A railway station that looks like a cathedral, penguins next door, and an old town best explored without too much of a plan. AutomationSTAR comes to Antwerp on 4–5 November with two days of test automation and AI in testing, held a minute’s walk from the train.
Bring your team and you’ll cover more sessions, bring home more ideas, and save up to 25% on tickets. Plus, leave a little space for new experiences.
Here’s how to make the most of the city between talks.
Look up – you’ve arrived
At Antwerp Central, resist the urge to follow the crowd straight to the exit. Often called the ‘railway cathedral’, it lives up to the name. Stop under the great domed hall, take in the marble and gilt, and gather everyone for a team photo. A Room with a ZOO, our conference venue, is just a minute’s walk away. Getting the team from train to conference is the easy part. Persuading everyone to stop taking pictures might take longer.
Meet the neighbours
Not every conference has penguins next door…
Antwerp ZOO is one of the oldest in the world, and its 19th-century gardens and grand animal houses make a fine first afternoon if you arrive a day early. It’s an easy way to stretch your legs and catch up before the sessions start. It’s also a good escape between talks when your brain needs a breather. November days are short, so check closing times and go early.
Split up, swap notes
Wednesday morning is where a team really pays off. At 9am, seven hands-on tutorials start at the same time. Someone builds and breaks an AI testing agent in the AI Testing Dojo, someone else gets to grips with a scalable Playwright framework, and a third person explores agentic mobile automation. On your own you get to choose one. With a team, you can cover them all.
The keynotes give everyone something to discuss over lunch, and deep dives are already starting to book out – so the sooner your team is registered, the more choice you’ll have.
Let the old town lead
Make for Grote Markt, where ornate guild houses that lean over the square reward a slow look upwards. The Brabo fountain tells the city’s founding legend: a giant, a severed hand and a hero with a good throwing arm. Then follow the cobbled streets, take a turn that looks interesting and see where you end up.
Let a different colleague choose each stop: a coffee here, a warm waffle there, a table somewhere inviting. Leave enough room for the conversation to wander too.
Raise a bolleke
If your team enjoys a Belgian beer, book the De Koninck brewery experience to learn how Antwerp’s favourite beer is made. Then order a bolleke, as the locals call it after its round glass. The site has food shops and places to eat, so you can easily stay for dinner. Book ahead for groups.
Or keep it simple: after Wednesday’s EXPO party, reserve a long table in the old town and let the day’s talks carry on over dinner. Expect at least one heated debate about flaky tests.
Follow the river to a fortress
A medieval fortress on your evening wander? Antwerp has that covered. Head towards the Scheldt and you’ll find Het Steen, the city’s oldest surviving building. Stop for a photo, take in the river views and give yourselves a little time before dinner. A few centuries of history makes a good change from talking about your next sprint.
Make room for chocolate
For a team outing with broad appeal, put Chocolate Nation on the list. Its interactive museum explores the world of Belgian chocolate, making it a tempting stop for a spare afternoon — especially if November sends you indoors.
Afterwards, seek out a chocolate shop together and compare your choices. Anything that makes it back to the office is a bonus.
Bring something back together
Attending AutomationSTAR as a team means you’ll come home with more sessions covered, more practical takeaways and a shared plan to act on them. Antwerp adds the long dinners, the detours and the conversations you rarely find time for during a normal working week. And it costs less:
- Team of 3–4: 15% off
- Team of 5–9: 20% off
- Team of 10: 25% off, just €1,050 per person
Bring your colleagues, comfortable shoes, and a little curiosity. Antwerp will take care of the detours! You can find out more about hotels and getting here on our Location page.
Your next team trip is less than a month away! Book your tickets now.
