Antwerp is a beautiful city, just a 90-minute high-speed train ride from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It’s a vital, modern destination, offering considerable art, culture and history, yet not a big, crowded tourist draw.

Antwerp has been a world trading center since the 16th Century, and many areas retain that old world atmosphere. Due to heavy bomb damage in World War II and rebuilding, there are many modern structures to admire.

Thalys is the modern train system in Northern Europe, similar to the Eurostar between Paris and London. Its schedule includes Paris, Brussels, Cologne and Amsterdam, with stops in Antwerp. Daily departures from Amsterdam Centraal Station are about every ten minutes. The Rubenshuis in Antwerp is the former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens, a contemporary of Rembrandt. He’s most famous for his lush nudes, described as Rubenesque. Admission is about $10 for adults. Kids under 19 and seniors over 65 are free. rubenshuis.be

The Fashion Museum, nicknamed the MoMu, has an amazing collection of clothing and fashion from historic to modern. Admission is about $12 for adults. Kids under 12 and seniors are free. momu.be

The Grote Markt is the town's main square, and a great place for tourists to find original Belgian arts and crafts. The surrounding buildings are 19th century recreations of 16th century style guild halls.

Our Lady's Cathedral of Antwerp was started in the 1350s, then took two centuries to complete. Among the art are masterpieces from Rubens. dekathedraal.be

Appelmans Brasserie and Absinthbar: It's a modern, stylish place with a lot of Belgian classic dishes, done in a fresh, new way. The restaurant is located in central Antwerp, near the Cathedral. brasserieappelmans.be