Hidden Pub Antwerp: An Underground Doorway Beneath the City
One of the joys of exploring a city on foot is finding the things you’d never notice from a bus window. That’s exactly what happened during our Tauck river cruise stop in Antwerp, where we discovered a hidden pub in Antwerp tucked beneath the streets — a curious doorway our guide led us to with a knowing smile.
At first glance, it looked like an old cellar door cracked open to let in the afternoon air. But step closer, and you find a stone-framed entrance to a stairwell that disappears below street level — with lantern lighting and a dark door beneath. Above the entrance, a small sign reads Estro Armonico, hinting at its current role as a charming underground grill and restaurant nestled just off the Grote Markt.
Our guide explained that entrances like this once led to hidden pubs, discreet gathering places where locals could enjoy a drink away from prying eyes. Though Belgium didn’t experience prohibition as the U.S. did, strict licensing and wartime scarcity made these underground spots a popular solution for centuries.
Today, Estro Armonico occupies the space, offering a rustic, stone-walled cellar dining experience in what was once a secret pub in Antwerp The iron-studded doors, narrow stairwell, and low-light ambiance preserve the mystery and history of this unique corner of Antwerp.
Why We Wander
Moments like this — discovering a hidden pub in Antwerp that now serves as a cozy restaurant — are what make river cruising with Tauck so rewarding. These aren’t just sightseeing stops. They’re conversations with the past, tucked behind cellar doors and beneath cobblestones.
We’ve found that every Tauck cruise reveals moments like this — whether it’s a quiet canal-side cafe, a castle ruin, or an old underground bar in Antwerp hidden beneath the streets.
This experience was part of our recent Tauck river cruise through Belgium and Holland.
To see all of our daily highlights, reflections, and photos, visit our full cruise landing page here.
For more information or to book a Tauck river cruise, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
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This article was written with the aid of Perplexity AI, Grok, or ChatGPT. Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an independent affiliate of Cadence and a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
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