Boulevard Leopold Guest House
If you are planning an Autumn getaway and are looking for somewhere different and easy to get to, try one of our favourite cities, Antwerp. Filled with inspiring shops, amazing buildings and regular fashion exhibitions, Antwerp is easy to navigate and you can see more or less everything over the course of a weekend.
WIth more than its fair share of inexpensive but stylish small bed and breakfasts and hotels, it can be difficult to choose where to stay. We particularly love the luxurious and stylish Boulevard Leopold guest House. Owned by fashion designer Bert Verschueren and chef Vincent Defontaines, the bed and breakfast is set in a beautifully restored 1800s townhouse and filled with flea market finds and one off antiques from their trips around the world. The guest house is often used for fashion shoots.
Breakfast includes freshly baked croissants, made by Vincent and Boulevard Leopold is located about 15 minutes walk from Antwerp city centre. Prices start at €100.
Shopping is so easy in Antwerp as everything is accessible on foot. Some of our favourite shops include A.Purr.A, a beautiful boutique selling locally made home accessories, handmade stationery and accessories.
We also love Ann Demeulemeester, situated on the corner of Leopold De Waelplaats and Verlatstraat.
Feelings is a fabulous interiors shop which has built up an amazing collection of 50's and 60's vases and lights over the last 25 years.
No visit to Antwerp would be complete without a visit to Dries Van Noten (the Godfather of Belgian design). The beautifully restored flagship store is situated on Nationalestraat.
There are numerous great cafes, bars and restaurants, but as Belgians are famous for chips and beer, you must pick up a portion of chips with mayonnaise at Frituur Number One on Hoogstraat and a beer in typical Belgian pub, De Pelikaan on Melkmarkt.
The Momu museum is worth a visit for their two major themed exhibitions a year. The current exhibition Paper Fashion ends on August the 16th and is a must see if you happen to be there in the next couple of weeks.
'Delvaux. 180 years of Belgian luxury' for public, opens on the 17th of September and follows the journey the luxury brand has taken over the last 180 years.
So if you fancy a mini break with your other half, or a girls shopping weekend, log on to Eurostar and book yourself a treat.
