Bored of Brussels? GaydarNation’s Adrian Gillan hits Belgium’s bejewelled second city, Antwerp, during its annual Pride (24-27 June 2010) to find out more. Swallow that Flem!

One of Europe's biggest ports and Belgium’s second largest city, Antwerp, is also the main town of Flanders - perched on the mighty River Scheldt, scarce 20 miles north of capital Brussels. Occupied by the Germans in WW2 and named European Capital of Culture in 1993, Antwerp’s half a million-strong population proudly speak Flemish, or immaculate English - so skip your cod French!

There's no better time to go than during Antwerp Pride, every June – when the whole place explodes! There's no parade – that’s left to Brussels – but rather a succession of parties, plus special events like gay fairground nights or cinema musical sing-alongs.

For somewhere to stay, the comfortable and central Leopold Hotel (Quinten Matsijslei 25) is well placed near the rail station, between scene and sights, with many rooms looking out onto the Stadtpark.

What To See
Stroll along the city’s system of boulevards, which replaced the walls that formerly encircled the city; take in the historic city centre - the Grote Markt, the Groen Blaats, the magnificent Gothic Cathedral (14th-15th century) with its 120m spire, even the renovated, cleaned-out underground former city sewers; browse the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, hanging out with Rubens and van Dyck; visit palatial Rubens’ House; or shimmy through the boutique-lined fashion quarter and fashion museum MoMu to learn how the 'Antwerp Six' put the city on the global couture map.

Drool through the Jewish Quarter, with its Diamond Museum, to learn about the four 'C's (colour, clarity, carat and cut), and drop into the Diamondland showrooms, to see cutters at work; troll the gorgeous southern art nouveau district, Zurenborg; hunt out the zoo; sniff out lovely Belgian chocolate shops like innovative The Chocolate Line (or see Antwerp from the docks with a Flandria river cruise, maybe even including dinner.

Eat, Booze, Dance And Be Happy
Check out those famous fat Belgians chips at Fritkot Max (Groenplaats 12) in the old town; snack at Brasserie Moskou (Draak plaats 5) just south; and fine-dine at plush Velvet Lounge (Luikstraat 6) just west.

Sit and chill at Café den Draak (Draak plaats 1) - the light-and-airy café-bar beneath Antwerp’s thriving LGBT community hub, Het Roze Huis, down south around Zurenborg. Another great place to sip and stare, or have a tasty munch, is Popi Café (Plantinkaai 12), overlooking the river.

As night falls, two-level Café Hessenhuis (Falconrui 59) gets crammed with young, trendy, teasing cuties; ditto Twilight (Van Schoonhovenstraat 54). For something crusier, check out aptly-named video bar Rubzz (Geulinckxstr. 28); or for leather ‘n fetish, slip into The Boots (Van Aerndtstr. 22).
 
Antwerp’s two main gay clubs, on a Saturday, are swish D Club (Damplein 27) and cavernous Red & Blue (Lange Schipperskapelstr. 11-13) - the biggest gay venue in Benelux. Full of Flemish hunks!

If you’re still restless, you can always let off steam at the Badhuis Sauna (Florisstraat 10); or in the gay cinema with private cabins and darkroom at boy toy shop Gay Ron (Van Wesenbekestraat 54). Or take airs in the Stadspark.

The state-of-the-art International HIV/AIDS Awareness Education Centre DAA (Grapheusstraat 50-52, Deurne) opens in the outskirts of Antwerp later this year, working to inspire youths from around the globe to raise HIV awareness among peers back in their home countries.

Useful Contacts

• For further information, please contact Tourism Flanders-Brussels on 0207 307 7738 (Live Operator Line, Mon–Fri) or visit www.visitflanders.co.uk for more details.
• Eurostar operates up to 9 daily services from London St Pancras International to Brussels with return fares from £69. All Eurostar tickets to Brussels are valid to / from any Belgian station at no extra cost. Tickets are available from www.eurostar.com or 08432 186 186. Fastest London-Brussels journey time is 1h51 minutes.
• Antwerp is hosting the 3rd World OutGames, 3-11 August 2013. www.world.outgames.org.
• Antwerp regularly hosts conventions of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, the world's leading LGBT travel trade network.www.iglta.org.

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