On Antwerp’s peaceful left bank, Jona de
Beuckeleer points out the landmarks of the
city’s skyline across the river: the slender
cathedral, the Art Deco glamour of Europe’s
first skyscraper, the Gothic church of St Paul’s.
He’s leading the Marnix bike tour, one of four
offered by Cyclant, the company he runs with
his friend and fellow Antwerp native Nicolas.
Teachers by trade, they give an entertaining
inside track on storied spots and less-pedalled
places alike. On Marnix, for example, they take
participants through the old town, with its
medieval houses and riverside castle, and also
the left bank and docklands. At Park Spoor
Noord, reclaimed rail tracks lead beside grassy
lawns and street art, while in multicultural
Borgerhout, the colourful arches of Chinatown
frame the grand domes of Antwerpen-Centraal
station. Antwerp is a walkable city, but to see
some of its most interesting corners it’s best to
make like the Belgians and saddle up.
l Marnix tour from US$24.50; cyclant.com
The tour
The tower of
Antwerp’s Cathedral
of Our Lady rises 123
metres high – making
it the tallest in the
Low Countries