antwerp diamonds tour

The sparkling history of Antwerp’s diamond district

Did you know that around 84% of the world’s rough diamonds pass through Antwerp’s diamond district, located next to the Central Station? With an annual turnover of around 54 billion dollars, it makes Antwerp the largest diamond district in the world – impressive for a small, unassuming town in the north of Belgium.

So how did Antwerp become such an important part of this lucrative and glamorous trade and why are diamonds and Antwerp so inexorably linked?

Back in the 15th century, records show that rough diamonds and other gems began to arrive from India to Bruges, then onto Antwerp. Rich traders and nobility were attracted to the brightly coloured gems and saw them as a sign of wealth, and the access to the North Sea via the Scheldt river mean an easy trade route direct to Antwerp.

The way in which diamonds were perceived however, changed when Flemish jeweller Lodewyk van Berken invented a diamond polishing tool, the scaif, which created the sparkling, multi-faceted diamonds we know today. This sent European dignitaries into a frenzy – everyone wanted a glittering, sparkling diamond to call their own, and many craftspeople also came to Antwerp looking for work and the city became known as a global centre for diamonds. In the 1890s a diamond industry was officially established by the families of diamond traders and manufacturers.

During the Second World War, the persecution of the Jews in Antwerp and the downturn in demand for luxury goods meant that the industry slowed, but post-war there was a boost to the diamond trade and by the 1950s-1960s there were about 40,000 polishers, brokers, merchants and cutters living and working in the diamond district.

With outsourcing to India, this figure has certainly reduced, but today the unassuming looking diamond district is still an interesting visit. Around 1,500 diamond headquarters are based here, adjacent to the Central Station and a short walk from Meir, Antwerp's main shopping street.

Stroll around and see family-run businesses operating alongside larger brands and workshops. Some visit to have a family heirloom looked at – others are in the market to buy a sparkling gem. And whenever a new diamond is discovered, Antwerp is often the place it will come to be cut, for example the Lesotho Promise, a 603-carat rough diamond, the largest find of the 21st century was sold in Antwerp and cut into 26 stones. It’s now at Graff’s in London where the stones have been designed into a necklace.

If you’re particularly intrigued by Antwerp’s diamond district, make time for a stop at DIVA - the museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver. Its ‘Room of Wonders’ will take through Antwerp’s place on the global diamond stage for 570 years, plus an interactive journey that explores diamonds, silversmithing and jewellery-making. You can even buy diamond souvenirs in the shop – treat yourself to a memento from Antwerp’s diamond district.

håndværk: Changing The Casual Fashion Industry

Stylish, natural, casualwear, knits, t-shirts + crafted closet essentials that are ethical, sustainable, carbon neutral and natural, created by Petra Brichnacova and Esteban Saba.

A Vida Portuguesa

Devoted to the crafts of Portugal, the emporium A Vida Portuguesa is your pitstop ceramics, hand-made woollen blankets, glassware to napkins, stationery to baskets - all made in Portugal.

Drummonds Bathrooms

Set up in the 1980s, by Drummond Shaw, the company began as a vintage salvage company, restoring old rolltop baths to a characterful beauty, perfect for upmarket interiors and of course, indulgent deep soaks.

Tinos’ Marble Marvels

From vast Doric columns to tiny, intricately carved religious artefacts, beautifully smooth busts and imposing door lintels, the Museum of Marble Craft in Tinos reveals the surprising malleability of this revered material.

Restoration Dens – From Ruins to Beauty

Whilst most people wisely steer clear of a crumbling abandoned building, others, thankfully, are drawn to them like a bee to nectar and instantly fall in love - for they can see a future and a purpose.

Woven in Wales: Melin Tregwynt

The country of Wales is a long-time respected and highly regarded producer of crafted textiles and weaving, and one of the most sought-after British manufacturers, produced in a whitewashed mill that’s been in continuous use since 1841.

The Port House (Havenhuis), Antwerp, Belgium

At initial first glance it’s hard not to be dazzled by its shiny, glinting topper – multi-faceted in glass, it’s designed to refract light, and appears to ripple like the sea that surrounds it.

Antwerp’s Unveiling of KMSKA

Antwerp’s Royal Museum of Fine Art reopens – recreated by KAAN architects, the KMSKA holds over 8,400 art pieces dating back to the 14th century onwards.

Copenhagen and the Ceramics Stage

A city of effortless cool & pioneering Scandi design Copenhagen has long been at the heart of the world’s ceramics stage, from practical to the performative.

Eddie Doherty: handwoven tweed from Donegal

One of Ireland’s last handloom weavers, Eddie Doherty. At the age of 16, he learned to weave by hand, and he’s been doing so ever since for the next 40 years – with two long stints at large Irish fabric companies in between.

McNutt of Donegal collaborates with Breac House

McNutt of Donegal weave tweed and Irish wool on handlooms and has evolved over the years to produce Irish linen, fabric and accessories including wool blankets, throws and scarfs as found at Breac.House.

Callista Crafts - Beyond the Tote - 950 Stitches, 356 Knots

Made in their Athens atelier, Callista's bags are iconic, timeless, and one of a kind, each skilfully handmade using age-old crafts and techniques to incorporate Greek heritage

JOIN the AFICIONADOS

To receive our world of travel and style delivered straight to your inbox.

BRILLIANT ANTWERP - a visit to the diamond area

During this tour you will really have the experience to walk in the world centre  of diamonds. In the fascinating story of your guide you will relive the heydays, the nearly fall and finally the resurrection of the Antwerp diamond industry through the ages.

Via Central Station you reach the ‘Diamond Square Mile’, the Antwerp diamond district. A colourful mixture of different nationalities walk through the streets, busily negotiating from one transaction to another. Diamond cutters, jewellers and diamond dealers are at home here in their own world of  grinding mills, showrooms and fairs.

Learn everything about the origin of diamonds, the processing and the trade.

When you click “Book now” you will leave the Antwerp City Guides website and switch to the product page of Experience Antwerp (in a separate window). There you can book, buy and pay for this tour. You can return to this website by closing the window (click on “X” top right).

You may also like…

FROM CENTRAL STATION TO THE CATHEDRAL

MULTICULTURAL WALKING TOUR

THE ANTWERP JEWISH COMMUNITY

Change location

• UK / International
• Call toll-free from 10am EDT
• 617-223-4521 617-223-4356 or
• REQUEST A QUOTE

Diamond District tour & diamond cutting workshop

This three-hour walking tour will take you through Antwerp’s Diamond Quarter with a local guide. The Diamond Quarter boasts the densest concentration of diamonds in the world — 86% of legal raw diamonds pass through the city at some point. The streets are lined with wholesalers, diamond cutters, polishers and shops. There are diamond sellers located throughout the city, but your guide will point you in the right direction of the best shops if you’re looking to buy.

As you explore the Diamond Quarter, your experienced guide will tell you about the history of the trade in Antwerp, and you’ll also get to visit a local workshop and see the workers demonstrate the process behind grinding, cutting, polishing and setting the stones.

You’ll also get to see Antwerp’s Central Station, one of the city’s most well-known buildings. The train station is a stone building, with a massive dome and an eclectic mix of architectural styles.

The tour can begin from Ghent, Brussels, Bruges or Antwerp; your guide will meet you at your hotel, and you may need to take a train to Antwerp’s Central Station. The grand train station is expansive, with an almost cathedral-like feel inside with high vaulted ceilings, towering stone columns and tall, Romanesque windows. The station’s opulent feel is owed in part to the lucrative diamond trade of the nearby Diamond Quarter.

You and your experienced private guide will then make the short walk to the Diamond Quarter, which stretches for several blocks in each direction. The buildings are flat faced and more modern looking than the step-gabled houses seen in other parts of the city. The area covered on the tour is concentrated, so the distance you’ll walk is minimal.

You’ll learn the history of the trade in Antwerp as you walk with your guide, before heading to a local workshop where you’ll see workers demonstrating the process behind grinding, cutting, polishing and setting diamonds.

If you wish to purchase a stone, your guide will help find a suitable store. The tour will take about three hours in total, and can be scheduled for any time during the business day.

Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Belgium specialists

• 617-223-4521 617-223-4356
• Make an inquiry

Photos of Diamond District tour & diamond cutting workshop

Other experiences in Antwerp

These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.

Bruges old town tour & canal cruise

Spend a few hours with a guide exploring Bruges’ historical highlights, where you’ll see artwork by Michelangelo, Gothic cathedrals and a towering belfry. Then, spend an hour cruising the postcard-worthy canals and see step-gabled houses and stone bridges.

Culinary walking tour of Antwerp

Get to know Antwerp’s history and try some of its best cuisine on this guided walking tour. You’ll see the city’s oldest building and busiest square, and get to try frites, artisanal chocolates, waffles and beer.

Private canal cruise with champagne & charcuterie

See a world-renowned altarpiece, a bird’s-eye view of the city, a medieval castle and lively market squares on a walking tour of Ghent. Then explore the city’s waterways on a boat tour of the canals, where you’ll be served local delicacies and Belgian beer.

Experience it for yourself

You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.

Cruising the Dutch & Belgian waterways

10 days from $8,295pp

Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg self-drive tour

9 days from $3,780pp

• Antwerp & Diamonds
• Diamonds & Culture

Diamond Pavilion

• A brilliant story
• Visit Antwerp

February 8 2012 marks the official inauguration of the MAS | Antwerp Diamond Pavilion. This Pavilion symbolizes the structural partnership AWDC set up with the MAS | Museum Aan de Stroom, at the crossroads where Antwerps long relationship with diamonds begun: Antwerp's port. In collaboration with the Diamond Museum, the Antwerp Diamond Pavilion is where that history will truly come to life, as a meeting space for everyone who shares a love for things of beauty, art and diamonds. The Diamond Pavilion enlightens why we call Antwerp the centre of the global diamond industry and shows at the same time who isactive in the industry, both now and in the past. It informs you about the rich history, the economic importance and a lot of other aspects of this typicalAntwerp activity. The diamond shop makes sure you can go home with a souvenir. The MAS Museum and pavilions are another sparkling addition to Antwerps brilliant skyline.

You can visit the diamond pavilion from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM.

More information on www.mas.be - 0476/86.13.33

• New account

Login to myAWDC

Forgot your password, sign up to your personal awdc newsletter.

• Diamond Office
• Diamonds and Antwerp, it's in our DnA !
• KYC Bureau Van Dijk Database

Antwerp World Diamond Centre

For all inquiries.

Deze website maakt gebruik van bestanden (zoals cookies) en andere technologie. Door verder te surfen, stem je in met het gebruik hiervan.

Extraordinary secrets in the Diamond District

Interested in a peek behind the sharps at the Diamond Square Mile? Are you curious about the world of grinding, negotiating and trading the precious commodity? Explore the Diamond District.

<  Start the audio walk  >

Audio walk through the Diamond District

Did you know that natural diamonds are older than dinosaurs ? And that every diamond passes through Antwerp at least once ? Antwerp has been the world center of diamonds for more than 575 years. There are a lot of diamond and gem stories to discover in the city. 

In the second part of this walk, you will visit the Diamond Square Mile, today's Diamond District. You'll be introduced to the world of grinding, negotiating,  and trading the precious commodity.

Practical info tour Diamond District

• You decide when you take the walk. This can be done daily. You don't need to make a reservation.
• Duration with 10 stops: +/- 90 minutes.
• Available in Dutch and English.

Starting and ending point

You start the walk at:

Railway station Antwerpen Centraal, Koningin Astridplein 27, 2018 Antwerp

You end your tour at:

Delrey, Appelmansstraat 5, 2018 Antwerp

The map with stopping points

Get the free map with the stopping points of the walk at:

the front desk of DIVA

the front desk of Het Steen

Or download the map  here .

Audio clips

All audio clips can be listened to separately. You can shorten the walk without any problem.

Listen to the audio clips per stop.

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Do you see a mistake on the website? Please send an e-mail to the webmaster.

All information about the accessibility of and parking policy in the city of Antwerp can be found on

Transport in and to Antwerp and Parking on the street | Smart ways to Antwerp .

DIVA | Museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver

DIVA is the number one museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver in Antwerp. The museum is located at an historic site: from the 15th century, the Grote Markt and surrounding streets were the place to be for people who were looking for objects made of gold, silver and precious stones. Lovers of great luxury could feast their eyes on the shop windows of jewellers and goldsmiths. Delve into history and discover stories and objects from Antwerp’s heyday to today.

A Brilliant Story Expand your knowledge and marvel at DIVA, the world of diamonds, jewellery and silver. In the refurbished permanent exhibition ‘ A Brilliant Story ‘, you will discover the different stages of a piece of jewellery or silverware, from the mine to the finished product. See how diamonds are mined, how silversmiths work, and learn more about the art and uses of these beautiful objects. Feast your eyes on 650 diamonds, jewellery and silver objects from the 15th century to today.

3 reasons why this is worth your visit

• Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world. After visiting the DIVA museum, you can go on a treasure hunt in Antwerp armed with your new-found knowledge.
• Did you know that the museum also has a library, atelier and educational space? In the DIVA reading room, you can browse through books and magazines about diamonds, jewellery and silver. You are welcome in the educational space and atelier for interesting workshops. The doors of the atelier are open to specialists in goldsmithing and enthusiasts with no prior experience. Young or old, with your class or colleagues, alone or together: join in!
• The DIVA museum has an offer for children, but for now only in Dutch. Magpie loves everything that shines and has an eye for shiny details. This makes him the perfect guide during a discovery tour with fun search and do assignments throughout the permanent exhibition. Ideal for children from 7 years old.
• Practical information

Contact details for visitors

Opening hours.

DIVA opened in May 2018 as a fusion of the former Diamond Museum and the Silver Museum. In a stately building situated a stone’s throw from the Grote Markt, diamonds, jewellery and silver are displayed in a contemporary and interactive way. The district behind Antwerp City Hall, where DIVA is located, was (and is) a site where silversmiths and jewellers have lived, worked and sold their products for over 500 years. Especially since Antwerp’s Golden Age, this has been a thriving commercial district. This historic framework provides the museum with extra context and makes for a rich arsenal of stories encompassing all of the objects and products.

DIVA’s history in silver

Silver is not just a material. As a precious metal, silver has a special aura that gives DIVA that extra cachet. That is why DIVA’s roots lie with the Zilvermuseum. The Silver Museum left Sterckshof Castle on 2 May 2014, after the tenth anniversary edition of the Silver Market. From 2018 onwards, the silver collection has been presented in DIVA.

DIVA’s history in diamonds

DIVA reconnects Antwerp with all of the facets of its brilliant past. The 500 years of Antwerp’s diamond history serve as one of DIVA’s starting points. The Diamond Museum at Koningin Astridplein 19–23 closed its doors in 2012 due to renovations to the Queen Elisabeth Hall, which was located in the same building. In May 2018, the former Diamond Museum opened in a different form and merged with the collection of the former Silver Museum. DIVA, the number one museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver in Antwerp was officially born.

Is DIVA accessible for people with reduced mobility? DIVA is accessible for (electric) wheelchairs and walkers. All exhibition rooms are accessible by lift. To use the lift, you sometimes have to deviate from the planned route. Our staff in the museum halls will be happy to show you the way. Adapted toilets can be found on floor -1. DIVA provides a wheelchair and 20 folding chairs, which are available at the front desk.

Can I enter DIVA with a stroller? Strollers are allowed in the museum rooms. We do ask that all bags attached to the stroller be placed in the lockers (on floor -1). Would you prefer to store the stroller during your visit? You can do so in the space provided. Please talk to our staff in the entrance hall. You will find two changing tables in the toilets

Can I bring my dog? Dogs are not allowed, except for guide dogs and other certified assistance dogs.

Is DIVA easy to reach? The museum is easily accessible on foot, by bike, by public transport (including the water bus) and by car. The Suikerrui is close to the Grote Markt and Groenplaats. It is also easy to reach by tram and bus. Coming by car? You can park in the car parks at the Grote Markt or the Groenplaats.

Museum tickets

Activities and guided tours, school offers.

We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.