Hasselt cruise port guide

About Hasselt

Antwerp is a major Belgian port city on the Scheldt river, ranking second in Europe for commercial port traffic after Rotterdam and within the top 20 globally. Known as the world's diamond trade hub—more than 70% of all diamonds are traded here—the city blends a rich 16th-century Golden Age heritage with a dynamic contemporary culture attracting artists, writers, and visitors from across Europe.

Het Steen, Antwerp's oldest building constructed between 1200 and 1225, anchors the historic Scheldt waterfront and is a natural first stop. The Grote Markt (main market square) is dominated by the Silvius Brabo fountain, commemorating the city's founding legend. The Stock Exchange, opened in 1531 as the world's first purpose-built commodity exchange and rebuilt in 1872, is a landmark of the city's trading golden age. The Royal Museum of Fine Arts houses works from the era when Antwerp counted roughly 360 painters—including Pieter Bruegel—and was considered the most important artistic centre north of the Alps. The active diamond district, responsible for over 70% of global diamond trading, is explorable on foot.