The Flemish coast has 10 resorts, each with its own character. They have two things in common: the broad beach and the attractive promenade...
THE FLEMISH COAST RESORTS
THE TOURIST INFORMATION
De Panne
De Panne: a green holiday region by the sea
Where the North Sea, the dunes and the polders meet, lies this green pearl of the Flemish coast. Enjoy the immeasurable expanses of the dunes with their surprising scenery, wander undisturbed through one of the unspoilt nature reserves, take an early beach walk, with an eye on the far horizon or ramble along signposted paths through our nature reserves, discovering one thing after another. These are all treasures that make your holiday in De Panne an undeniable success.
The widest beach on the coast.
On top of this, De Panne has the widest beach on the coast, ideal for a pleasant walk or even a sand-yacht trip beside the sea. De Panne, after all, is the ideal place for sand-yachting, with its wide beach and absence of breakwaters.
It was also on the beach of De Panne that King Leopold I, on 17th July 1831, came ashore and, in doing so, set foot on his future kingdom for the first time. A monument reminds us of this event.
Tourist Office Zeelaan 21 8660 De Panne Tel.: 0032 58 42 18 18
Fax.: 0032 58 42 16 17
Send a email: toerisme@depanne.be Find more information on www.depanne.be
Its vast nature reserves and outstanding cultural life make Koksijde-Oostduinkerke a top attraction on the Flemish coast. The image of the resort is undoubtedly that of the horseback shrimp fishermen. Oostduinkerke is the only resort in the world where you can still see this taking place. Furthermore, Koksijde-Oostduinkerke has all the facilities that a keen sporting tourist could dream of, an exciting calendar of events, pleasant terraces and mouth-watering cuisine.
Not just sea and beach
Koksijde-Oostduinkerke is so much more than just sea and beach. Survey the world once from the top of the highest sand-dune on the Flemish coast, the Hoge Blekker (33m) or wander endlessly in the unspoiled nature reserves that extend to around 300 hectares.
The Zuid-Abdijmolen (South Abbey Mill) offers a beautiful view over the nature reserve of Noordduinen. The resort is also the home port of the 40th Helismaldeel 'Search & Rescue' of the Belgian air force. A lot of people are very keen to visit its base. Your best opportunity is during the first weekend of September. Enjoy going shopping or absorb some culture in the Casino, the culture and festival palace of the West Coast. The infrastructure of the complex offers a varied range of possibilities and includes a cultural centre, an exhibition hall, a foyer, a library and a youth meeting centre.
Oostduinkerke: The beach of the horseback fishermen
Oostduinkerke and shrimps are inseparable. This is the only coastal village in the world where shrimps are still caught on horseback. A wonderful spectacle that draws many visitors.
Economically, this activity is no longer profitable, but for touristic and folkloristic reasons it is an absolute 'must' to keep the traditional horseback shrimp fishing alive. In the last weekend of June the tradition reaches its high point with the annual Shrimp Feast. It is then that the shrimp procession takes place and 'Mieke Garnaal' (Maria Shrimp) and her runners-up parade through the streets of Oostduinkerke. This is the time for the last horseback shrimp fishermen to wade into the sea on their horses. Stout-hearted men in yellow oilskins, with two large woven reed baskets at their sides and a dragnet behind to catch the shrimps. The horses pull against the current until they are up to their necks in the water. Besides shrimp fishing, Oostduinkerke has a number of other trump cards, such as large nature reserves, a charming village that keeps its folk traditions alive and excellent sports and leisure facilities.
Tourist Office Leopold II-laan 2 8670 Koksijde-Oostduinkerke Tel.: 0032 58 53 21 21
Fax.: 0032 58 53 21 22
Send a email: toerisme@koksijde.be Find more information on www.koksijde.be
Even a number of sieges could not break Nieuwpoort's spirit. It rose from its ashes with more charm than ever before. Above all, it is a safe home port for its fishermen, for thousands of water-sports enthusiasts and for all its guests.
Stirring monuments, pleasant squares, impressive shopping streets and restful parks. The result of a successful town renovation. When you speak of Nieuwpoort, you also speak of sun, sea and sand. A definite family seaside resort with a 'sea' of recreational facilities on or along the fine sandy beach and the traffic-free promenade.
The endless sea, the channel and the reservoirs offer an ideal backdrop for practically all kinds of aquatic sports: padding and swimming, boat trips and sailing, fishing and angling, wave-carting and surfing. Everything is possible here!!! At the confluence of the salty seawater and the fresh water of the IJzer, you will find the nature reserve "De IJzermonding", with its distinctive fauna and flora. Moreover, Nieuwpoort is the only place where dune-flowers grow on the beach. The hinterland also offers surprisingly beautiful little glimpses of nature. Nieuwpoort has withstood no less than thirteen sieges since its foundation. The town has been relentlessly attacked but never taken, not even by the Germans during the four years of siege during the First World War. The greater part of Nieuwpoort was then destroyed by enemy bombardment. During the reconstruction after 1918, the old street plan and the mediaeval architecture were preserved, which nowadays gives the town a historic charm.
Nieuwpoort is a resort unlike any other. No, this town on the Yzer, has a particularly rich history and is very strongly linked to the sea and the flat hinterland. Because of this, Nieuwpoort is able to offer a range of attractions for the most demanding of coastal visitors.
Tourist Office Marktplein 7 8620 Nieuwpoort Tel.: 0032 58 22 44 44
Fax: 0032 58 22 44 28
Send a email: info@nieuwpoort.be Find more information on www.nieuwpoort.be
Halfway along the coastline you will find Middelkerke, a family orientated resort with lots of leisure facilities. On the long, broad promenade, the Casino, the cultural centre of the resort, immediately catches the eye. Popular Flemish artists regularly appear here. Not surprisingly, the casino attracts a wide public just like the resort itself.
The promenade leads to the borough of Westende. Once upon a time this was a prestigious resort, but a great deal of the beautiful 'Belle Époque' houses from that time was lost in the two world wars. Middelkerke is an excellent starting point for bicycle rides and walks through the polder countryside. An absolute must is the Schoorbakke route, good for a cycle trip of 48 kilometres in the polders between Middelkerke and Diksmuide.
Besides walking and cycling, this resort offers a wide range of sports facilities. Here life never stands still, for the authorities organise activities throughout the year. A few of the most spectacular activities are the fishing weekend and the beer weekend in June, the cartoon festival and the Happy Kids weekend in the summer holidays and the Agricultural Weekend and the Champagne Weekend in the autumn.
Tourist Office Joseph Casselaan 4-8 8430 Middelkerke Tel.: 0032 59 30 03 68
Fax: 0032 59 31 11 95
Send a email: toerisme@middelkerke.be Find more information on www.middelkerke.be
Welcome to the bristling world of Ostend. After a delightful dip in the sea you will be ready to discover a city that offers you a sea of possibilities. You will be able to thoroughly enjoy: sports and relaxation, strolling and shopping, music and museums, etc.
Nowhere else can you eat as well as you can in Oostende. Nowhere else is the fish so fresh, the meat so tender, the welcome so hearty, the atmosphere so relaxed. Here you can find long established values side by side with new discoveries, delicious snacks beside haut cuisine. They all have one thing in common: they stand for QUALITY.
The casino Kursaal: for those who enjoy a bit of gambling.
The nightlife: with pubs, delightful discos and a cinema complex in
the Langestraat and the surrounding area.
The gastronomy: in the restaurants at the Visserskaai and the Albert I
Promenade one can sample all the delicacies the sea has to offer.
The shopping experience: in the Kapellestraat you will find branches
of most of the big department stores. For a stylish outfit pay a visit
to the Adolf Buylstraat with its more exclusive boutiques, also the many
shops in the Alfons Pieterslaan and Petit Paris are well worth a visit and of course there is the sea, with more than 9 km of fine sandy
beaches.
Also don't miss a visit to one of our numerous places of interest: the
new theme park "Earth Explorer", the Three Master "Mercator", the
Iceland Vessel "Amandine", "Fort Napoleon", Domain Raversyde, the Fine
Arts Museum, Ostend's Historic Museum "De Ploate" and the Provincial
Museum for Modern Art.
Bredene is unique in a number of ways. It is the odd man out of the coastal resorts. Because of its central location, Bredene is ideally suited to the exploration of the coast and the hinterland. The 'maritime' flavour of Oostende is never far away, the art centres of Brugge and Damme lie within cycling distance and those who want to go further, can find numerous historic towns and areas within a stones throw.
Bredene has no promenade. That is unusual at the Flemish coast. The miles of sand-dunes form a natural wall in front of the land, which lies below sea level. By the waterline you find the sea, the beach and the sand-dunes all together, undisturbed. On the beach there is a zone for naked bathing, a first in Flanders. Here it is delightful to walk or cycle. In the summer Bredene is a lively spot where you meet no end of people and will certainly have hours of fun.
Tourist Office Kapellestraat 70 B-8450 Bredene Tel. 0032 59 32 09 98 Fax 0032 59 33 19 80
Send a email: toerisme@bredene.be Find more information on www.bredene.be
De Haan-Wenduine: residential in the Belle Époque style
The tourist heart of De Haan-Centre is the 'Concession', the beautiful and historic residential area with its typical Belle Époque villas. In 1889 the Belgian Government granted a long term lease - or 'concession' - for 90 years on this 50 hectare plot of land. De Haan-Centre is really charming, not only because of its style and situation, but thanks to the absence of depressing high-rise buildings. These characteristics give a special look to this seaside resort.
Upon your arrival in De Haan you are instantly enchanted by the beautiful cottages and villas in Anglo-Norman style: façades with mock-timber work, cottages with red roofs, balconies and little turrets. Anyone wishing to build in De Haan still has to comply with some very stringent requirements because the Anglo-Norman style must be preserved. Every year (the first Saturday of August) De Haan goes back to this Belle Époque period during the 'Trammelant' festivities. The vast polders let you breathe more freely, as you travel through the fields and meadows during a delightful walk or cycle ride. Vlissegem and Klemskerke are picturesque villages where you can enjoy a taste of rural peace.
Wenduine: Pleasant and hospitable!
The pleasant and hospitable resort of Wenduine owes its quiet, family character to the long tradition of holiday homes for children who have chosen this as their favourite stopping place. Even with its lively holiday atmosphere, Wenduine is a green oasis of rest and hospitality. The Rotonde, the Spioenkop with the adjacent Prince Albert Park, the Hubert Mill and the four Wenduine giants are still silent witnesses to what started in the 13th century as a little fishing port and that - since the 1900s - has developed into a touristic seaside resort with typically cosy pubs and shops. On the occasion of the Giant Festival in July, Wenduine invites about forty giants every year, from Belgium and abroad, to join the parade through the streets of Wenduine.
Spioenkop The funny little house, named Spioenkop, on the second highest dune (31 meters) on the Flemish coast, offers a magnificent view over woods, dunes and the sea.
De Haan Tourist office Leopoldlaan 24 8420 De Haan (Klemskerke) Tel. 0032 59 24 21 34 Fax 0032 59 24 21 36
Send a email: toerisme@dehaan.be Find more information on www.dehaan.be
Blankenberge is perhaps one of the most popular and one of the busiest resorts on the coast. Here it is buzzing with activity on the broad beach and on the promenade with its countless food stalls and shops. After the sun has gone down, Blankenberge remains a firebrand of a city, with a night life which can hardly be found anywhere else on the coast. In summer, Blankenberge is a city that never sleeps, a piece of Spanish 'Costa' in Belgium.
Luckily this effervescent place also has ample possibilities for those who want peace and quiet. Our favourite spot is certainly the harbour, where fishing boats and yachts come and go and where the shrimp catches are brought ashore. Sitting on the benches beside the water you will never tire of looking at the vast water basin.
This resort has something for everybody, which you will notice when, on a sunny day, the beach, the promenade and the lively shopping streets are so packed that you could walk on the shopper's heads, if you had a mind to.
Tourist Office Leopold III plain 8370 Blankenberge Tel. 0032 50 41 22 27 Fax 0032 50 41 61 39
Send a email: toerisme@blankenberge.be Find more information on www.blankenberge.be
The proud townsfolk of Zeebrugge often call their town 'the fish capital'. They are entitled to do so because the fish market of Zeebrugge and its surrounding fishmongers have been an attraction for many years for visitors from all over the country.
The fish market was moved some years ago to the inner harbour and the free space has been mostly taken up by Seafront, a museum about life in and on the sea. The fishmongers around the old fish market, however, stayed where they were, which ensures that the previous pleasantly busy atmosphere is preserved.
Tourist Office Brugge Burg 11 8000 Brugge Tel. 0032 50 44 86 86 Fax 0032 50 44 86 00
Send a email: toerisme@brugge.be Find more information on www.brugge.be/zeebrugge
A top destination on the Belgian coast: it has a lovely beach, divided into 5 different beaches (Heist, Duinbergen, Albertstrand, Knokke and the Zoute), a beautiful nature reserve, plenty of shopping facilities, a wide range of cultural activities, a number of architectural gems and an excellent sports infrastructure.
Knokke-Heist, by the merging of separate communities shows several different faces. Knokke-Heist is a seaside resort with a great cultural charisma. There is not only the casino, but also the Scharpoord cultural centre, which together offer a lively cultural calendar. Besides this, Knokke-Heist has around fifty art galleries, some of which are of international status.
Then there is the Lippenslaan, the well-known, long and renovated shopping street., The further you walk from here in the direction of the Zoute, the more the 'look at me' factor arises. Trendy cars, more expensive handbags, more fashionable shops, sophisticated ladies and golfing carts all over the place, create the image of the street. The Zoute is the most sophisticated resort on the coast, with stately avenues as well as winding lanes in the quiet neighbourhoods, eye-catching villas, a golf course and, of course, …the Zwin.
Heist is no longer the typical fishing village of years gone by, but it has kept it folksy character and portrays itself as a resort with a strong folkloristic side. A row of dunes separates Heist from Duinbergen, which is a quiet place to spend a holiday. As the name of this sub-community implies, people here live on sloping dune tops.
Tourism Office Zeedijk Knokke 660 8300 Knokke-Heist Tel. 0032 50 63 03 80 Fax 0032 50 63 03 90
Send a email: toerisme@knokke-heist.be Find more information on www.knokke-heist.info
The second triennial event for modern art, the 2006 Beaufort, takes place along the Flemish coast from 1 April to 1 October 2006. The central theme is
life by the sea with works of art to reflect local history or the characteristics of different resorts.
Monumental art by the sea
2006 Beaufort is divided into an Inside and an Outside section. Outside brings together 30 artists from home and abroad using installations and
sculptures to create a single artistic landscape across various locations. At the same time, an artists' trail will transform a church in each coastal district into
a sanctuary for art. Inside illustrates the creative process of Outside.
