To Antwerp

Off to Belgium for a few days to celebrate New Year in Antwerp and a couple of days in Brussels .

An almost completely uneventful and unremarkable journey from London to Antwerp.

• 10:57 Eurostar: St Pancras International - Brussels Midi arr. 14:05 (£94.50 each, Standard Premier)
• 14:28 IC train: Brussels Midi - Antwerpen Centraal arr. 15:14 (€6.70 each, standard)
• Bus 13 from Opera/Teniers to Noorderplaats (€0.90 each on the Lijnkaart)

Check-in to Holiday Inn Express Antwerp City North. We have stayed here a couple of times before, and it is actually quite good. Most of the big hotels in Antwerp are away from the city centre (the old part), and this one's location by the docks is as convenient as any of them. We also got a pretty good deal at an average of under €74 per night, including taxes (New Year's Eve was €10 more than the other three nights).

Short walk around the old town, and call in at the tourist office. Then, as we are feeling a little peckish - having only got the breakfast service on the Eurostar, we go for an early dinner.

Dinner: In de Gloria, Kleine Koraalberg 8, 2000 Antwerpen

• Dave: Burger
• Andrew: Flemish Beef stew in de König beer, with mashed potato

This is a charming bar/restaurant in an old traditional flemish building tucked-away down a side street a couple of streets north of the Grote Markt. We have had coffee/beer here a couple of times before, and liked the look and feel of the place. So had been wanting to eat here for a while. Food was good, and the service friendly. Just what we needed. Total €38.70 including two beers each. So pretty good value too.

MAS "Boulevard" - 8th floor

Afterwards we went to the MAS - Museum aan de Stroom building between Bonaparte and Willhelm docks. Although the museum bit closes at five o'clock, you can still access the circulation space - the "Boulevard", which winds around the building up to the rooftop observation area on the 10th floor, until 10:00pm. The building is nearly deserted, and it is slightly creepy making our way up the escalators around the building, but there are great views through the wavy glass windows on all the floors, and on all sides from the top. This is a great way to see Antwerp.