We explore the physical characteristics of young stellar clusters in the Antennae by combining recent ground- and space-based mid-infrared observations with a newly developed set of diagnostic diagrams. Spitzer data give an overview of the star-forming regions extending over hundreds of parsecs, showing a dominant diffuse ISM component with a density of 102 cm−3 plus a small fraction of very compact material (106 cm−3). With its higher spatial resolution VISIR gives a close-up view of the latter component. Its emission line ratios suggest that these regions are fundamentally different from local star-forming regions. Instead of having small isolated UCHII regions, as in local star-forming regions, the average density of the medium of the whole region falls in the (ultra)compact regime, exceeding 104 cm−3 over tens of parsecs.