Antwerp & Lillo by Waterbus 20 June 2025

View of Antwerp docks and Museum aan de Stroom from DeWaterbus

After arriving in Antwerp the previous day and with a day to enjoy before the opening evening of Bierpassie / Beer Passion Weekend 2025 on the evening of Friday 20 June, our group went in two directions. While long time festival goers Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon would meet at Antwerpen Centraal for the train to Gent, Tim, a relative newcomer to the group, decided to take his first trip on De Waterbus from Het Steen on Antwerp's waterfront downstream to Lillo.

Hollandstraat - the shady side opposite my apartment

Tim's morning started with a walk from his holiday apartment on Hollandstraat to Lidl on van der Wervestraat. This walk involved crossing Sint-Jansplein with its busy market and discovering two interesting structures at opposing corners of the open space. 

There's a monument dedicated to Panamarenko, the Belgian inventor / artist who lived nearby and a colourful curved kiosk for community events. Lidl proved useful for breakfast foods and coffee pads that would fit the old Senseo espresso coffee machine in the apartment.

   University    -    'T Kleintje    -     Het Steen

After breakfast, keeping to the shade where possible, a walk down Paardenmarkt, Klapdorp, Zirkstraat and Zakstraat gave glimpses of the university and passed some interesting bars and shops and the inevitable roadworks.

A sign at the entrance to the Steenplein landing stage on the river Scheldt, near Het Steen, gives details of routes, times, rules and fares. These details are also available from the DeWaterbus website. Tickets can be purchased online or on board the ferry when staff check tickets and destinations. The Zone 3 (North) fares for Lillo are €4 / €6 return with reduced rates for 65+ years (€3.50 / €5 return).

The landing stage offers virtually no protection from the sun / rain but there are railings at the edges. Bicycles are parked in the rear open section which may not leave much room left for passengers preferring to travel in this section rather than the large enclosed cabin which has full length windows.

The route passes docks and industrial sites and possibly freight ships. It takes almost an hour to reach Lillo after three stops on the other bank of the river. Passengers are expected to know when to get off. Stops are not displayed on the cabin screen and may not be announced. Ask a crew member if you have arrived at Lillo if necessary.

There is a narrow pier from the landing stage at Lillo to dry land. A panoramic view towards the landing stage includes cooling towers of the Doel nuclear power station on the opposite bank.

Limited shelter is available for passengers to the right of an information board.

There's a board with a map of Lillo a little further inland. Sections of the moat remain and there is a yacht club harbour near the river. It was time to explore the settlement and find a bar for a lunchtime beer.

The main street leads to a square by a church with a corner bar Taverne 't Pleintje.

With De Koninck listed in the menu as one of the draught beers (€3.30), a Bolleke was the obvious choice for a first beer of the day, brewed nearby in Antwerp. All the customers were sat at tables in the square and table service was efficient.

Duly refreshed, an exploratory walk around Lillo and its raised perimeter was interesting and there was some welcome shade from trees in some parts. The square brick building behind a high wall in the central photo above is the Kruitmagazijn (gunpowder magazine). It was built in 1810 by order of Napoleon to store 50 tons of gunpowder. 

Returning to the central square, an attempt to enter the premises under the sign In de 7 Saeligheden with an exterior featuring beer signs, was refused with the explanation that it is now just an ice cream store with a counter for the street.

Instead I was invited to buy a home made ice cream but another beer had more appeal so apologies were made and a promise to recommend the establishment to friends - please tell them Tim sent you when you visit Marktje 7!

Returning to Taverne 't Pleintje an opportunity was taken to order another classic beer from  Antwerp - Seef bier brewed by Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie reasonably priced at €4.20 for a 33cl bottle. Bootje's bier (brewed with ginger and coriander) and Radio Minerva Tripel are also available.

A short walk back to the pier was timed to coincide with the 3pm departure of DeWaterbus back to Antwerp. Don't miss an opportunity to explore the river Scheldt and Lillo c/o DeWaterbus if you find yourself in Antwerp on a fine day.

R,A,K & S at Het Waterhuis (Photo Richard R) - A,K,S & R at Trollekelder (Photo Andrew B)

I could tell from WhatsApp messages that Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon were having a good day out in Gent / Ghent visiting canalside Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant and two of my recommendations: Artevelde and Trollekelder. 

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