Ostend is known as the queen of seaside resorts in Belgium. It’s a coastal city characterised by its long wide beach and promenade. As far as I can remember it’s the first Belgian coastal city I personally visited and despite the rain, we had a great time! The majority of people would probably visit Ostend in summer, but we actually went in the beginning of January.
Mercator Ship
The day started pretty sunny so we headed to the Mercator ship. This is an enormous sailing ship which was built in 1932 as a training ship. In addition, they took her on various scientific missions during which they discovered new species of sea fauna.
The ship has turned into a museum now and is open for visitors. It was way bigger than I expected. The Mercator is not only interesting to see from the outside and inside, there was also a lot of additional information showcased. About the ship itself, the different expeditions across the world, well-known marines and other stories and photos worth sharing.
The Chrystal Ship; for the street art lovers
Ostend is also known for its famous art project called The Chrystal Ship. This open-air art gallery contains gigantic murals, art installations and street art from well-known artists from across the world. We decided to walk so we chose a route in which the distances weren’t too far. But it seemed like the longer routes had some amazing art pieces along the way as well. To make your life easier they built an app called Ostend City Walk. I didn’t know about this so I walked around with a big map and we got lost a few times. It turns out I’m basically just worthless without my Google Maps 🙂
Food tips Ostend
After our first activity our stomach needed some attention. We enjoyed a very filling lunch at Bistro Mathilda. A classy restaurant with a complete menu and very friendly and professional service. Something that’s quite hard to find nowadays! We shared the Salmon Tataki, it was very fresh and full of flavour. We then had the codfish and merguez tajine.
Ready for a snack after all that walking? Make sure you try some “Garnalen kroketjes” Shrimp croquettes, the true delicacy of Ostend. We went to Madam Kroket, they have lots of different options besides their shrimp classic. Besides that, they also sell them frozen to fry at home.
If you’re visiting Ostend during December/January you are in luck, as there is a wonderful Christmas Market in the Leopoldpark, including an ice-rink, music and various food and drink stands.
For dinner I recommend Cultuurcafé de Grote Post, a cultural center with theatre, music and dance shows, but also a restaurant and a rooftop during summer! Service was great here as well and everything we ordered tasted good. Their menu has quite a lot of vegan and vegetarian options, so definitely a must go if you don’t eat meat or fish. The only downside is that it’s quite big, so not a very cozy place to sit.
Ostend can easily be combined with a visit to Antwerp and/or Gent two other great cities in Belgium, or even Lille, which is right across the border of France.
Invited by VisitOstend.be.
Travelbecks 
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