Antwerp 2024

ITINERARY

Monday 15th April 2024

This is the day for travelling so we’ve not arranged any events until the evening. At 19:00 we met for a Welcome Meal at the excellent and eccentric Elfde Gebod café / restaurant for the food you have pre-ordered which will be served from 20:00. Its address is Torfbrug 10, 2000 Antwerpen and to get there, you can use the metro (actually underground trams) or standard trams to Groenplaats then head north past the Cathedral (note that tramstop. Walk if you have the time in order to see more of the city.

Tuesday 16th April

This is a free day but as well as investigating the many bars and historic sights in the city you might want to visit the Stadsbrouwerij De Koninck. Their address is Mechelsesteenweg 291, 2018 Antwerpen and you should be able to just turn up for a self-guided tour but to be sure you can book a place between 11:00 and 17:30 via www.dekoninck.be/en/tickets.

Wednesday 17th April

Today is our main day with visits to three of the region’s most Interesting breweries. We will be travelling by coach run.

Brouwerij Het Anker, courtesy Phil Wilson

Brouwerij Het Anker, courtesy Mick Connors.

Brouwerij Het Anker, courtesy Tony Fox-Griffith.

Our first stop is to Brouwerij Het Anker (a very traditional, historic brewery that can trace its history back to 1471) which is about 25km south of the city. Here you’ll have a visit with samples and enjoy the lunch you ordered.

The Het Anker Brewery, courtesy Tony Fox-Griffith.

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The Het Anker Brewery, courtesy Phil Wilson.

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The Het Anker Brewery, courtesy Terri Goddard.

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The Het Anker Brewery, courtesy Mick Connors.

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After lunch, we’ll then set off to Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (a major brewery founded in 1871) for a tour round their modernised brewery, naturally with samples in their interesting bar. We will be leaving here at 15:30.

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, courtesy Phil Wilson

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, courtesy Mick Connors.

The Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, courtesy Tony Fox-Griffith.

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The Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, courtesy Mick Connors.

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Our final visit will be to the Brouwerij Bosteels in Buggenhout. This interesting brewery was founded in 1791 by Jean-Baptist Bosteels and the Bosteels family has been in charge since then – how their recent take-over by AB-InBev has affected them maybe we’ll hear but certainly the quality of the beer is still extremely high.

Brouwerij Bosteels, courtesy Tony Fox-Griffith.

Brouweri Bosteels, courtesy Mick Connors.

The Brouweri Bosteels, courtesy Tony Fox-Griffith.

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The Brouweri Bosteels, courtesy Terri Goddard.

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The Brouweri Bosteels, courtesy Mick Connors.

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Thursday 18th April

Today we’re off to one of the most attractive towns in Belgium, Brugge Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan. We aim to catch the 09:06 train from Antwerp Central Station to Brugge which is due to arrive at 10:35. We have arranged a short social gathering with members of the Belgian Brewery History Society who are involved in an event there. We then have a brewery tour booked for 12:15. After this, the day is yours to explore Brugge and return when you want. Direct trains back to Antwerpen depart at 17:24, 18:24, 19:23, 20:23, 21:23 with the last one at 22:23.

Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan, courtesy Mick Connors.

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The Brouweri De Halve Mann, courtesy Mick Connors.

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Friday 19th April

Today most of us will return to the UK although some of the group may be staying longer. On your way home, you might want to visit the marvellous Brouwerij Cantillon, the last Lambic brewery in Brussels which continues to brew but is run as a museum. For a self-guided tour it's just €8 and they say you don’t need to book – see www.cantillon.be/visites. Their address is rue Gheude 56, 1070 Brussels (Anderlecht) which is walkable from Brussels Eurostar station.

Finally, we hope you’ve enjoyed this all too brief visit to Belgium.