Stads-GR Antwerpen: Rondom

Antwerp is the only city in Flanders with its own small GR network, called stads-GR Antwerpen. This network combines 3 trails: Stads-GR Antwerpen Rondom, Stads-GR Antwerpen East to West, and Stads-GR Antwerpen North to South. This last one fully runs along a section of the GR12, which is therefore not seen as a separate ‘Stads-GR’ route.
The ‘Stads-GR Antwerpen: Rondom, is a trail that runs around the city center and that connects quite a few parks.

The trail starts at the castle of Rivierenhof, a park located a bit outside of Antwerp. The trail follows the lush parks and forests next to the highway to eventually enter Park Spoor Noord, a bustling park in the Northern part of Antwerp. You can follow the walking route through the park and cross the Italiëlei using a modern pedestrians and cyclists bridge. The trail will lead you to ‘het Eilandje.’

‘Het Eilandje’ is considered one of the coolest neighborhoods. It is well-known for its museum ‘MAS’, where you can take the escalator to the rooftop terrace to get a free view of the city. Heading further south, following the ‘Scheldekaaien’ the trail passes ‘Het Steen’ (a centuries-old fortress where one can enjoy another view from the free rooftop terrace). After taking in all the sights of the River ‘Scheldt’, the trail leads you through the beautiful neighborhoods in ‘Antwerpen Zuid’ and passes the museums MHKA, FoMu, and KMSKA, this last one has had a thorough renovation over the last 10 years and is now open for the public. Next to the beautiful artwork here, the combination of the old- and new architecture is worth the visit if you’re planning to stay longer in the city.

After passing through quite a few neighborhoods, and crossing the highway again, the trail enters the Nachtegalenpark. This park used to be private property of rich merchants but has since 1910 been open to the public. A few kilometers further, the trail will run along the Station of Berchem before ending its journey back in Rivierenhof. Make sure to drink a coffee or a hot chocolate on the terrace of ‘Kasteel Rivierenhof’ and enjoy the supplementary cookie ‘Antwerpse handjes,’ an artisanal cookie that can only be bought in Antwerp itself (and so delicious!).

Belgium has moderate temperatures year-round. Therefore this trail can be walked any time of year. During the winter, around December until February/March it can be cold and occasionally snowy. During the summer months, from June until September, the temperatures are higher. However, the weather can be unpredictable so one should always be prepared for rain.

The ‘Stads-GR Antwerpen’ runs through Antwerp’s city center, making the trail very accessible and not technically or physically demanding. The trail is marked in both directions but due to the numerous streets and alleys, it’s easy to miss one. Do make sure to download the GPX file to make sure you don’t get lost. There is no official map or Topoguide.