Photo credit: Unsplash / Ernest Ojeh
Despite UK Counter-Strike (CS) not having any player representatives at the ongoing PGL Antwerp Major (though we have some incredible broadcast talent), this hasn’t deterred swathes of fans from making the pilgrimage from the UK to the biggest event of the year.
Fans will again be able to witness the electric atmosphere of a packed arena, eight incredible, pickems-destroying teams, world-class broadcast talent, and of course, delicious Belgian beers. But before you head there to watch the playoffs – which start on May 19th 2022 – here are a few things you should look into.
The Paperwork – Important Documents you Need Before you Travel
Whilst Covid restrictions are slowly being lifted, when travelling to Belgium from the UK it’s important to remember you must:
- Be fully vaccinated with two doses completed at least 14 days before arrival and no later than 270 days, or a booster dose administered at least 14 days before arrival
- Provide proof of vaccination status which can be done via the NHS app (not the NHS Covid-19 app)
- Fill in a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) through the Belgian Government Website
- Remember to check your passport is valid and has at least three months remaining before it expires from the day you plan to leave
- For more information on travelling to Belgium, follow the advice on the UK Government’s website
Oh, and don’t forget your Antwerp Major tickets!
Mischief at the Major Tour: Which Antwerp locations have CS personalities visited?
If you haven’t accounted for what to do in Antwerp between the major action, both the city and CS community have plenty on offer for the duration of your stay. If four days of arena action isn’t enough Counter-Strike action to keep you tided over, why not check out the events that news site HLTV and newsletter tl;dr have to offer on Wednesday May 18th and Friday May 20th?
The main trio of SPUNJ, Striker and Professeur will be hosting the HLTV Confirmed live-with-audience show (now sold out) at the Outpost Gamecenter, Antwerp featuring ‘special guests, giveaways and a free welcome drink’. Doors open at 6.30pm CEST and the live show starts at 8pm, which will also be treated as a last call, before finishing at 10pm.
On the bright side, Outpost Gamecenter will be open for the duration of your stay so if you need to satiate your Counter-Strike urges, this is the place to be (until 1am weekdays or 2am Friday and Saturday).
For a less exclusive daytime event, why not sign yourself up to the TL;DR x GamerPay Meetup at the beautiful Bocadero Terrace along the river. This sponsored community meetup will give you the opportunity to have a drink on the tl;dr CSGO crew on Friday 20th from 1pm CEST and mingle with like-minded CS fans (who’ll probably make fun of us for performing even worse than NA in the major cycle). Then at around 3pm, everyone will start the roughly 45-minute walk towards the arena to be there in time for the first match of the day.
Now if you’ve been watching the Challengers Stage of the Major, you may have seen two ‘Mischief at the Major’ content pieces featuring James Banks, Danky (the CEO of Cache and Antwerp local) and Frankie Ward, in which they discuss and showcase the best places to visit in Antwerp. Should you wish to follow in their footsteps, then don’t worry, we’ve already mapped out your trip.
In Danky’s first conversation with Banks, he suggests that tourists should visit MAS (Museum aan de Stroom), the largest museum in Antwerp with a focus on art and history. The building is open from 10am to 5pm CEST and MAS tickets cost €6 to €12 (or free for under 18s), granting you access to a wide variety of exhibitions that’ll help you to experience the rich, cultural heritage of Antwerp.
If museums aren’t really your thing, MAS also has a free promenade and panorama viewing platform on the top floor, giving you a bird’s eye view of the city. These stay open till midnight in summer so you’ll have ample time to fit this in with your other daily activities like stopping off at Frituur n°1 for your portion of classic Belgian fries. This popular food stop has a reputation for having some of the best fries in Antwerp, and with a central location and opening hours extending to 4am CEST, it’s hard to make excuses not to go.
The next stop is desert over at Désiré de Lille. Scoop up one of a variety of elegantly garnished Belgian waffles and embrace your cheat day anytime from 12 midday to 6pm CEST. Open since 1903, that’s surely evidence enough of their high quality, and if you’re there with a group then why not indulge in a full meal in their courtyard garden or covered terrace, as it’s not just waffles they serve at Désiré de Lille!
And if you haven’t already satiated your desert cravings, to round out your tour, another must-visit is Chocolate Nation, Antwerp’s famous chocolate museum. Now this is one of the pricier experiences Antwerp has on offer, with Chocolate Nation tickets ranging from €17.50 to €18.90 for the roughly hour-long venture, but the natives have given it high praise.
Open from 10:15am to 6pm CEST daily, the museum details the history of Belgian chocolate, from the creation process to the formation of its famous brands. Being located just across from the central station means the building is hard to miss, and with the opportunity to taste plenty of enticing Belgian chocolate, it’s likely you won’t want to. The gift shop alone is reason to go with its diverse selection of treats, and you can even take some home if you have any weight allowance left in your luggage after cramming in your newly purchased jersey collection.
“You may have seen two ‘Mischief at the Major’ content pieces featuring James Banks, Danky and Frankie Ward, in which they discuss and showcase the best places to visit in Antwerp. Should you wish to follow in their footsteps, then don’t worry, we’ve already mapped out your trip.”
Now if you’re wondering why we haven’t included the coveted Antwerp Beer Tour on the to-do list, it’s because the only timings are Wednesday and Friday at 2pm CEST – and the duration is a whopping four hours!
Now as UKCS fans, four hours of drinking is likely no issue, but that would also mean arriving a full day early or sacrificing all of Friday’s arena action. As a compromise, De Koninck – Antwerp City Brewery offers self-guided interactive tours, tasting sessions and a courtyard terrace bar and is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11am to 7pm CEST (or 10pm on Friday and Saturday). The tour, or De Mol x Duvel Experience, will set you back €14.
It’s not just the breweries you need to keep an eye on in Belgium, but the bars and clubs are top notch too.
Nightlife in Antwerp
If you do manage to find yourself looking for something to do after the Major matches finish for the day, then why not go out to one of Antwerp’s many bars and clubs and enjoy some downtime with your fellow Counter-Strike fans?
One of the more unique bars is named Jazzcafé De Muze, incredibly popular with both locals and tourists. As the name suggests, it’s a bar/café that features live music performances whilst you enjoy your drinks and is open all day from 11.30am to 2am CEST, or 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. Whether you’re into beer, wine or cocktails, this bar is a great place to discuss how you’re only getting a Silver pickems coin this year with friends whilst you unwind to a top-quality performance.
If a rave is more your thing, then Club Vaag is the place for you. This underground basement club is hosting a cast of up-and-coming artists over the major weekend with a blend of EDM, House and Disco at their venue right next to Bocadero. Tickets for Club Vaag range from roughly €11 to €15, and the earlier you book, the cheaper you can get them, or you can chance picking them up on the door and bagging yourself a locker for an extra €2 in the cloakroom.
But if you’re looking for a more chilled nightclub theme, why not try Barok in Antwerp with their excellent cocktail and dance music selection? Open from 4pm to 2am or 2pm to 3am on Friday and Saturday (and only a seven-minute walk from Chocolate Nation), it’s a great end to a day of city exploring and top-notch CS.
View this handy map of Antwerp and key locations
We got in touch with Danky, the ‘CEO of Cache’ and Antwerp local. He put together an exhaustive list of anything and everything else you can do and see in Antwerp, like visiting the beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady or the Antwerp Zoo, one of the oldest animal parks in the world.
Nearly every major site in Antwerp can be found in this map, so be sure to give him a follow and make the absolute most of your stay in the stunning city of Antwerp.
Further reading: James Banks on joining CSGO esports team Bad News Eagles in unpaid manager role
