Antwerp number 1 of 40 most exciting cities to visit in 2024

For the British newspaper of record The Sunday Times, Antwerp in Belgium is the number one exciting city to visit in 2024.

“If you haven’t been to Antwerp yet, what are you waiting for? Rubens‘s old stomping ground has morphed into one of Europe‘s most delicious food and fashion hubs”, Sean Newsom wrote in ‘These are the 40 most exciting cities to visit in 2024‘, 28 January 2024, The Sunday Times.

“Set the scene at the fashion museum MoMu before shopping for new-season clothes from Belgian designers such as Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten. Then, refuel with a four-course seasonal menu at the Glass wine bistro; dishes such as venison with quince and pistachio with marigolds earned it a Michelin star last year. Hotel Franq, in a former banking hall, offers a happy mix of style, location and value for money.”

Fashion and Antwerp

Visit Antwerpen, Antwerp’s tourism and events bureau, loves to emphasise the city’s fashion scene. And indeed, with the Antwerp Six, the MoMu fashion museum and the Fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Antwerp ís a fashion centre.

Newson has been tipped to visit (or write about without visiting) some high-end establishments. That’s okay. Antwerp loves to attract visitors with plenty of money to spend. And indeed, our hometown has quite few options on that level. So why not.

Antwerp does have plenty to offer for a long weekend getaway. For most people, I feel two to three nights, with one or two full days plus the travel days, will suffice. It depends on your travel pace. Longer that that is stretching it.

Antwerp has plenty to offer, but not every activity or sight will be of your interest.

The other cities

Let’s take a look at the other cities on the list. They’re chosen from a European perspective.

Athens in Greece stands on number 2. Yes and no. With the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and some other archeological sights and museums, Athens has some History with capital H on offer. But Athens as a city is not the most enjoyable. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, it’s crowed. Check out Kuzina and Hytra for fine dining.

Danny and I visited Copenhagen (3) in Denmark on separate occasions. I for one, enjoyed a couple of days there in 2013.

We visited Innsbruck (4) in Tyrol in Austria in 2020. Yes during COVID-19 restriction. I wrote of Innsbruck; “We absolutely made the best of 1.5 days in Innsbruck. Charming city, but not worth a detour“.

Danny and I visited Oslo (5) in Norway separately. Danny wrote: “Overall I like the city of Oslo, it’s small and walkable but has a rich history and a various different areas with all their own look and feel to it.”

Rome (6) in Italy is a must-visit city. At least once in your lifetime. The history, the architecture, the food, the knowledge you’re in an epicentre of the world.

Palermo (7) in Sicily is on my wish list to visit one day. Los Angeles (8) in California is underwhelming.

Berlin (9) in Germany is so layered. You can go for its history, its contemporary art and culture, its museums or its (gay) clubbing scene. Will I ever go to Berghain and the KitKatClub?

Bordeaux (10) in France mixes Parisian grandeur with good vibes and wine. Aarhus (11) in Denmark offers seventies vibes. Valencia (12) in Spain mixes old with very new, including a Formula 1 circuit.

Vienna (13) in Austria has a monumental building on the corner of every city centre street. And Sachertorte. Check out Steirereck in Vienna.

Marseille (14) on the Mediterranean Sea has very pretty side, but also very dodgy ones. Munich (15) in Bavaria is a regal city with double-direction escalators. BMW Welt is a let-down. Norwich (16) in England is terra incognita to us. Edinburgh (17) in Scotland is not. We enjoyed or brief visit.

Stockholm (18) in Sweden has wealth and it shows. Prague (19) in Czechia is a popular destination and while it certainly is worth it, it suffers from ‘overtourism’.

And further

Cairo (20) is your gateway to Egypt. Besides the Pyramids of Giza, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and the future Grand Egyptian Museum, I only remember a very busy, noisy city. As an 8-year-old in 1989.

We have yet to visit Gothenburg (21) in Västergötland and Colchester (22) in Essex. Danny did visit Dresden (23) in Saxony and wrote at the time “I will most likely stop again” so I will have to with him as I haven’t been. The same is true for Belfast (24) in Northern Ireland. Tartu (25) in Estonia is not really on our list, but it’s the 2024 European Capital of Culture.

While Amsterdam (26) in the Netherlands has plenty to offer, Danny nor I are actually big fans of this very busy city with dangerous cyclists. We visited Thessaloniki (27) in Greek Macedonia in 2017 and while it’s not Athens, we’re glad we visited. We explored Seville (28) in Andalusia in 2023 and you’ll read about our visit later this year.

Brussels

As a capital, Brussels (29) has quite a lot to offer.

Newsom says: “First of all, a pilgrimage: to Yasushi Sasaki‘s patisserie in the posh suburb of Vogelzang. Born in Japan, Sasaki is not just the master of glistening cakes and pastries. He’s been named the city’s Chocolatier of the Year 2024 by the influential Gault & Millau guide. Back in the city centre, ‘Imagine!‘ at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts will celebrate 100 years of international surrealism (21 February – 21 July). The recently opened Hoxton hotel is the obvious perch, on account of the views from its roof terrace.”

And…

We visited Manchester (30) in The North in March 2023. We had mixed feelings. New York (31) in the United States has always something going on. We’ll visit again briefly later this year.

Florence (32) or Firenze in Tuscany is a gem, but is very crowded. Consider Bologna and Modena in Emilia-Romagna.

Helsinki (33) in Finland is quirky. One full day will give you a good impression. Sarajevo (34) in Bosnia and Herzegovina has very special place in history and in particular one street corner. Off the beaten path, for now.

After twenty years, I’m returning to Lisbon (35) in Portugal this year, so watch this space.

Düsseldorf (36) in North Rhine-Westphalia is quintessencially post-war German. One full day is okay.

Venice (37) in Veneto is a curious case, as it’s now charging money to enter the city. Girona (38) in Catalonia is unknown to us, but is an alternative to Barcelona.

The list ends with a for us overrated Milan (39) in Lombardy and Paris (40) which I would skip this year because of the Olympic Games.

What about you?

What do you think of The Sunday Times’s list and would you add recommendations? Do you agree? What are some assets of Antwerp? But also why is this claim exaggerated? Which city is more exciting to you? Do you agree on the long list? Which cities would you add?

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