersvliet DARK BLUE
8 Eksterlaar-Lambermontplaats ORANGE
10 Deurne-Melkmarkt LIGHT GREEN
11 Eksterlaar-Melkmarkt AQUA
12 Sportpaleis - Bolivarplaats RED
15 Mortsel-Linkeroever LIGHT BROWN
24 Silsburg-Zuidstation PINK

Trams Lines 2, 3, 5, 6 & 15 run partly underground - this is referred to as the Premetro system.

To catch at tram or bus extend your arm as it approaches the stop - so the driver can see you; if you don't signal, the bus or tram might not stop. Similar to hailing a cab.

Public transport operates on the honour system but inspectors do on the spot checks. So make sure you have validated your ticket by inserting it into the yellow electronic machines inside buses and trams. The ticket must be revalidated each time you enter a new vehicle but you are allowed multiple transfers within a 1-hour period of the initial validation, so you can hop on and off trams and buses during that time and only one journey will be cancelled by the electronic scanner. If more than one person is traveling on one ticket, the ticket must be validated each time for each traveler.

OVERVIEW OF ANTWERP

This Flemish city is probably the most underrated in Europe. Antwerp brought us Rubens, and robus diamond industry, a myriad of fashion designers and offers fine Baroque architecture alongside a vibrant night life and great shopping and restaurants. The city's canals also add to Antwerp's appeal.

Don't leave without trying Antwerpse Handjes (meaning little Antwerp hands) the city's own chocolate speciality. These hands are the city's symbol and you'll see it everywhere, and especially in chocolate shops. According to legend, a giant called Druoon Antigoon lived on the banks of the River Schelde (now Antwerpen) and demanded a levy. Anyone declining to pay would have their hands cut off. The tyrant was defeated by Silvius Brabo, a Roman soldier who symbolically cut off Antigoon's hand and threw it into the river. he city was named after Brabo's throwing of Antigoon's hand into the Schelde - 'werpen' means 'throw' in English.

14 September 2008