A visit to the city of Antwerp, a really pleasant and unexpeted surprise!

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I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Antwerp is certainly a city enjoyable, very compact certainly fascinating, with many surprises and even outside the traditional tours. With 45 minutes of the train can be reached from Brussels and Antwerp's Central Station is about a twenty minute walk from the historic center, the walk is not only pleasant, even interesting. Just outside the station there are many shops selling diamonds, because Antwerp is one of the cities where the trade in precious and especially their work is one of the most important elements of the business. There are many schools cutting and of course the Diamond Exchange, where prices are being made worldwide. The shops I have to say that some are heterogeneous managed by other Arabs by Jews. People do not seem very commendable and I explain it to avoid misunderstandings. I am very willing to negotiate and we did not used to dealing on items that cost more than 1,000 € ... it seems that there is under the sole as they say in Rome, or the catch. Usually you are watching a scene from the commedia dell'arte De Filippo and then have a price then adjusted and then deal with that then they ask you when you wanted to spend ... no, we trusted and we have not bought. We do not know to tell you to cheat at these stores (also very well kept) but surely the gold on which are mounted precious is at 18 K instead of 24K, and perhaps the cuts of diamonds that are top quality (at least those that are the subject of sharp declines as a result of negotiation). Continuing on the main road you arrive at the house or Rubenshuis artist Pieter Rubens that although I was born in Germany lived artistically the most intense period of his career in Antwerp and the city remembers him with his own house into a museum. In addition, many local churches host portraits and frescoes by the Flemish and German, some quite beautiful. Another attraction that you can not miss the Onze Lieve Vrowkathedraal or the Cathedral of Our Lady which is the largest and most magnificent Gothic church in the whole of Belgium. It is located a short walk from Grote Markt and its construction took 169 years and many architects have taken turns to the initial plan. The tallest spire measuring 123 meters and is visible from several kilometers outside Antwerp. Inside could not miss a masterpiece by Rubens, The Ascension, but also paintings that you can not always define children by the same artist and his "partner" or Van Dyck. Admission is free and paintings can be admired from afar and come closer to you have to pay € 5 (and are not allowed visits during Masses and other celebrations). Certainly fascinating place and the central city is the Grote Markt, Antwerp's main square where the quaint and picturesque town hall (stadhuis) Brabo Fountain and much loved by citizens and photographed by many tourists. This fountain in fact conceals the mystery of the origin of the name of the city, legendary history and never found. It tells of a giant, Antigoon Druon, who lived along the Scheldt river and forced to pay a duty of the captains of ships that entered the city. Those who refused had to pay duty, losing a hand (!). But as in all fairy tales that she came to respect the warrior (Roman) good, Silvius Brabo, who not only killed the giant but they cut his hand and threw it into the stream. Hence the name of Antwerp: Hand Werpen or hand launch what became Antwerpen. Believe it? I do not know but to me these stories like crazy. Trsite The only thing is that the fountain was turned off, perhaps because in the city of Antwerp and was held primarily in the Grote Markt in those days, the Belgian Gay Pride so there was a big stage and many stands selling beer ... so many things were hangs almost stalls ... more interesting is the square Handschoenmarkt or the marketplace of gloves where there is a very nice well decorated with wrought iron built by Metsys. Here too a beautiful legend, the artist was actually the son of a blacksmith who became a solo artist in order to marry the daughter of a painter. This is because in the sixteenth century, marriages between people of different classes and backgrounds were highly commercial port at Antwerp. We recall only that Antwerp is one of the largest and most important trading ports in the world but seeing the sights you will not see anything of the port without the passage of merchant ships along the Scheldt mega pulled by majestic snorting tugs. To see the port you'll need your own transportation because the docks are 45 km long! Along the Scheldt a few steps from City Hall, however, is the medieval castle of Steen is now a museum. The museum can give up but the outside of the castle is well worth visiting. We spent a whole day and you can not do everything and see everything with the necessary calm and not take public transportation. If you are tired in any case is comfortable to return to the subway station.