Antwerp - An Old City Closely Tied With Its History

The old city of Antwerp, Belgium is a city where the old and the new swirl together, creating an end product that is truly unique. This city is famous for its extremely friendly citizens, laid-back lifestyle, it's domination of the diamond trade, and it's delicious cuisine. Picking a spot to go on vacation can be tough. If you're looking for a relaxed sort of city experience, look no further than Antwerp. Just be sure to get a passport before you go. US passport services are easily accessible online.

Going online to deal with passport processing is a new sort of way to help you through trip preparation. This safe and convenient sites offer services like passport applications and rush passport renewal, and the steps to follow are very simple. All you do is fill out an application, select your delivery date, and you're done.

Antwerp is definitely a city composed of history. The Farmer's Tower - called Boerentoren by the people - is considered to be Europe's first skyscraper. You can get one of the best views of the city around on the 25th floor observation deck. Het Steen, translated as "The Stone" is an extremely old castle that was built originally in 1220-1225. This age makes it Europe's oldest building and castle. Now on the inside there's a little naval museum. At the bottom of the castle marks the beginning of Wandelterrassen, a board walk with some scenic routes. Rubenshuis, or Rubens House, is where the world famous artist used to live and paint. You can still see some of his paintings on the wall.

Antwerp has a historical center where the history is so thick in the air that it makes you feel as if you've stepped back in time to the Middle Ages. City Hall and Old Market Square the highlights of this historical district. The City Hall building is extremely unique in that it's characteristic mix of Gothic and Renaissance architecture is found almost nowhere else on Earth, and Medieval houses encircle the Old Market Square. The Cathedral of our Lady, which was built in 1351, has a height of over 400 feet, making it one of the tallest Gothic Cathedrals in the Northern part of Europe.

Historical towns are haunted by their past - literally. Antwerp is a prime location for ghost tours. If you are feeling brave and want to discover a little bit of the supernatural, book a ghost tour or go ghost hunting on your own. Antwerp is a city of many secrets. One of the most fun to discover is the hidden street Vlaeykensgang, a secret street hidden behind tall medieval doors. See if you can find it for yourself!

The Port of Antwerp is a historically and culturally significant location in Antwerp. This Port is the largest in all of Europe, and one of the largest on the planet. There are tours that can give unfold for you the background of this commercial site, and because it has been so pivotal in Belgium's development, it's worth seeing for yourself.

The listed options are only a few examples of the things you can do in Antwerp. Antwerp is a great candidate for vacation, as many of the attractions cost little to no cash. For example, one of the best ways to explore and have fun in Antwerp is by taking a bike. The city is perfect for bike traffic, and it helps you to see and do so much. Remember your passports and the online US passport services you can use to get your passports. With rush passport renewal and other services at your fingertips, you are ready to get exploring.