This is one of our favorite runs in Antwerp. Gorgeous paths around the properties of former estates are now a 90 hectare park and open-air sculpture museum, located 5 km south of Old Town. Note that there are many paths around Nachtegalenpark and Middelheimpark, so use our map as a guideline to create your own route. In terms of access, there’s no direct transport to Nachtegalenpark. You can take a train to Berchem, and do the route starting in Brilschanspark. Nachtegalenpark has facilities for runners, including lockers!
Castle Den Brandt. Creative Commons
Start at the entrance to Nachtegalenpark, and enjoy ~2 km around the park’s wooded paths. Then, take the beautifully landscaped paths around the Middelheimpark and Middelheimmuseum. During the museum’s opening hours, you can enjoy a signposted 3 km route around the sculpture garden. Finally, cross Beukenlaan to the Park Den Brandt, and the landscaped paths to the Castle Den Brandt.
Add-Ons: Just east of Middelheimpark are additional paths around Park Den Brandt, and just east of there, check out Olympic Stadium – Beerschot, site of the 1920 Olympics. For a nice 3.5 km add-on, there are multi-use paths through Leeuwerikpark and Brilschanspark. See our mapped route.
Nachtegalenpark
This is one of our favorite runs in Antwerp. Gorgeous paths around the properties of former estates are now a 90 hectare park and open-air sculpture museum, located 5 km south of Old Town. Note that there are many paths around Nachtegalenpark and Middelheimpark, so use our map as a guideline to create your own route. In terms of access, there’s no direct transport to Nachtegalenpark. You can take a train to Berchem, and do the route starting in Brilschanspark. Nachtegalenpark has facilities for runners, including lockers!
Castle Den Brandt. Creative Commons
Start at the entrance to Nachtegalenpark, and enjoy ~2 km around the park’s wooded paths. Then, take the beautifully landscaped paths around the Middelheimpark and Middelheimmuseum. During the museum’s opening hours, you can enjoy a signposted 3 km route around the sculpture garden. Finally, cross Beukenlaan to the Park Den Brandt, and the landscaped paths to the Castle Den Brandt.
Add-Ons: Just east of Middelheimpark are additional paths around Park Den Brandt, and just east of there, check out Olympic Stadium – Beerschot, site of the 1920 Olympics. For a nice 3.5 km add-on, there are multi-use paths through Leeuwerikpark and Brilschanspark. See our mapped route.
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Essentials
Long route: 9 km (5.6 km) for route including Leeuwerikpark & Brilschanspark. Options for additional paths
A few rolling hills
Entrance to Nachtegalenpark, 2020 Antwerp
There's no direct transport access to Nachtegalenpark. Use train to Berchem, do the route starting in Brilschanspark
This 5-mile 'runseeing' tour is a neat way to see the highlights of Old Town Antwerp, enjoy a loop around Stadstpark, and the paths around the iconic Museum aan de Stroom. The compact Old Town is a maze of mainly pedestrianized streets and squares.
A route highlighting the east side of the Scheldt River, from the Sint-Annatunnel in central Antwerp to the Noordkasteel park, up to 6.5 km one-way. Nearly all off-road. Includes a loop around the Museum aan de Stroomm. Good add-on and side options.
A route highlighting the west side of the Scheldt River, from the Sint-Annatunnel to Sint-Annabos Park, up to 5.25 km one-way. Nearly all off-road. Great views of the river, marina, Old Antwerp. Can add on with park & preserve paths, and our east side route.
Modern park built on a former railbed has a an open and industrial feel. A loop of the paved/gravel paths is ~2.5 km. Can combine with our route along the east side of the Scheldt River for a longer run.
A large park in eastern Antwerp, located on the former estate of the Sterckshof Castle. Numerous gravel paths wind around nicely landscaped grounds of this 130-hectare park, passing numerous small ponds and rivers. Easy to stitch together a 5-7 km run.
Combine these two parks for a pleasant run in eastern Antwerp. Boekenbergpark is known for its natural outdoor pool and castle, while Te Boelaerpark has straight gravel paths framed by nice trees. The parks are 0.5 km apart. Add Rivierenhof for a longer run.
A fun 10 km run around two forts. Only an 8-minute train ride from central Antwerp to the Mortsel-Oude God station. Paths around the old forts and moats that are now parks, and a 1.5 km connection between the forts on decent roads and bike paths.
The Hobokense Polder Nature Preserve, bordering the Scheldt River is a lovely spot for a run. There's a nice variety among the 9 km of paths: woods, grasslands, a riparian swamp, and a 2 km section along the river. Only 15 minutes by train from central Antwerp.
A worth-it destination run. This 60 km² nature preserve has many km of gorgeous trails, through stately tree-lined 'avenues', heathland, grassland, dunes, & more. There are several well-marked hiking loops that make for a fabulous run.
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Essentials
Long route: 9 km (5.6 km) for route including Leeuwerikpark & Brilschanspark. Options for additional paths
A few rolling hills
Entrance to Nachtegalenpark, 2020 Antwerp
There's no direct transport access to Nachtegalenpark. Use train to Berchem, do the route starting in Brilschanspark
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Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!