What an awe-inspiring church. The altar itself is something to marvel at alone…read more St. Carolus Borromeus kerk (church) seems to have had several incidents with fire and the elements which stole 39 irreplaceable ceiling paintings, however the ceiling painting toward the altar was spared and gives a glimpse of what once was. The altar alone could be studied for hours. It's ornate and finely detailed with baroque artwork and architecture that is common to a lot of Belgium's churches and buildings. The painting at the altar also is capable of being changed using the original mechanism set in place. St. Carolus is hard to miss if you walk up onto it as the outside of the church is very ornate, as well, utilizing the gold embellishments and certainly a nice stop to study art history and architecture. The inside of this church has been one of my more favorite to have visited thus far. When we visited, the church interior was under construction which seems to be a trend for a lot of churches and cathedrals in the area, but it was nice to just get out of the cold rain and look at beautiful architecture.

I spent the day in Antwerp to see where Rubens lived, and where he was laid to rest. This is the…read morechurch you can pay your respects to the great painter. The church is not as big as other cathedrals in the country, but that doesn't mean this is not impressive. There was a lovely couple who was manning the welcome desk when I arrived, and they gave me some information and a pamphlet, and I thanked them by donating to the church. The interior is very different, with a lot of white and one area was whitewashed, and a totally different aesthetic and feel as opposed to the larger, darker stone churches. It was nice to see a different style and experience a different type of interior. It was similar but distinct, and had its own vibe so to speak. Of course, the stunning part was a large Rubens- because of course there had to be one! This is a perfect way to end your day if you visited the Rubens house as well.

Well, now that I had left the Netherlands and was in Belgium I could once again indulge in some of…read morethe really old, and incredibly beautiful, churches. While this church isn't the Cathedral, unlike the Cathedral it does have free entry, and is also much, much quieter, so you can spend a lot more time immersed in the beauty of the place. The interesting thing that at the time I was in Antwerp they had a special walking tour of all the churches, and sure enough this one was on it. Mind you, I can't say all that much about this particular church other than it is smaller and quieter than the Cathedral, and also free entry. Like a lot of the Catholic churches around the place this one is also incredibly beautiful.

Belgium has a common theme for having spectacular town centers and Grote Markt is a prime example…read moreof such. While it doesn't quite live up to its neighbor in Brussels, it is still something to see none the less. It is not the largest square, but it boasts plenty to in and around. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, shopping, and a cathedral all nearby, so again plenty to do. During the winter months, it is decked out with Christmas goodies including a full fledged festival, which is oodles of fun. Could you spend a whole day here, possibly, but quite honestly a few hours is all you need before you move onto your next adventure in the beautiful city of Antwerp.

Super great place to visit, eat, stroll and soak-up. Search for the historic alleyway and make…read moreyour way to the canal and visit the historic building and tourist info building.