Extended weekend in Ostend on the Belgian coast

I really like Belgium. I have published quite a few articles on this destination now on the blog and I am starting to have visited many regions of this beautiful country. Today I invite you to take a little tour of Flanders, on the Belgian coast around the city of Ostend. I had already come to Ostend in 2012 with my family during a very pleasant little Belgian road trip, which I had mentioned on the blog back when it was in its early stages (nostalgia moment). If you decide to stay in one of the coastal towns (like us in Ostend, for example), you can easily get around thanks to the coastal tram, which makes it easy to travel from one seaside resort to another.

Silhouette facing the sea on the promenade and benches of Ostend.

Choppy waves on the sea in front of the skyline of Ostend's buildings.

Man alone facing the beach of Ostend in overcast weather.

Ostend beach with veiled sun and silhouette of the city.

Ostend beach in gray weather with a no-swimming sign.

Practical information: the tram runs about every 15 minutes / price of a ticket is 3€

The good tip: the Kustpass (the coast pass) which allows you to get discounts in many places for up to 5 people. It is free and you can pick it up at the Tourist Office or at the hotel (we had them self-service at our hotel).

Table of Contents

Discovering the city of Ostend

Like any coastal city, if you go in winter you are likely to have rain, damp weather, but also some beautiful clearings. I therefore advise you to take appropriate clothing (warm and waterproof for the winter season).

What to do in Ostend?

As usual, I suggest a small selection of ideas for outings, visits, in short, things to do (overall everything is accessible on foot) to discover the city.

Facade of the Ensor Museum in Ostend with a blurred cyclist on a wet street.

Facade of the Spanish Inn, an Ostend pub, with Union Jack flag and traffic signs.

The Crystal Ship, a street art trail in the city

This contemporary art festival in public spaces in Europe allows international artists to create murals in urban spaces. In Ostend, about forty works have been created in this context, and it adds real value to the city’s urban charm. You can also, if you are interested, pick up the map at the Tourist Office that will allow you to follow the route at your own pace through the city.

The good tip: a small free ferry that you can take next to the North Sea Aquarium takes you to the other side of the city in 10 minutes to go admire the street art works located on that side.

Abstract street art mural with bright colors on a building facade in Ostend.

Giant mural portrait-style on a building under construction in Ostend.

Black and white mural on a building under construction in Ostend.

Bird street art with top hat and heart in Ostend by Cinq Diolez.

Miniature street art figurine clinging to a cable on a wall in Ostend.

Street art Huit Diolez Ostend: two men pulling back curtains at windows.

Colorful wooden mural, geometric collage style, on the facade of a building in Ostend.

Walking by the sea

Obviously, when you live in Paris like we do, every time we find ourselves at the edge of a large body of water, we are strongly drawn to it… Naturally, our favorite photographer also had a field day taking pictures, especially since we had very interesting light (and a lot of wind and rain too) as well as a beautiful sunset.

Elderly couple on a bench facing the choppy sea in Ostend.

Ostend pier, choppy sea and seagulls at dusk.

Giant red sculptures (Sun work) on the Ostend dike at sunset.

Sculpture on Ostend beach with wind-blown sand and buildings.

Silhouette walking on a wet esplanade in Ostend with reflections and clouds.

Bird flying over the choppy sea with a stormy sky and a burst of light.

Portrait of a woman wearing a black hat and chevron coat on the Belgian coast.

Silhouette looking at the sea at sunset from an Ostend dike.

Dramatic sunset over the North Sea with rays piercing the clouds in Ostend.

Ostend beach at sunset with two silhouettes walking by the sea.

Silhouette of a man and dog walking on the beach of Ostend at sunset.

The Raft. Art is (not) solitary

This exhibition organized by Jan Fabre and Joanna De Vos is presented as a contemporary art circuit throughout the city and in some iconic locations. It features works by 73 artists in more than 20 locations in Ostend. The best thing is to get the exhibition guide (9.99€) which presents the circuit map and a succinct explanation of each work. The works on display in the public space are of course freely accessible, and then some parts of the exhibition are paid, such as the one at Mu.ZEE (see below).

Street art sculpture of a body in the water in Ostend near the JULIS store.

Statues and flowerbeds of yellow and orange chrysanthemums in front of a gate in Ostend.

Artistic installation « Work Diolez » in a rusty wire-mesh window, Ostend.

Modern wall sculpture near the Bero Hotel staircase in Ostend.

White leaves fallen on the ground near a wooden chair leg in an interior space.

Coconut with blue eyes placed on an old book.

Statue in front of the Ostend De Stad aan Zee building with posters for Het Vlot The Raft.

Sculpture of a boat made of bottles by Diolez in a church in Ostend.

Exhibition raft with white sail, probably at the Raoul Museum by Diolez in Ostend.

Nicolas Diolez painting: man watching a whale jump out of the choppy sea through the window.

Model of white figurines, Machoire Museum by Diolez, Ostend.

Art exhibition in Ostend with chevron carpet and visitors in silhouette.

The Raft. Art is (not) solitary

Price at Mu.ZEE: 16€ on weekends and school holidays / 10€ from Monday to Thursday /
1€ for 13-26 year olds / free for under 12s

Until April 15, 2018

Mu.ZEE, Kunstmuseum aan zee

This cultural space is a meeting place for contemporary art, housed in the former building of the S.E.O. cooperative, which housed a department store for many years. Since 2008, Mu.ZEE has presented constantly renewed exhibitions featuring Belgian artists or those living in Belgium. Of course, during the The Raft exhibition, the museum also hosts a part of this event that I introduced above.

Red art installation with wires covering columns and ceiling.

Exhibition interior in Ostend with a woman sitting near the windows.

Woman observing a blue portrait of a woman lying on a touchscreen.

Woman looking through the stadium model with "EENZAAM" on the sail.

Human silhouette seen through a tangle of red threads, work Diolèz.

Mu.ZEE

Rates: 9€ / 1€ for 13-26 year olds / free for under 12s

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm

Romestraat 11, 8400 Ostend
Albert I promenade 64C, Oostende

Visit the Mercator boat

This beautiful three-masted ship, the Mercator, was designed by the Antarctic explorer Adrien de Gerlache and completed 54 voyages. In 1961, it was converted into a museum ship and since 1964, it has been one of the tourist jewels of Ostend.

Old PHAROS/RB type telephone with handset marked "KEEP PRESSED WHILE USING HANDSET".

Large white sailboat with yellow masts and ropes, moored in the port of Ostend.

Mercatordok 

Oostende 8400

Visit rates: 5€

Where to eat in Ostend? My favorite addresses

Here are some good places I was able to discover in Ostend during this short stay, with some restaurant recommendations!

Bistro Bottarga

A bistro with an Italian name and a rather classic, Mediterranean cuisine. Nothing exceptional on the plate at this address, but a very beautiful location facing the sea, for those who love beautiful views. We took the opportunity to treat ourselves by having mussels/fries (24.50€) with a local beer.

Table set in a modern restaurant in Ostend with bench and black rope chairs.

Belgian Poppolou beer, bottle and glass filled, restaurant atmosphere Ostend.

Mussels and fries with Orval beer in Ostend.

Bistro Bottarga

Albert I-promenade 64, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

Price: Bottarga menu at 34€ / dishes between 17.50€ and 28€

Marina Italian Restaurant

Well, you might tell me that you don’t necessarily want to go to an Italian restaurant in Belgium, which I can totally understand… That said, it was a very good Italian place, so it’s worth considering… The great thing for us is that this restaurant was located right next to our hotel (see below), which is super convenient. It’s true that when I think about it, all the restaurants I tried in Ostend had an Italian tendency… Coincidence or conspiracy…? Or perhaps evidence of a large Italian population in Ostend, the mystery remains total…

"Cadeaubon" card on a restaurant table with a yellow flower and silver pepper mill.

Chic restaurant in Ostend with set tables and decorative wall plates.

Table set with wine glasses, yellow flowers and cutlery, restaurant atmosphere in Ostend.

Fish carpaccio in Ostend with herbs, pine nuts and pomegranate.

White fish and cherry tomatoes in sauce on a plate, eaten with a fork.

Filet of rare red meat with vegetables and sauce, gourmet dish in Ostend.

Italian dessert in Ostend: yellow sorbet, financier, dried orange and currants.

Restaurant Marina 

Albert I-promenade 9 8400 Oostende

Price: lunch menu at 26€ / tasting menu at 89€

Where to sleep in Ostend? Hotel Bero

This hotel, located right next to the sea, is very convenient for a short stay in the city. A small curiosity: the hotel has the largest whiskey bar in the city… It even won the award for Best Whiskey Bar in Belgium in 2013. It is quite original for Flanders, but we found it fun…

Cozy lounge with a bottle collection and a woman reading at the Bero Hotel in Ostend.

Wooden bar with "WHISKY CORNER" sign and orange chairs.

Woman using a laptop on a hotel bed in Ostend.

Tintin statue in Ostend, Belgian comic book character.

Bust of Tintin character with green cap in an Ostend hotel display case.

The Ninfea spa & wellness center

This center is accessible free of charge in the basement (from 5pm to 10pm) for hotel guests. It’s a great plus for the establishment and I can tell you that we took full advantage of it during our short stay.

On the program: a pool + a sauna and hammam area + a fitness area (open from 7am to 10pm)

Indoor spa pool in Ostend with water fountain and blue lighting.

Lime green lounge chairs in a relaxation area with a birch forest light wall.

Woman relaxed in an infrared sauna in Ostend.

Smiling woman in a spa or pool, weekend getaway Ostend.

Breakfast

A fairly classic breakfast buffet but with enough variety.

Breakfast with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, cheeses and sausages.

Continental breakfast plate with salmon, cold cuts, vegetables and orange juice.

Breakfast buffet with spreads and cucumbers at the Bero Hotel in Ostend.

Hotel Bero

Hofstraat 1/A, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

Rates: from 112.50€ breakfast included

A getaway to De Haan / Le Coq

For food lovers, the coastline is very rich in good addresses and has many restaurants rated in the Gault&Millau guide. This is the reason why we went to the small town of Le Coq (De Haan in Flemish), which has an exceptional heritage, including very beautiful Belle Epoque villas, to discover the Markt XI restaurant, on which I made a specific article and even a video.

Traditional style buildings with "Brasserie" and "Beaufort" signs in Ostend.

A trip to Nieuwport

After our trip to De Haan, we left for the other side of the coast for a stroll between town and sea at Nieuwport, a port city with fish shops on the Kaai (right next to a stop for the coastal tram). Quite by chance (but here, chance did things well), we stumbled upon the weekend of the Nieuwport Oyster Fair last October. It was a great moment of conviviality and we mingled with the local population to taste some oysters in a village festival atmosphere (we loved it!).

Large crowd eating during an indoor event with "Pannenkoeken" and "Bar" signs.

Fresh oysters on a plate with lemon wedge in Ostend

After this good time, we obviously took advantage of this little walk to take a tour of the city, between two drops of rain…

The good idea to warm up: drink a hot chocolate at La Cantilena (tea room – Langestraat 58, 8620 Nieuwpoort).

Cobbled street in Ostend lined with typical brick houses in the fisherman's city.

Cobbled market square Ostend with cars in front of historic Belgian architecture.

Brick building, stepped gable style in Ostend, Belgium.

Woman with umbrella under a brick archway in Ostend.

Thanks to Visit Flanders, Westtoer and Visit Ostend for this invitation and welcome!

Ostend pier with reflection in a puddle and small rainbow.

I hope that with all this I will have made you want to discover the Flemish coast and if you, too, have your favorite addresses and tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!

Bicycles parked on a cobbled street of the Grand Béguinage of Louvain (Leuven).

Find below all my articles on Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia):
⇒ All my articles on Belgium
⇒ All my articles on Flanders

GENERALITIES ON BELGIUM
⇒ Brussels the capital
⇒ Belgian gastronomy
⇒ Bed and breakfasts in Belgium

MY ARTICLES ON FLANDERS
⇒ Bruges
⇒ Ghent
⇒ Louvain /Leuven
⇒ The Belgian Coast and Ostend

MY ARTICLES ON WALLONIA
⇒ The Gaume Province

Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez
Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization required before any use