The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Wednesday February 26th — —

“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Wednesday February 26th — —

I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Wednesday February 26th — —

Boulevard Leopold

Since we discovered it, whenever we visit Antwerp the only address we want to stay is the extraordinary Boulevard Leopold. Owned by the warm hosts Bert Verschueren and Vincent Defontainers, Boulevard Leopold is located in a 19th Century house in the Belgian city, between the Albert Park and the City Park which is right in the Jewish Quarter. The two owners say their aim in the interiors was to create a sense of “forgotten glory”, which in our eyes is the exact sentiment Boulevard Leopold evokes. Entering Boulevard Leopold is like entering the house of a libertine nobleman from the 19th Century living in contemporary times, cherishing all his old belongings hinting and long-gone times, completed with modern elements where needed. With three regular rooms for rent and two larger apartments available on longer terms, the bed and breakfast, built in 1890, is a beautiful hybrid of antique and contemporary design.

One finds beautiful and extraordinary details in the Boulevard Leopold, from a tabletop adorned with cloche-covered hydrangeas and black candles in crystal to a black-stained cabinet of curiosities. A beautiful mix of old books, antique crucifixes, and animal specimen. In the sitting area an oversized suitcase functions as a coffee table. There are original tiles from 1900 in the bathroom of one of the two apartments, next to the fact that all hardware from 1890 is in tact throughout the bed and breakfast. Finally our favourite area of Boulevard Leopold: the jungle-like dining room full of plants where the residents are served a delicious breakfast.

Whenever in Antwerp make sure to visit the marvellous Boulevard Leopold of Bert and Vincent!

For more information and booking see here.