36 Hours in Antwerp, Belgium Herman Wouters for The New York Times Clockwise from top left: De Vagant; outside Museum Aan de Stroom, or MAS; a dish at De Godevaart; a view at MAS; the shop Your; and a dessert at Het Gebaar. Antwerp's central railway station makes a grand first impression with its soaring glass ceiling, elegant hall and ornate turn-of-the-century architecture. And it's a splendid entrance to this stylish city, the largest in the northern Belgian region of Flanders. Years ago, Antwerp established itself as a fashion hub following the international success of top designers like Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and fellow alumni from the local Royal Academy of Fine Arts, one of Europe's premier design schools. But today, the imagination and innovation that initially spurred the cerebral fashions for which the city became known is now blooming in diverse forms - from comics to cuisine, and art to architecture. 2 p.m. Rubens Revival While the Royal Museum of Fine Arts is closed for renovations (scheduled to be completed in 2017), a collection of its artworks is on display in another lofty location: the Cathedral of Our Lady (admission, 5 euros, about $6.50 at $1.30 to the euro). This grand Gothic cathedral, notable for having just a single spire, also houses major paintings from the hometown artist Peter Paul Rubens. After touring the cathedral, visit Rubens's former home and studio, now called Rubenshuis (admission, 8 euros), which today functions as a museum filled with many works from the artist and his pupils. 5 p.m. Alley Attractions Winding streets circle the area around the city's grand cathedral, but few are as pretty as Vlaeykensgang, a cobblestone alley with blooming flower boxes adorning handsome 16th-century stone houses. Since 2011, this hidden lane has also been home to the Axel Vervoordt Gallery, a whitewashed space that showcases works from prominent contemporary artists including Hiroshi Sugimoto, Norio Imai and, currently, Lucia Bru. After exploring the art and the picturesque environs, continue a block south to De Vagant, a cozy bar specializing in the juniper-flavored spirit jenever. The resident black cat, Berry, won't help you choose from the hundreds of varieties - old, young, creamy, fruity - on the extensive menu, but you can always simply order a shot of the special jenever-of-the-week (about 2.50 euros). Intimate Brasseries At Invincible, a tiny brasserie that opened in 2010, the emphasis is on the vin, as evidenced by windowsills lined with empty magnums. Pick an interesting bottle from the ever-changing assortment on display along one wall, and then retire to a seat at the long kitchen counter or in the nook of a dining room. Dinner is a three-course feast (35 euros) spanning traditional French fare, like a terrine starter, and pan-European dishes, like grilled gambas with black rice and chorizo. If you'd rather take the intimate dining concept to the extreme, nearby is the year-old "t Leeuwekopke, a self-styled "mini bistro" with fewer than a dozen seats. Dining at this one-man show - the enterprising chef doubles as waiter and host - can feel like a dinner party of sorts; the highlight on a recent evening was succulent grilled sea bass with mushrooms and sweet potato purée (22 euros). 11 p.m. Musical Lairs After dinner, soak up some jazz at De Muze, a bustling cafe with live nightly performances. If it's crowded around the bar, head to the upper levels still within earshot of the music. For a mix of musical styles from bands and local D.J."s, take a walk north to the divey bar Homey. In warm weather, crowds and tunes spill outside onto the wide plaza, which is an enjoyable place to linger over a mango lassi (3.50 euros). But make the last stop of the night Frituur No. 1, a fantastic fry shop that reopened last year serving steaming piles of twice-fried Belgian fries topped with generous dabs of mayonnaise. 9 a.m. Off the Page Belgium's sizable comic readership has helped propel cartoonish characters off the page and onto Antwerp buildings. Today nine outdoor murals painted by various comic artists are scattered around the city. See some of these works as you walk, starting near Groenplaats, where the cartoonist Dick Matena's fedora-sporting character looms above Korte Nieuwstraat. Farther west, a party scene mural by Brecht Evens, inaugurated last year, enlivens Oever plaza. And on the southern edge of Leopold de Waelplaats, find Philip Paquet's jazz-inspired vignettes painted in the window frames of a building in the heart of the hip Zuid neighborhood. Noon 6. Chocolate Garden