A walk down the Turnhoutsebaan in Antwerp takes you into a busy multicultural neighbourhood that tourists almost never visit.
Begin at the Astridplein, next to Centraal Station, where you are immediately plunged into a hectic, noisy street with a mix of traditional Belgian shops and specialised African and Asian stores. You pass shops where a pair of jeans sell for a couple of euros, Moroccan bakeries, and hairdressers that will do any style you ask.
Turn down a side street and you might come across a new art gallery or a hip cafe. But stay on the Turnhoutsebaan until you arrive at the former De Roma cinema and its cafe Amor. This is the perfect spot to pause before you head back to the centre.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
