There is a true revelation in the city center of our beautiful city. It’s called the Gelato Factory.

A small ice cream business on the south gives everybody that passes a wonderful refreshment. Even people who don’t like ice cream have difficulties resisting the abundance of the creamy delicacies. The owner Herman Tackaerts really enjoys his passion of ice cream making…

Now summer is coming again! I try not to pass every day or I will weigh 100 kg in a couple of months. Try the mint flavor!

In Antwerp we have many good ice cream sellers but the Gelato Factory is definitely different. It looks like the real Italian stuff and that’s a great specialty…

And they sell also great espresso’s!

In Antwerp we have a controversial building at the outskirts of town: The Law Courts. We call it also the ‘Vlinderpaleis’ (Butterfly palace) because it has strange ‘wings’ on the roof. A sweet name for such a building.

It was designed by the famous architect Richard Rogers. When it was finished in 2006 everybody spoke of it. Some people thought it was ugly, others thought it was a spectacular beauty. It cost a fortune and it took years to build it. The roof is made of stainless steel and looks like shark fins or waves. From a lot of places in the city you can see the threatening rooftops.

They used also a lot of glass. ‘They’ say they want to make every visitor at ease by the glass and the open character of the building. I don’t find it a reassuring place. It looks dangerous and impressive on the outside. The hall is enormous.

I go there sometimes for my work (Juvenile Court). Behind the glossy facade it is a sad place where they made some crucial errors in the design and for people who have unpleasant business to take care of it’s cold and hostile.

I live very close to this building. At night it can be special – like a big dragon in the dark. It is great for photographers. I can recommend everybody to pass by, to look inside, but remember: in the belly of the dragon there is mostly misery.

There is a little shop in the Volksstraat in Antwerp where they sell strange but beautiful things. When it opened several years ago I didn’t expect that it would be such a success. Now I know why it is still there. It is one of shops that stays true to what they do…

The name of the shop means ‘Stone and Bone’ and that’s exactly what they sell. They have fossils, little skeletons of rodents (and sometimes bigger animals), antlers, pinned butterflies etc. It’s all very decorative and very classy. Of course they don’t sell anything illegal or any endangered species. They have also educational toys that stay true to the core idea of the shop. The result is a very cosy and warm shop where I like to come from time to time.

For example: when I’m completely desperate looking for a nice gift for somebody. A lamp made from a seahedgehog, some pearls of the sea, shells, a tooth of a shark. You can find great things for very little money. I’m enjoying just being there, or looking in the window. Nice owners with an eye for style. And it’s not expensive. That’s how I like it!

A very black coffee, a magazine or newspaper, a free hot-spot to work a bit, good music and a pleasant atmosphere. One of my favorite places on the South side of the city is Revista (Spanish for magazine). It is a very good place to meet friends and be the first to arrive, way to early.

Revista has a big assortment of magazines and newspapers, national and international. The also offer music (USA imports) for sale. It is easy to stay and let the hours pass by. It feels like my living room on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Even when it’s Thursday morning.

They sell fresh soup and sandwiches, so you could really stay there for days. But it closes at 20:00 so eventually you’ll have to leave…

I like it very much because I live nearby and I like places that make me feel at home. But after three coffees I have to drink something else, because the coffee is way to black for me… But they have a great sandwich (the one with Serrano ham I can really recommend!)

If you are tired of the classic tourist bus, I can recommend a safari trip with tram 12. There are eleven trams in Antwerp, but this one is the most interesting.Tram 12 has its terminus at the famous Antwerp courthouse (check the Courthouse article) and when you get in there you are sure of a seat…

So you start at the trendy South, where you can see Antwerp in all its glory. Tram 12 drives you over the Leien (also called ‘den Boulevard’), the former ramparts of the city. You see the nice building of the National Bank and also by the beautiful opera building on the Amerikalei. You’ll see the impressive Central Station.

By now the tram is probably full of people with of all kinds of colours. And then you travel straight into a different world. First: the notorious De Coninckplein. On this square addicts and tramps gather. But remember: behind the glass you are safe!

Tram 12 goes on through the poor part of Antwerp where 181 different nationalities live! Eventually you’ll get to the Sportpaleis, the big arena for events (Proximus Diamond Games, concerts). On its way back tram 12 also shows you Chinatown and a piece of Africa…Tram 12 doesn’t travel through the old city centre but it shows an interesting part for the visitor that wants a deeper insight into Antwerp.

Tip: With a 10-ride card (€9) you can travel 10 times with all the trams in the city for 1 hour.