Ostend is a city on the North Sea in the northwestern part of Belgium. It is not among the top tourist destinations in Europe, but I was interested in visiting it. The trip was short – for one afternoon, but I was glad that I saw the town, the beach and the sea itself.
From time to time I have to travel to Brussels for work. Most of the time I don’t have much time to travel around, but on one of my recent business trips I decided to stay for the weekend with the idea of visiting Bruges. I had been to the town years ago, but I really wanted to see it again. For variety, I decided to include Ostend in the itinerary. In the following lines I will tell you about the most interesting sights in Ostend.
How to get from Brussels to Ostend
The Belgian city of Ostend is located 111 kilometers northwest of Brussels, which can be covered by car or train in about an hour and 15 minutes.
If you need a rental car, see here for great deals on car rental in Belgium.
To visit Ostend, you can take a train from Brussels Central Station or Midi (Zuid) Station. Trains to Ostend stop at Ghent and Bruges as well, so you can combine the visits. Train tickets are purchased directly at the station.
For more information on train schedules and prices, see the Belgian Railways website.
Things to see in Ostend
Let me briefly mention the main sights in Ostend.
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul
It is in neo-Gothic style and was built and consecrated in 1908. Before that, there was an older church on its site.
Peperbusse Tower
It used to be the bell tower of the old church.
Mu.ZEE
Mu.Zee is a museum for modern and contemporary art in Belgium, established at the end of the 19th century and displaying works by famous local artists such as James Ensor, Leon Spiliart, and Constant Permeke.
Mercator
It is a three-master sailing ship built in 1932 as a training vessel for the Belgian merchant fleet and named after the cartographer Gerardus Mercator. Before World War II, she was also used for scientific research and as a Belgian ambassador at world fairs and sailing events. In 1961, Mercator became a floating museum, first in Antwerp and later, from 1964, in Ostend’s marina near the city hall.
Albert I Promenade
The Albert I Promenade runs right along the beach, with beautiful sea views and plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafés to choose from. It’s a great place for a relaxed walk or to grab a drink while watching the sunset. It is of over 4 kilometers and runs from the centre of town west.
The Ostend promenade is named after Albert I, King of Belgium from 1909 to 1934. He was called the Knight King for his role during World War I.
Ostend Beach
Ostend’s wide sandy beach is its main draw, attracting visitors year-round. Whether you’re relaxing in the sun or walking along the shore, it’s the perfect place to enjoy the sea air, with summer beach bars and accompanying events.
Ostend Marina
Very close to the train station.
My visit to Ostend
In general, I did a circular route. I got off at the station and headed up towards the sea. I passed by the yacht harbor. Then I went out onto the promenade, and then I turned down one of the central streets towards the center and from there – back to the station.
The places that I will remember Ostend with are the beach, the sea and the cathedral. I was surprised at what a huge beach there is there on the North Sea and most of all I was amazed at the many people bathing in the cold sea.
The weather that day was cool and windy, although sunny. So, you can’t say that the bathers were somehow overheated or sunbathed. People were just enjoying the sea. Well, I also enjoyed the sea and the views, but on dry land 🙂 .
There was also a bit of cultural life on the beach – they were preparing some kind of exhibition of sand sculptures and I took a look.
After the promenade and the main shopping street, I passed the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, a major landmark in Ostend. It is large and impressive. It was built in the period 1899-1908 on the ashes of an older church. The cathedral is built in a neo-Gothic style and its design is borrowed from the Gothic Cologne Cathedral and the neo-Gothic Votive Church in Vienna.
Next to the cathedral stands an interesting old tower called Peperbusse. On its facade you can see a sculpture from 1776, depicting Golgotha with purgatory. It was part of the old church tower.
Finally, I came across some kind of motorcycle procession, I never understood what it was dedicated to.
It was great to visit Ostend and see the North Sea.
