Ostend, on the north coast of Belgium, is primarily popular because of its long sandy
beach facing the North Sea and a waterfront promenade that goes for three miles.
The city also has a lovely pedestrian zone shopping area in the center, a great place
for people-watching or dog-watching.
There's a large church with gothic-style architecture, and you can take a free ferry ride in the
harbor.
There's also the world's longest tram line running along the entire north shore of Belgium,
from the Netherlands to France.
In town, you can also stroll through a beautiful green park with ponds and streams.
Ostend makes a perfect day trip from Bruges, only 15 minutes away by train.
So if you are staying in Bruges for a couple of days, it's fun to hop on the train and
come on up to Ostend.
The train station in Bruges is almost two kilometers away from the central Market Square,
so it's easy to just take the city bus to get over to the train.
It's a short friendly bus ride and you'll get to see a little bit more of Bruges as
you make your way over to the station.
Later, when you return to Bruges, take the same bus back into the city center.
There are four departures every hour, so you don't even have to look at a train schedule.
Just catch the next departing train.
It's such a fast ride, only 15 minutes to Ostend.
You hardly have time to look out the window for scenery.
Upon arrival at the Ostend train station, it's an easy walk into the center of town
just minutes away.
Belgium has an excellent train system with connections throughout the country and the
price is reasonable.
This only cost about 8 euro.
We'll be taking a ride on that tram along the coastline later in the program.
It's a small city, very easy to get around, but it helps to check with the Tourist Information
for some travel tips, which we will be sharing with you now and throughout the program.
"When you arrive in Ostend, right next to the station, there's a really nice church.
There's also a marina next to the station.
The Amandine is also there, that's a boat who was used by fishermen that went to Iceland
to catch a lot of fish in the old days.
The casino in Ostend is also a nice feature.
You have the Royal Galleries next to it.
It's really nice to have a stroll along the beach, along the galleries.
We'll get you up to that beachfront promenade in a few minutes, but first, we'll be walking
by the marina and into the heart of downtown.
Because it's located along the coastline, the city has always had a maritime tradition,
starting back in the 10th century when it began as a humble fishing village.
Now the marina is a harbor for expensive yachts, with modern apartment buildings all around
it.
Our walk is starting out from the train station and marina, right through the center of downtown.
It's a three-kilometer walk or about two miles, so you could do this entire length in about
one hour, or slow down and take a couple of hours.
Right away, we see the big church with its Gothic-style towers.
And in my visit, I was lucky to run into some free refreshments, non-alcoholic mocktails,
cool and refreshing at a price that can't be beat.
The neo-Gothic Church of Saint Peter and Paul began construction in the late 19th century
and was completed in 1907, with stained glass windows, pointed arches, and soaring ceilings.
We begin our city center walk behind the church, getting into the pedestrian zone where we've
got some interesting architecture, lots of shops and restaurants and plenty of people
out strolling.
Right away, we get to the main pedestrian street of town, Kapellestraat, or Chapel Street,
which dates back to the 12th century when it functioned already as a commercial center,
filled with small craft shops and much later evolving into this hub for brand names and
larger stores.
Along with the side streets branching off from it, this is a shopper's paradise, offering
a diverse mix of high-end designer stores and charming local boutiques.
You can find everything from fashion and accessories to home goods, souvenirs and delicious treats.
While people-watching is fun, it's also delightful to see the Belgians out walking their dogs,
all kinds of dogs up and down this lane, some of whom are lovingly pampered, getting hand-carried
so they don't have to work out with their little legs.
In addition to shopping, you'll find a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and eateries where
you can enjoy delicious Belgian cuisine, That street brings us to Wapenplein, which
has been a marketplace ever since the 12th century.
Now, with some restaurants, many with outdoor dining on the terrace, and a regular street
market.
While walking along the main shopping street of Kapellestraat, it's also fun to branch
off and look at some of the side lanes.
There's actually a pedestrian zone that extends out in several directions.
You'll even see an enclosed Galleria designed in that typical Belgian style, providing welcome
shelter if you're here in the winter.
Back on that main street that will bring us right to the sunny beach.
Our visit was in September and it was quite warm, a good day for a stroll in the sand,
a little sunbathing and a dip in the water.
Or maybe just sit on one of those comfortable benches along the promenade and enjoy the
view.
You can rent a pedal car that can carry up to four people.
Maybe you're pampered and can relax in your own private carriage.
That promenade has a smooth paved surface that makes mobility easy for everybody, including
the seniors who are out to enjoy the fresh air.
Another comfortable way people spend time here is at their private cabanas.
Ostend became a fashionable seaside resort in the middle and late 19th-century, with
the arrival of the railway and good ferry connections to England, attracting visitors
from across Europe with its beaches, casinos and grand hotels.
And that trend continues throughout the 20th century and right up till today, where it
remains a very popular tourist destination.
Europe's very first train line extended from Brussels to Ostend in 1838, stimulating tourism
and international trade from the harbor with the first ferry connecting to England in 1846.
Wealthy Belgians began constructing huge mansions and grand hotels along the beach.
The Belgian royal family liked to spend their holidays in Ostend in the 19th century, which
attracted their aristocratic friends.
With the increase of mass tourism by the middle of the 20th century, most of those grand old
buildings were replaced by the modern walls of apartments and hotels along the beach.
This large building on the promenade is a casino and concert hall.
It's a multipurpose venue, good for gambling, dining, and musical events in a 2000-seat
auditorium.
The first Kursaal opened here in 1852 but was destroyed during World War II and then
rebuilt afterward.
Two blocks away, you'll get to this floral clock, which is the entrance to Leopoldpark
that was laid out in 1860 on the site of the Old Town fortifications.
Its serpentine lake provides a serene backdrop for leisurely walks along winding pathways,
passing the lush greenery and manicured lawns and little streams, creating a tranquil atmosphere
featuring benches and seating areas where visitors can relax and take in the natural
surroundings.
A block away, we see an equestrian statue of King Leopold, the first.
And then two blocks further, King Leopold, the second on a horse above the arcades.
These arches and columns are part of the Royal Galleries, finished in 1905, extending about
400 meters along the waterfront with pavilions, restaurants and the luxurious Thermae Palace
Hotel.
In front of the galleries, you'll find Ostend's largest collection of beach cabanas.
These little cabins provide an oasis for beachgoers with some shelter from the sun right in the
heart of the city, turning the sandy beach into an outdoor living room where people can
relax and socialize.
The Ostend beach is seven kilometers long and extends for many kilometers beyond the
city all along the Belgian coast, which is about 68 kilometers in total length, much
of it sandy beach.
Our tourist information guide suggested we take a tram.
"When you're at the beach, you can take the coastal tram.
It takes you from the Dutch border to the French border.
It's like the longest tram tram line in the world."
If You'll have a great view of the beach from
that tram.
It would take about two and a half hours to travel the entire distance, 68 kilometers
long with 67 stops.
However, you can just take a shorter segment and go to Middelkerke.
"It's a it's a short ride.
It takes you along the coast.
So you're sitting in the tram.
You can see the beach, you can see the sea.
It's an attraction on its own, I think."
It only takes 30 minutes from Royal Galleries to Middelkerke, and along that segment is
the fascinating site of the Atlantic Wall.
You see those bunkers with cannons sticking out, built by German invaders in World War
Two.
We'll get a better look on our return trip.
Big Ferris wheels are so popular, they even have them at this remote location at the De
Greefplein.
Coming into Middelkerke where we shall get off the tram, then catch the return tram back
to Ostend.
Arriving in Middelkerke.
It's a town with a population about 18,000 people with a lot of the usual attractions.
There are shops, restaurants and some hotels.
That brand new casino under construction is now open.
You don't have to wait very long for the next tram because they come every ten or 20 minutes,
depending on the timing and the season.
We return the same way that we came heading back to Ostend.
The Coast tram was started in 1885 as a short line, later developing to its full length,
making these coastal towns easily accessible.
We've gotten back to the Atlantic Wall, the bunkers built by the Germans, first in World
War One, and then later when they occupied in World War Two.
That was a very nice tram, a one-hour round trip, and now we're back to the marina in
Ostend, with a different view of that beautiful marina, and into the train station where we
could connect back to Bruges.
But instead, we're walking over to the ferry to get a free ride in the harbor.
It's so easy to get out of the tram, which is right at street level., you don't have
to deal with steps at all.
Exiting the tram at the train station, you could easily get on a connecting train, bringing
you back to Bruges or wherever you came from, but instead take a short boat ride.
"You have a free ferry.
It takes you from the main town of Ostend to Oosteroever, it's called Eastern Shore."
It's a fun little boat ride, especially because it's free and only 500 meters away from the
train station to get to the ferry dock.
You don't need a ticket and no reservations are taken, so you just wait in line for the
next boat.
They come about every 15 minutes or so.
Maybe you'll get lucky in your timing and walk right on., or if you're here in the busy
summer season, you might have to wait for two or three boats before you have a chance
to board.
Back in the 12th century, the first small harbor was built here with the construction
of a dike protecting it from the sea.
In the following centuries, the harbor became so important that it was attacked by the Spanish
in 1601 who ultimately destroyed the port, but it was rebuilt soon after, demonstrating
its strategic importance, which continued right through the 17th and 18th centuries.
The role of Ostend as a major freight harbor expanded greatly after 1722.
Until that time, Antwerp had been the main harbor port for Belgium.
But the Dutch closed Antwerp down in 1722, which accelerated the rising prominence of
the Ostend harbor.
Passenger ferries connected Ostend to England ever since 1846 with a large amount of cargo
and ferry services right throughout the 20th century.
But recently, they stopped running because of the Channel Tunnel, primarily connecting
England with the continent directly.
Now, tourism, rather than shipping, has become the most important part of the Ostend economy.
This little ship, with its capacity of 50 passengers, is part of the only ferry company
left in Ostend.
Just being out on the water in this open-air boat, enjoying those maritime scenes is quite
worthwhile.
Within 15 minutes, you've arrived at the dock on the other side where you get off and take
a little walk or maybe ride your bicycle.
On the map, you can see the short boat route with its little loop over to the other dock,
then have a look at some sites, including that lighthouse, a fortified German bunker
from World War Two and Fort Napoleon, built by that emperor during his conquests.
There's also a very long sandy beach on this side and a promenade that you could walk on
down to the next town, Bredene.
Or just take a quick walk and reboard the next boat coming through.
You'll soon be back where you started at the Ostend dock.
Then it's that short walk back to the train station and you're on your way.
You can see how Ostend makes a very easy and entertaining daytrip from Bruges, offering
yet another reason why when you're visiting Bruges, you should stay for at least two nights,
maybe three, so that you've got time to see the city of Bruges and come on up to Ostend,
the beautiful beach town of Belgium.
You could also get to Brussels by train in 80 minutes.
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