Location

Antwerp
The venue
How do I get there?
Social Event

Welcome to Antwerp!

Antwerp is one of those underrated gems of a city. So often, travellers head straight to Brussels, Bruges, or Ghent on their visits to Belgium, but in reality, they skip over one of the best-kept secrets in Western Europe. 

Antwerp is a port city with an incredible history. Antwerp grew throughout the Middle Ages thanks to its proximity to the water and became a city of enlightenment. Now you can find an ethnically diverse and vibrant city with a great history.

The city has no less than three UNESCO world heritage sites:

The venue

We’ll see you at Hilton Antwerp Old Town!

Our majestic conference hotel is situated in the heart of Antwerp, overlooking the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Old Town square. Shops, restaurants, and museums are literally just outside the door.

The hotel is big enough to provide an “everything under one roof” conference experience: pick a standard or a deluxe room, enjoy breakfast with a view on the cathedral and the old town square, then move upstairs to the conference rooms.

The conference dinner will take place in the “Belle Epoque” grand ballroom on the top floor, overlooking the old town square (“Groenplaats“).

💡 Did you know…?

There’s more meaning to some of the names of the conference rooms than you might think!

Diamonds

The conference rooms Sancy and Koh-i-Noor, situated on the second floor, are pointing to Antwerp’s big role in the diamond industry.

Sancy is a light yellow diamond of approximately 55 carats, with a unique shape without a facet in the center. This diamond has a long European history and was owned by several royal families.

Koh-i-Noor, which means “Mountain of Light“, is one of the most famous and infamous diamonds in history. It weighs approximately 105 carats and has a long, turbulent history dating back to India. It is part of the British Crown Jewels and now rests in the Royal Crown of the United Kingdom.The diamond is a symbol of power and wealth, with both a political and historical significance.

History

On the third floor, Teun and Lijn refers to The Legend of Teun and Lijn, where Teun the Egg Seller and Lijn the Milkmaid are two iconic figures in Antwerp who played a special role in the city’s folk culture and history. Their stories are closely tied to the lives of ordinary people in Antwerp and symbolize the voice of the people during times of political and social unrest.

Teun the Egg Seller was a statue erected around 1667 on the Eiermarkt (Egg Market) in Antwerp. The statue depicted a simple egg vendor dressed in the traditional clothing of the time. About a hundred years later, in 1766, a female counterpart in the form of Lijn the Milkmaid was erected on the Melkmarkt (Milk Market). Both statues became a sorts of “spokes persons” for the people of Antwerp as they displayed their dissatisfaction by hanging pamphlets with political and social commentary, complaints, or satire on them. A was for people to share their frustrations or ideas.

Unfortunately, both statues were damaged during the years. Teun the Egg Seller was moved to the Museum aan de Stroom and a replica is now placed on the north facade of the Grand Bazar Shopping Center on the Eiermarkt. Lijn the Milk Maid was moved to the Vleeshuis museum in 1876, but the replica that was placed in the garden of Het Steen has now disappeared.

The two figures are often talked about as a couple, the idea, though, is more of a city legend than a historical fact. It reflects how the people of Antwerp, with their sense of humor and imagination, enjoy creating stories around icons that represent everyday life.

Social Event

Join us for an unforgettable evening at Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie!

Get ready for a night of great beer, delicious food, and inspiring conversations at this hip brewery, known for reviving a centuries-old local recipe to create the iconic ‘Seefbier’.

We’ll kick off with a short introduction to the brewery’s unique story and heritage. For those interested, there’s also an optional guided tour to see the brewing process up close. Meanwhile, gather around the open BBQ pit, taste all of the brewery’s beers, and indulge in a generously served walking BBQ dinner from ‘The Skinny Chef’ – all accompanied by an open bar.

Don’t miss out on this perfect blend of history, craftsmanship, and good company!

Read more about ABC

How do I get there?

By Plane to Brussels, Belgium

  • Fly to Brussels Airport (BRU)
  • You will find the train station directly under the Departure and Arrival Halls of the airport (level -1). The escalator or lift will take you directly to the platform.
  • Tickets are sold in advance through SNCB or at the ticket machines at Zaventem Station by Brussels Airport
  • Trains leave every 30 minutes. The ride takes 31 minutes and brings you directly to Antwerp Central Station. References:
    • IC 2631 “Mechelen – Antwerpen Centraal”
    • IC 9231 “Antwerpen – Amsterdam”

By Plane to Schiphol, Netherlands

  • Fly to Schiphol Airport (AMS) – Netherlands and then you can take a train directly to Antwerp Central Station
    • You can find train tickets here
  • Travel from Schiphol to Antwerp with Eurostar is approx 1 hour of travel, with Eurocity its between 1hour 30 min and 2 hours travel.
  • Prices depend first class, second class, on hours and days, you can look it up on the website and buy a ticket
  • Book Early, pay less.

By Train

  • Take a Thalys fast train from Paris, Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport or Rotterdam directly to Antwerp
  • Take a Eurostar from London to Brussels South, then a train to Antwerp
  • France: take a TGV to Paris, then a Thalys to Antwerp.

By Car

  • Just add Hilton Antwerp Old Town or the address Groenplaats 32, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgien to your choice of navigational tool and go!
  • Parking is available at Groenplaats next to the hotel or around in the area like Meir or Brabo.

Useful links

Listed below are some links that might be useful for you to getting around in Antwerp!