Travel

Travel: Never mind the diamonds, seek out Antwerp’s hidden gems

From the jewel district, bustling street markets, glorious architecture and myriad museums to a spread of fine-dining restaurants and funky cafés, a visit to Belgium’s diamond capitals is a must

Antwerp’s glorious past is in evidence everywhere from richly ornate churches and mansions to hidden cobbled squares lined with ancient buildings

It could have been a curtain raiser for a movie about a heist in the hub of the world’s diamond trade. Pedestrians watch two shiny black limousines crawl along a narrow street, blocking either end. Beefy-looking uniformed men dash to the back of an armoured truck, open it and rapidly toss out large canvas bags to a waiting posse of heavily armed guards who carry them into a nondescript office building.

Uncut and loose diamonds, ...