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Belgium falls through the cracks. It’s a little country, not big enough for people to find on a map sometimes. But it’s one of Europe’s great secrets. While its capital, Brussels, has become overly international, the port city to the north — Antwerp — has more of a local identity. It’s an honest, what-you-see-is-what-you-get place, perhaps because it’s in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium called Flanders.

This city of about 500,000 offers visitors an eclectic array of sightseeing — and it’s easy to navigate since most locals speak English. If you have just one day (or less), you’ll need to be selective, choosing between art, churches, history, fashion and so on.

Just arriving can be a thrill. I can’t think of a city with a more visit-worthy train station than Antwerp. The building stands like a temple to the Industrial Age. Built at the turn of the 20th century, it’s giddy with steel and glass — such as its arrival hall with a triumphal arch crowned by a grand clock.

Stepping out of the station, you’ll find some modern buildings due to Hitler’s rocket attacks during the Second World War — more V-2s fell on Antwerp than on London. Fortunately, most of the Old Town survived. As it has for centuries, the Cathedral of Our Lady dominates the city centre; its 123-metre-tall spire is the highest in the Low Countries. The interior is packed with fine artwork, including four paintings by local-boy-made-good Peter Paul Rubens.

Next door, the Grote Markt, Antwerp’s main square, is dominated by the tower of the cathedral at one end and the stately City Hall at the other. On a façade dating from Antwerp’s Golden Age (16th century), the city hall flies flags from dozens of countries — representing the importance of international trade to the city.

One of the city’s top sights is the Rubens House (rubenshuis.be). This former home of Rubens does a fine job of introducing visitors both to the artist’s works — several of which are displayed here — and to his lifestyle. There are other places in Antwerp to see Rubens’ paintings, but this exhibit offers you a chance to learn about how he lived and the methods he employed.

Another type of house is found in Antwerp’s Red Light District, which is north of the Old Town and near the port. This is Belgium’s biggest hub of legalized prostitution and one of the most businesslike I’ve seen in Europe. About four city blocks are pedestrianized and feel almost like a shopping mall. I did notice that, while Antwerp has a slick red light neighbourhood, it has almost no sleaze elsewhere in town. In a sense, they cleaned the city up by sweeping it all into a small pile.

This area is not as sketchy as it might seem — the mayor actually encourages visitors to stroll here — but it’s also not entirely safe either; it’s best to visit during the day.

The nearby Museum aan de Stroom (mas.be), or MAS for short, is housed in a 64-metre-tall mod tower, encased in hand-cut red stone, and speckled with silver hands (the symbol of Antwerp). Designed to resemble the spiralling stacks of goods in an old warehouse, its maritime, ethnographic and folklore collections confirm Antwerp’s reputation as a crossroads for the world. Take the bank of escalators to the top for a free, stunning view of the city.

Fashionistas love window-shopping in the Sint-Andries district south of the Old Town. Antwerp’s status as a fashion mecca is a relatively recent development. In 1988, six students from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts’ fashion department travelled to a London show, where they got a lot of attention. Each one opened a shop in Sint-Andries, and now it’s one of Europe’s top fashion zones.

As you explore, you’ll discover that many streets have their own personalities. For example, Schuttershofstraat and Hopland are where you’ll find famous-label international couture, while Kammenstraat is better for trendy, retro-hipster fashions.

If funky urbanity is your thing, Antwerp is one of Europe’s most intriguing cities. Compared to stodgy, bureaucratic Brussels, Antwerp’s colourful persona respects its storied past even as it embraces its bright future.

Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts a travel show on KCTS Seattle. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.

IF YOU VISIT

• Sleeping: The Matelote Hotel is a boutique hotel deep in the Old Town (splurge, hotel-matelote.be), while Le Patio is a comfortable Old Town B-and-B with ground-floor rooms around a little courtyard (moderate, lepatio.be).
• Eating: De Groote Witte Arend, a rustic beer hall, slams out traditional food and offers a wonderful selection of Belgian beers (Reyndersstraat 18, tel. 03-233-5033). Neuze Neuze is a dressy and romantic place serving classic Belgian cuisine (Wijngaardstraat 19-21, tel. 03-232-2797).
• Getting around: Sprawling Antwerp is walkable, but using the city’s buses and trams saves time and sweat. The downtown transit corridor, where underground tram lines No. 3, 9 and 15 connect the train station to the Old Town, is convenient for visitors (delijn.be).
• Tourist information: visitantwerp.be