Antwerpse Kempen Travel Guide - Free Web & App

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Antwerpse Kempen
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Explore Antwerpse Kempen in Belgium for heathland, pine forests, cycle routes, abbeys, heritage villages, family attractions and quiet Campine landscapes.

A Sandy Landscape of Heath and Pine

Antwerpse Kempen occupies the broad, gently rolling Campine landscape in the north-east of Antwerp province, where sandy soils, pinewoods, open heathland, canals and dispersed villages create a distinctly rural character. The region is not a single fenced attraction but a large cultural and natural area embracing places such as Turnhout, Herentals, Geel, Mol, Kasterlee, Retie, Oud-Turnhout and Hoogstraten. Its scenery changes subtly from the wooded inland around the Kempense Heuvelrug to the wet heaths and ponds around Mol, the open landscapes of the Noorderkempen and the historic colonies near Merksplas and Wortel.
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Nature, Water and Outdoor Life

Nature reserves and recreation areas provide the strongest reason to explore the region. Landschap De Liereman near Oud-Turnhout protects heath, marsh and woodland habitats, while the Prinsenpark near Retie and the forests around Kasterlee offer marked paths through sandy country. The recreational domain Zilvermeer in Mol is centred on a former sand-extraction landscape and provides water-based leisure, subject to local rules and seasonal arrangements. Around Herentals, the Kempense Heuvelrug forms a wooded ridge crossed by walking and cycling routes. Wildlife sightings are possible in these varied habitats, although they depend on season, weather and quiet observation.

Villages, Abbeys and Campine Culture

The region's history is visible in abbeys, beguinages, village churches, farms and former workers' landscapes. Turnhout remains the principal cultural centre, known for its playing-card industry and the UNESCO-recognised Flemish beguinages network; nearby Geel is associated with a long tradition of community care. Former prison colonies at Wortel and Merksplas reveal a more unusual chapter of rural social history. Alongside heritage, visitors find cycling, walking, local food, brewery traditions and family attractions such as Bobbejaanland at Lichtaart, making Antwerpse Kempen a destination best understood through a series of contrasting landscapes and settlements rather than one central resort.

When is the best time to visit Antwerpse Kempen?

Best: June–August · 21–23°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January671
February759
March1160
April1450
May1871
June (best)2179
July (best)2375
August (best)2372
September2068
October1562
November1069
December879

Getting to and around Antwerpse Kempen

How to get there

Antwerpse Kempen is reached most easily through Antwerp and the surrounding railway network. Rail services connect Antwerp with important regional towns including Herentals, Geel, Mol and Turnhout, while local buses serve many smaller settlements and attractions. Turnhout, Herentals, Geel and Mol are useful arrival points, but none represents the whole region. By road, the E313, E34 and E19 provide approaches from Antwerp and the Netherlands, with smaller roads continuing towards villages, nature reserves and former colonies. Brussels Airport and Antwerp International Airport are the nearest significant air gateways, although a further road or rail journey is required.

Transportation

A car is convenient for linking the dispersed nature reserves, abbeys and villages, though rural roads, cycle crossings and forest lanes require considerate driving. Antwerpse Kempen has an extensive signposted cycling network, and many attractions can be combined using numbered cycle junctions; walking networks are particularly useful around heathland and woodland areas. Trains are practical between the main towns, while buses vary in usefulness for reaching rural attractions. Canal towpaths and dedicated cycleways offer quieter routes, but visitors should check maps before setting out because distances between sites can be substantial.

Best attractions in Antwerpse Kempen

Antwerpse Kempen's attractions are distributed across a broad landscape rather than concentrated in one resort. Landschap De Liereman near Oud-Turnhout combines dry heath, wet grassland, marsh and woodland, while the Kempense Heuvelrug around Herentals and Kasterlee offers forested walking and cycling country. The Prinsenpark at Retie provides another accessible setting of woods, ponds and avenues, and Zilvermeer near Mol transforms a former sand-extraction landscape into a major managed recreation area with water-based activities subject to local arrangements. Wortel-Kolonie and nearby Merksplas-Kolonie reveal planned agricultural landscapes and social history, while Turnhout contributes museums and the historic beguinage. Families may choose Bobbejaanland at Lichtaart, a large amusement park in Kasterlee, whereas visitors seeking quieter scenery can explore canal towpaths, village lanes, abbey surroundings and the open landscapes around Postel and the northern Campine.

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Best landmarks in Antwerpse Kempen

The defining landmarks of Antwerpse Kempen are as much landscapes as buildings. Landschap De Liereman is a significant surviving example of Campine heath, marsh and woodland, while the wooded Kempense Heuvelrug forms a notable sandy ridge near Herentals and Kasterlee. The planned avenues, fields and institutional buildings of Wortel-Kolonie are part of the UNESCO-listed Colonies of Benevolence and provide an important social-landscape landmark; Merksplas-Kolonie offers a related but distinct colonial heritage. Tongerlo Abbey and Postel Abbey reflect the long influence of religious foundations on cultivation and settlement, while the beguinage of Turnhout belongs to the wider Flemish beguinages heritage tradition. In Geel, the town's historic connection with community-based care is a cultural landmark rather than a single monument, and Zilvermeer's ponds demonstrate how industrial sand extraction has been absorbed into the modern recreational landscape.

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Best restaurants in Antwerpse Kempen

Dining in Antwerpse Kempen is concentrated in towns and villages rather than in remote nature areas. Turnhout, Herentals, Geel and Mol offer the broadest choice of restaurants, cafés, bakeries and traditional Belgian brasseries, while village pubs and eateries provide practical stops along cycling routes. Local menus commonly draw on Belgian staples such as beef or rabbit with beer, stoemp, croquettes and seasonal asparagus, alongside regional cheeses, bread and pastries. The area's brewing tradition is especially visible through beers associated with Campine abbeys and local breweries, although production and availability vary. Around farms and rural settlements, visitors may find farm shops selling dairy, fruit, vegetables or other locally produced goods. At reserves, colonies and recreation domains, food outlets can be limited or seasonal, so a packed picnic or provisions from a nearby town may be useful for longer excursions.

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Best bars in Antwerpse Kempen

Antwerpse Kempen is primarily an early-evening and social-drinking destination rather than a nightclub region. Turnhout, Herentals, Geel and Mol have the most dependable concentration of cafés, beer bars and restaurants, while smaller villages retain traditional pubs where conversation, local beer and community life matter more than elaborate nightlife. Some venues host music or cultural events, but programmes and opening patterns vary. Around nature reserves, colonies and recreation areas, evenings are generally quiet, with visitors returning to their accommodation or enjoying a rural terrace when available. For a wider choice of late-night clubs and live entertainment, Antwerp city lies outside the destination and requires separate travel; it should not be confused with the modest evening scene of the Kempen itself.

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Best nightclubs in Antwerpse Kempen

Antwerpse Kempen is primarily an early-evening and social-drinking destination rather than a nightclub region. Turnhout, Herentals, Geel and Mol have the most dependable concentration of cafés, beer bars and restaurants, while smaller villages retain traditional pubs where conversation, local beer and community life matter more than elaborate nightlife. Some venues host music or cultural events, but programmes and opening patterns vary. Around nature reserves, colonies and recreation areas, evenings are generally quiet, with visitors returning to their accommodation or enjoying a rural terrace when available. For a wider choice of late-night clubs and live entertainment, Antwerp city lies outside the destination and requires separate travel; it should not be confused with the modest evening scene of the Kempen itself.

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Best shops in Antwerpse Kempen

Shopping in Antwerpse Kempen is centred on established towns rather than remote reserves. Turnhout has the broadest cultural retail identity, with playing cards, paper-related heritage and locally themed gifts connected to its historic industry, while Geel, Herentals and Mol provide everyday shops, independent retailers, bakeries and cafés. Village shops, farm shops and producers offer opportunities to buy regional food such as cheese, bread, seasonal fruit, vegetables and local beer, although availability depends on the settlement and season. Around abbeys and heritage sites, visitors may encounter religious or regional products, but these should not be assumed at every location. Cycling and walking excursions through the countryside are therefore better suited to planned stops in towns or villages than to spontaneous browsing in a continuous shopping district.

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Antwerpse Kempen essentials

Currency and Payment
Belgium uses the euro (€). Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, larger attractions, supermarkets, cafés and restaurants in the main towns, but smaller cafés, rural businesses, markets and unattended facilities may not accept every payment method. Cash machines are most readily found in Turnhout, Herentals, Geel, Mol and other sizeable settlements rather than beside remote woodland or heathland sites. Carrying a modest amount of euros is sensible for rural excursions, while visitors should not assume that every seasonal kiosk or recreational facility accepts cashless payment.
Safety
The principal outdoor concerns are changing weather, slippery or uneven paths, bicycles and traffic at road crossings, and limited services in extensive woodland or heathland. Stay on marked paths in nature reserves, keep away from unstable edges around water and follow local instructions at managed recreation areas. Summer heat can make sandy trails tiring, while rain may leave low-lying tracks wet. Cyclists should use lights in poor visibility and take care on shared paths. In unfamiliar rural areas, download maps in advance because mobile coverage and phone battery life should not be relied upon everywhere.
Emergency Situations
For urgent police, fire or medical assistance in Belgium, call 112; the police emergency number is also 101. Give the dispatcher the nearest road, village, cycle-route junction, landmark or accurately recorded map position, especially when calling from woodland, heath or a canal towpath. Do not move an injured person unnecessarily unless there is immediate danger. For minor medical needs, seek a pharmacy or doctor in the nearest town, while serious cases should be directed through the emergency services rather than relying on a facility near a rural attraction.
Do's and Don'ts
Do respect marked paths, cycling routes, nature-reserve rules and temporary closures, and keep dogs controlled near livestock and wildlife. Do not pick plants, disturb nesting birds, light fires or leave litter in heathland and woodland. Close gates behind you where requested and give way appropriately on shared paths. At abbeys, churches and beguinages, dress and behave respectfully, particularly during services. Treat former colonies and residential villages as lived-in heritage rather than open-air theme parks, and ask before photographing people, private homes or working farms.
Local Tips
Turnhout suits visitors combining museums and heritage with nearby nature, while Herentals is well placed for the Kempense Heuvelrug and canal-side cycling. Mol and Geel provide useful bases for the eastern Kempen, including Zilvermeer and the landscapes around Postel. Wortel-Kolonie and Merksplas are best understood slowly on foot or by bicycle, with time to read the historical interpretation. Begin outdoor excursions early in warm weather, and allow more time than a map may suggest because sandy paths, junctions and photo stops reduce cycling and walking speeds.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHallo[HAH-loh]
GoodbyeTot ziens[tot zeens]
YesJa[yah]
NoNee[nee]
Please/You're welcomeAlstublieft[AL-stu-bleeft]
Thank youDank u[dahnk oo]
Excuse me/SorrySorry[sor-ee]
How are you?Hoe gaat het?[hu gat hut]
Fine. And you?Goed. En met jou?[khoot. en met yow]
Do you speak English?Spreekt u Engels?[spraykt oo eng-els]
I don't understandIk begrijp het niet[ik buh-greyp hut neet]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseIk zou graag de menukaart zien, alstublieft[ik zou khraach duh me-nuu-kaart zeen, al-stu-bleeft]
I don't eat meatIk eet geen vlees[ik eet khayn vleys]
Cheers!Proost![prohst]
I would like to pay, pleaseIk zou graag willen betalen, alstublieft[ik zou khraach vil-len buh-ta-len, al-stu-bleeft]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help]
Go away!Ga weg![ga wekh]
Call the Police!Bel de politie![bel duh poh-lee-tee]
Call a doctor!Bel een dokter![bel ayn dok-ter]
I'm lostIk ben verdwaald[ik ben vuhr-dwahld]
I'm illIk ben ziek[ik ben zeek]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ik zou graag ... kopen[ik zou khraach ... koh-pen]
I'm just lookingIk ben gewoon aan het kijken[ik ben khuh-woon ahn het kee-ken]
How much is it?Hoeveel kost het?[hu-vale kost hut]
That's too expensiveDat is te duur[dat is tuh duur]
Can you lower the price?Kunt u de prijs verlagen?[kunt oo duh prays vur-lah-ghen]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Hoe laat is het?[hu laht is hut]
It's one o'clockHet is een uur[het is ayn oor]
Half past (10)Half tien[half teen]
MorningOchtend[okhtend]
AfternoonNamiddag[nah-mid-dahkh]
EveningAvond[ah-vohnt]
YesterdayGisteren[khis-tuhr-uhn]
TodayVandaag[vahn-dahkh]
TomorrowMorgen[mohr-khen]
1Een[ayn]
2Twee[tweh]
3Drie[dree]
4Vier[veer]
5Vijf[vayf]
6Zes[zehs]
7Zeven[zay-ven]
8Acht[ahkh-t]
9Negen[nay-khen]
10Tien[teen]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Waar is een/de...?[vahr is ayn/de...]
What's the address?Wat is het adres?[vat is hut ah-dres]
Can you show me (on the map)?Kunt u mij laten zien (op de kaart)?[kunt oo may laht-uhn zeen (op duh kaart)]
When's the next (bus)?Wanneer is de volgende (bus)?[vay-nuhr is duh fohl-hen-duh (bus)]
A ticket (to ....)Een ticket (naar ....)[ayn tik-et (nar ....)]

History of Antwerpse Kempen

A Landscape Shaped by Sand and Water

The Campine landscape developed on predominantly sandy ground north-east of Antwerp, with poor soils, heath, wetlands and shallow valleys influencing settlement and land use for centuries. Parts of the region also contain deposits associated with former marine and river environments, while later sand extraction altered several local sites and created ponds now used for recreation or nature conservation. The open heaths were not untouched wilderness: grazing, cutting turf and collecting fuel helped maintain them, while woodland expanded in other areas when traditional land management declined.

Medieval Abbeys and Rural Settlement

Medieval religious foundations played an important role in the cultivation and administration of the Campine. Tongerlo Abbey, founded in the twelfth century near Westerlo, and Postel Abbey, founded in the twelfth century near the eastern edge of Antwerp province, became influential landowners and centres of religious and agricultural activity. Villages gradually developed around parish churches, farms and communication routes, although the sandy interior remained more thinly populated than the fertile areas closer to the Scheldt and major towns.

Industries of the Campine

From the early modern period into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, local livelihoods combined small-scale agriculture with peat cutting, forestry, brickmaking, sand extraction and trade. Turnhout developed a particularly strong paper and playing-card industry, an identity that remains central to its museums and cultural history. Canals and improved roads connected the inland settlements with Antwerp and neighbouring Brabant and Limburg, making it easier to move raw materials and manufactured goods. In Kempen towns, industrial heritage often sits beside older farms, commons and village landscapes.

Colonies, Care and Social Reform

The nineteenth-century Wortel and Merksplas colonies represent an ambitious attempt to regulate poverty, labour and rural settlement through agricultural institutions. Wortel-Kolonie, now part of the UNESCO World Heritage property known as the Colonies of Benevolence, retains avenues, fields and institutional buildings that express this planned landscape. Geel developed a different model: people with mental-health needs were traditionally welcomed into local households, creating a community-based care culture that became internationally recognised. Both histories show how social policy left a visible mark on the Antwerpse Kempen.

Tourism, Conservation and the Modern Region

Improved rail and road connections, the growth of cycling and the popularity of domestic recreation gradually turned the Kempen into an accessible leisure region. Former extraction sites became ponds, beaches or wildlife habitats, while nature reserves such as Landschap De Liereman protected remaining heath, marsh and woodland. Today, regional tourism balances outdoor recreation with heritage conservation: canals, cycle networks, abbeys, forests and former colonies are promoted as connected experiences, while land managers continue to address habitat protection, water management and the pressures of intensified development.

Antwerpse Kempen in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Antwerpse Kempen

Discover the hidden gems of Antwerpse Kempen with Evendo, your 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more.

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  • History of Antwerpse Kempen and travel essentials
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Planning a trip to Antwerpse Kempen, Belgium? Look no further than Evendo, your ultimate travel companion. This 100% free app-based travel guide is designed to help you explore the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, and activities in Antwerpse Kempen. With detailed information including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details, you'll have everything you need to plan and organize your trip seamlessly.

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