Antwerp Etiquette and Customs
Antwerp is relaxed and English-friendly, but a few local customs are worth knowing so you read as a considerate visitor rather than a clueless one. Here is what matters.
Speak Dutch, not French
The single most important point: Antwerp is in Flanders, and the local language is Dutch (Flemish), not French. Greet people with “dag” or “hallo,” say “dank je” for thank you and “alstublieft” for please. A French “bonjour” or “merci,” which works in Brussels, can land the wrong way here. Flemish identity is genuine, so do not describe the city or its language as French; English is a safer fallback than French every time.
Tipping is light
Service is included, so tipping is not obligatory. Round up the bill or add 5 to 10% for good sit-down service, and no more; US-style 15 to 20% is not the norm. The same goes across Belgium.
The Diamond District is a workplace
The Diamond District near Centraal is a working trade quarter with heavy security, not a photo backdrop. Keep a respectful “look, do not intrude” posture, avoid photographing people or shopfronts up close, and expect much of it to be closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, given the large Orthodox Jewish community. Visit on a weekday.
Mind the bikes
Antwerp cycles a lot. Bike lanes are for bikes; do not stand or walk in them, look both ways before crossing one, and keep clear at junctions. It is the easiest way to annoy a local without meaning to.
Churches and quiet
Dress modestly in the Cathedral of Our Lady and other churches, covering shoulders and knees, and keep your voice down inside; several are working places of worship as well as sights. Keep noise down in residential streets late at night too.
Table manners
Belgians tend to keep hands visible at the table and wait until everyone is served before starting. Order frites as frieten, and never call them “French fries” in front of a local. A shared pot of moules-frites is meant to be lingered over, not rushed.
Be patient in the centre
The old town gets busy in summer and around the December market. Queue politely, give way on narrow lanes like the Vlaeykensgang, and you will fit right in.
Read more: for the logistical side of a visit, see our Antwerp travel guide .