This three-hour walking tour will take you through Antwerp’s Diamond Quarter with a local guide. The Diamond Quarter boasts the densest concentration of diamonds in the world — 86% of legal raw diamonds pass through the city at some point. The streets are lined with wholesalers, diamond cutters, polishers and shops. There are diamond sellers located throughout the city, but your guide will point you in the right direction of the best shops if you’re looking to buy.
As you explore the Diamond Quarter, your experienced guide will tell you about the history of the trade in Antwerp, and you’ll also get to visit a local workshop and see the workers demonstrate the process behind grinding, cutting, polishing and setting the stones.
You’ll also get to see Antwerp’s Central Station, one of the city’s most well-known buildings. The train station is a stone building, with a massive dome and an eclectic mix of architectural styles.
The tour can begin from Ghent, Brussels, Bruges or Antwerp; your guide will meet you at your hotel, and you may need to take a train to Antwerp’s Central Station. The grand train station is expansive, with an almost cathedral-like feel inside with high vaulted ceilings, towering stone columns and tall, Romanesque windows. The station’s opulent feel is owed in part to the lucrative diamond trade of the nearby Diamond Quarter.
You and your experienced private guide will then make the short walk to the Diamond Quarter, which stretches for several blocks in each direction. The buildings are flat faced and more modern looking than the step-gabled houses seen in other parts of the city. The area covered on the tour is concentrated, so the distance you’ll walk is minimal.
You’ll learn the history of the trade in Antwerp as you walk with your guide, before heading to a local workshop where you’ll see workers demonstrating the process behind grinding, cutting, polishing and setting diamonds.
If you wish to purchase a stone, your guide will help find a suitable store. The tour will take about three hours in total, and can be scheduled for any time during the business day.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Belgium specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Bruges old town tour & canal cruise
Spend a few hours with a guide exploring Bruges’ historical highlights, where you’ll see artwork by Michelangelo, Gothic cathedrals and a towering belfry. Then, spend an hour cruising the postcard-worthy canals and see step-gabled houses and stone bridges.
Culinary walking tour of Antwerp
Get to know Antwerp’s history and try some of its best cuisine on this guided walking tour. You’ll see the city’s oldest building and busiest square, and get to try frites, artisanal chocolates, waffles and beer.
Private canal cruise with champagne & charcuterie
See a world-renowned altarpiece, a bird’s-eye view of the city, a medieval castle and lively market squares on a walking tour of Ghent. Then explore the city’s waterways on a boat tour of the canals, where you’ll be served local delicacies and Belgian beer.
