Things to do in Oostende

Strand Oostende

Strand Oostende is located on the North Sea coastline in the city of Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium, and serves as an important beachfront area for the city. The beach is wide, with the coastline on either side providing ample space for visitors. It is equipped with infrastructure, including public restrooms and showers, and some sections also feature lifeguard stations to ensure safety. It is divided into several distinct areas. For example, the Oosterstrand in the east is quieter, featuring fine sand and dunes that meet the coastline; while the large beach closer to the city center (Groot strand) is livelier, often attracting more activities and crowds. For sports, there are facilities such as beach volleyball and surfing areas, along with family-friendly entertainment zones. Overall, this is a beach that combines leisure, entertainment, and natural scenery, making it suitable for all types of visitors, whether you are traveling with family or simply looking to enjoy the tranquility of the seaside.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Flanders

Minnewater

Minnewater is situated on the southern edge of the old town of Bruges, a long, narrow lake embraced by the green spaces and tree-lined paths of the old city walls. It is not a natural lake, but was formed around the Middle Ages as a result of building a sluice at the lake's mouth to store water and regulate the water flow into the city. Standing on the stone bridge that spans the lake's mouth, you can see the long, narrow lake, calm as a mirror, with flocks of white swans often swimming on the water. An old tower built in the late Middle Ages stands beside the bridge. The lakeside path connects to the green space beneath the old city walls. Its northern end is adjacent to the convent, allowing you to easily continue your walk into the old town.

Leopoldpark

Kursaal Oostende

Atlantic Wall Museum

The Atlantic Wall Museum is an open-air war museum that features restored gun emplacements and recreated indoor command rooms.

Mercator

No. 9 of Best Things to Do in Belgium

Basilica of the Holy Blood

Basilica of the Holy Blood is a church in Bruges, Belgium, renowned for a holy relic. It is located on Burg Square, adjacent to the Gothic-style City Hall. It features a two-story double chapel structure. Its golden facade facing the square is adorned with gilded statues, making it stand out among the row of historic buildings. The ground floor is the Romanesque Chapel of St. Basil, built in the 12th century. With its sturdy stone columns and dim lighting, it is one of the best-preserved Romanesque buildings in the Flanders region. Ascend the intricately carved stone staircase to reach the Chapel of the Holy Blood, which was rebuilt at the end of the 15th century and renovated in the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century. The crystal vial containing the Holy Blood is housed in a silver reliquary, next to a white marble altar created by an 18th-century master sculptor. A large mural behind the main altar depicts the scene of the Holy Blood arriving in Bruges from Jerusalem. The small museum inside also displays a gold and silver reliquary stand crafted in the 17th century, which is encrusted with gemstones.

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Flanders

Belfort

Belfort is located in the Market Square in the historic center of Bruges, Belgium, and is one of the city's iconic landmarks, as well as an important symbol of Bruges' medieval urban landscape. Its main structure is built of brick and stone, with a distinctively layered tower and a spire at the top, reflecting the characteristics of medieval architecture in the Flanders region. Inside, there is a carillon and a timekeeping system consisting of multiple bells, the chimes of which were once an important part of the city's public life. Visitors can climb the narrow internal stairs to the top of the tower, learning about its history and mechanical structure along the way, and enjoy a bird's-eye view of Bruges' red-tiled roofs, historic streets, and the Market Square.

Church of Our Lady

The Church of Our Lady was built in the 13th to 15th centuries and has a history of hundreds of years. The church is composed of red bricks and is the highest brick church on the European continent. Its bell tower is 122 meters high, which is a very tall building in the city. There are many collections in the church. The very precious collection is Michelangelo's sculpture "The Virgin", which is also the origin of the church's name. In the choir behind the grand altar, there are the tombs of the dukes of Valois and their daughters. The altar decoration of the chapel in the southern corridor preserves the church's very famous artistic treasure, the white marble sculpture of the Madonna of Bruges created by Michelangelo around 1504. It was probably made early for the Cathedral of Siena, bought by the Bruges merchants Jan and Alexander brothers, and donated to the Church of Our Lady in 1514.

Fort Napoleon