Enjoy the seaside with a holiday home in Ostend
Situated on the coast of Belgium in the Flemish province of West Flanders, Ostend has long been a popular destination in which to rent a holiday house, holiday apartment or holiday home. Lord Byron, Albert Einstein and Marvin Gaye are just a few of the famous personalities who have spent time at this historic resort town.
Riches of the past
Once an obscure fishing village, Ostend came to prominence as a seaside resort in the 19th century due, in part, to its popularity with successive generations of Belgian royalty. With holiday rentals, holiday apartments, holiday homes and holiday houses in plentiful supply, the city remains a popular destination for European holidaymakers. The city offers a wealth of historical and cultural attractions to compliment its sweeping sandy beaches including the house of James Ensor, a renowned Belgian painter, the neo-Gothic church of St Peter and St Paul, the North Sea Aquarium and Leopold Park. De Plate Oostend Historical Museum and the Amandine Trawler, now a museum, are also popular attractions as is the city's museum of contemporary art. Students of the Second World War will find a well-preserved section of the fortified Atlantic Wall at an open air museum in nearby Raversijde which is easily accessible from your holiday rental via a tram which runs along the coast.
The living culture
Typical Ostend beers include Dikke Mathile and Keyte Tripel, which provide the perfect accompaniment to the seafood dishes for which the region is famous. Visitors with a sweet tooth will find the Belgian waffles, pancakes and chocolates as well as the Dutch-style Snoepje (sweetie) stores, lit up in shocking neon pink, hard to resist. Pedestrianised streets such as Adolf Buylstraat, Kapellestraat and Vlaanderenstraat are handy for shopping, while the local fish market offers an authentic glimpse of the town's main industry. The historic cities of Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp are all easily accessible when you book a holiday home in Ostend, making it an ideal location from which to explore the Belgium's diverse and unique attractions.