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Great Art for Great Kids - James Ensor

Arno. The Show of Life

Baron James Ensor

James Ensor: self-portraits

Beaufort24 - Ostend

UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup 2024

The Crystal Ship

Discover “The Crystal Ship” in Ostend: renowned and world-famous artists made enormous paintings on walls as well as fantastic art installations in open spaces. 

Discover Ensor

The James Ensor House

Mu.ZEE - Art museum at the seaside

Ensor for families

Child-friendly ostend.

Ostend is also a paradise for families with children. In addition to the beach and sea, there are various not-to-be-missed activities on the  calendar.

The Crystal Ship - Street Art in Ostend

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Ensor in Ostend

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Visit Ostend

In 2024, it will be 75 years since the passing of James Ensor (1860 – 1949). Join us in celebrating the life of this renowned Flemish Master with various exhibitions, activities and events in Ostend , Brussels and Antwerp .

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Monacoplein 2 8400  8400 Oostende Belgium +32 59 70 11 99 Send me an e-mail Website

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Things to Do in Ostend, Belgium - Ostend Attractions

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• Atlantikwall Raversyde
• The Kusttram
• Albert I Promenade
• Plage d'Ostende
• Leopoldpark
• Maria Hendrikapark
• Jardin Japonais
• Mariakerke Beach
• Museumschip Amandine

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The 10 best things to do in Ostend, Belgium

This is your guide to Belgium's underrated harbour city, with history, culture and beer aplenty

Let’s face it, the Belgian coast’s only city is probably not somewhere you’ve dreamed of visiting. But like, say, Antwerp (equally underrated, though much, much smaller), Ostend is a very real, authentic port with a fascinating and chequered history.

Take the seafront: bombed to bits in World War II, it’s now a mishmash of juxtaposing styles. Don’t miss the gabled Belle Époque-era townhouses, curved-glass 1950s Casino and King Leopold II’s former villa, with its ’gram-worthy marble-tiled porticoed arcade. Oh, and if you reckon the beach will be rubbish, think again: the widest of promenades is fringed by a line of seasonal bars – all palm trees and Ibizan loungers – curling around an epic sandy bay. How to commute all of this? Do as the Belgians do and take your pick from electric bikes and quirky tandems to pedal-driven go-carts for two. 

RECOMMENDED:  🇧🇪 The best things to do in Belgium 💐 The best things to do in Brussels 🍻 The best things to do in Bruges

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What to do in Ostend

1.  Soak up the harbourside vibes

Fact: a human-size whelk (by sculptor Stief Desmet) lurks at the end of the harbour arm. Make the pilgrimage to pose for a selfie, not forgetting to gaze back at the seaport city afterwards. Then slope around the bay to the Visserskaai, the fisherman’s harbour, where locals pick up glistening just-landed plaice and prawns. Here you can watch buckets of the teeny crustaceans being hand-peeled methodically by women in the market, which is open daily. 

2.  Sample some famous local brews

For live Flemish music with your Belgian beer, make a beeline for ancient watering hole the Spanish Inn , rebuilt in 1729 but which dates back even further. Or curl up in wood-panelled Café Botteltje to explore its 16 different beers and IPAs on tap, as well as Dutch firewater jenever. In summer (June to Sept), hit the beach bars along the promenade: Bondi Beach is your best shout, with tropical plants, sunny terraces and uber-potent cocktails.

3.  Board the fabulously arty Crystal Ship

Check out Belgium’s best open-air art gallery, the Crystal Ship, a permanent street art trail featuring dozens of international artists. Download a map online or grab one from the Tourism Ostend office to guide you around the eye-popping ace murals, sculptures and installations. 

4.  Take in the city from above, then gorge on local art

Gulp down views over bucolic Leopold Park by whizzing six floors up the austere old post office building, now an ad-hoc Cultural Centre. Nearby contemporary art gallery Mu.ZEE , housed in a former department store, displays atmospheric work by bigwig local artists James Ensor and Léon Spilliaert.

5.  Dine in true Ostend style

People-watch right on the promenade at Histoires d’O , a standout tapas bar with sunset views, or cosy up in the Groentemarkt at candlelit Wijnbistro diVino for seasonal specials like halibut curry. Over on the harbourside, order the piping hot signature shrimp croquettes at Restaurant Bassin, or satisfy your mussel fix at La Moulinière , whose menu offers 40 variants of the dish. You’re in Belgium, after all, silly.

6.  Follow in the footsteps of a music legend

Most famous rezzie? None other than Marvin Gaye. In 1981, the soul ledge arrived by boat to stay a few weeks – and ended up lingering for 18 months, even penning his uber-hit Sexual Healing here. Download the tourist board’s Midnight Love Tour for a two-hour walkumentary of his haunts before a beer at soul bar Lafayette, where his black-and-white photo adorns the wall. Forget the grapevine: you heard it here first.

7.  Dive into Langestraat’s fabulous late night culture

It’s all about party street Langestraat for a proper night out, whether that’s a whisky sour or two at the dimly lit Hemingway, live bands at The Manuscript or studenty shenanigans at ‘music café’ The Twilight . There’s a super-friendly LGBTQ scene in the city, too, including the best-named bar in Ostend: Taverne Ding Dong, anyone?

8.  Tuck into some cheap eats

Wind your way down the narrow backstreets behind Visserskaai, and you’ll find burger joint Frituur Franky , with a whopping list of patties Belgian-style, including tasty plant-based options. To up the hipster factor, try street food snacks like kibbeling (fried battered fish with garlic mayo) at slogan-loving industrial corner joint Mommy’s Bastards . 

9.  Pop into the grand Hotel Upstairs

It’s a totally walkable city, so stick to the seafront area for your stay. One street behind is Hotel Upstairs , whose imposing black façade conceals an industrial interior, with a warehouse-style bar, living wall and even a yellow tunnel slide in the lobby, which kids love. Bedrooms have little balconies and twisty-head sea views: best of all, it’s a 5-minute stumble from the heart of the action, Langestraat. 

10.  Take a historic day trip

Well-heeled and tranquil De Haan is just a fifteen-minute drive away. Hire a bike and cycle around the posh residential area The Concession, gawping at the Belle Epoque villas built by the mega-wealthy. Then stroll the relaxed promenade, where couples cycle on tandems, organ grinders delight kids, and restaurants do a brisk trade in – yep – moules.

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• 1.1 Climate
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 By train
• 2.5 By tram
• 3 Get around
• 4.1 Raversijde
• 7.2 Mid-range
• 7.3 Splurge
• 9.3 Splurge

Ostend (Dutch: Oostende , meaning "East End") is a seaside city of 70,000 inhabitants in West Flanders in Belgium . Its North Sea beaches have drawn in tourists since the 19th century when it was a fashionable outing for royalty and aristocracy. It has since become more democratic and is now densely built up with tall 20th-century blocks of holiday apartments and hotels. Its waterfront promenade features every cliche of a European seaside holiday, including a large musical theatre and casino. Besides being a holiday destination, Ostend is also a sizeable port for cargo traffic, particularly across the English Channel. Passenger lines towards the UK have ceased.

Understand [ edit ]

Ostend used to be a small fishing village on the easternmost edge of an island on the shore of the coast. The original town centre is 200 m away in the sea compared to the present day seashore. After the town was flooded and destroyed several times by severe storms, it was moved onshore to its current location. The mudflat between the island and the coastline gradually sanded and the island became a part of the main land. Ostend prospered as a market town. In the 17th century the harbour of Ostend gained importance. Ostend received a lot of attention of Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II, since they liked to spend their holidays here. They built many important buildings in the city, such as the Hippodrome Wellington horse racing track and the Venetian-style Royal Galleries, which are still a notable landmark along Ostend's main beach.

Post-war hunger for investments destroyed much of Ostend's original charm, replacing them with tall concrete apartment buildings. In the city centre, several high-rise buildings have been constructed in the 2010s, chiefly intended for the super rich from outside of the city, as most of these appartments are far more expensive than what any local could ever afford. However, some relics of the historical Ostend however managed to survive and can still be found.

• 51.231552 2.913364 1 Tourist office , Monacoplein 2 , ☏ +32 59 70 11 99 , [email protected] . Daily 09:00—19:00 in summer, 10:00—18:00 in autumn and spring, 10:00—17:30 in winter . This tourist office will be able to help you with all your questions regarding Ostend. They give brochures and leaflets with information about the city and wider region. ( updated Jun 2017 )

Climate [ edit ]

Ostend has a maritime temperature climate which is heavily influenced by the winds from the North Sea. Due to these winds summers here are much cooler than in inland Europe. On the other hand night temperatures below the freezing point are not very common in winter. As is the case anywhere along the North Sea coast, sea water temperatures are highest in mid- to late summer, when the beaches are at their busiest.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Most travellers arriving by air will however find it easier to fly to Brussels National Airport ( BRU  IATA ), which handles by far the most international traffic in and out of Belgium. There is no direct connection between BRU and Ostend, you must change trains at the Bruxelles-Midi station, which is fairly problem-free.

You can also fly in to other airports with direct connections to Bruxelles-Midi, such as Paris Charles de Gaulle or Amsterdam Schiphol , or the airport of Charleroi , branded as "Brussels South" by the low-fare carriers flying there. The former two feature direct high-speed trains to Midi, the latter is served by buses to the station.

De Lijn operates a bus (line 6) between Ostend Airport and the city centre.

By train [ edit ]

The 51.229569 2.925699 2 Train Station is in the centre of Oostende and offers many direct connections within Belgium. Changing in Brussels , Ghent or Antwerp adds even more options, both domestic and international. In particular, changing in Brussels-Midi allows you to use the high-speed trains of Eurostar (from London ) and Thalys (i.e. Paris , Lille , Amsterdam , Duesseldorf and Cologne ), as well as other services from the Netherlands , France and Germany . The Thalys no longer serves Ostend.

The travel time by train is little over an hour from Bruxelles-Midi, with 40 minutes to Ghent and 15 min to Bruges .

By bus [ edit ]

The Flemish national bus company, De Lijn, has lines to Ostend from Bruges, Diksmuide and other neighbouring towns. For more information regarding different timetables (only in Dutch): https://www.delijn.be [dead link] .

By car [ edit ]

Coming to Ostend by car is also possible. Ostend has plenty of parking lots.

By tram [ edit ]

The Kusttram [dead link] , which runs along the whole Belgian coast from Knokke to De Panne stopping in every beach resort such as De Haan , Nieuwpoort and Koksijde . This tram stops along the beaches of Ostend and at the Ostend train station.

Get around [ edit ]

Most points of interest in town are close together. You can easily reach them by foot or by renting a bicycle from the rail station for €9 per day. De Lijn bus lines 5, 6, and 39 go along the seafront to the west; if you want to get to points farther along the coast, in either direction, take the Coast Train from a stop next to the rail station. You can pick up a taxi at the rail station, or call Taxibond (+32 59.70.27.27).

See [ edit ]

• 51.23318 2.91612 1 James Ensorhuis ( James Ensor House ), Vlaanderenstraat 27 , ☏ +32 59 80-53-35 . June-Sept and Easter vacation week: W-M 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00; Nov-May: Sa Su 14:00-17:00; closed Oct . (Closed since November 15, 2017.) The house where Anglo-Belgian artist James Ensor lived from 1916 has been restored and transformed into a museum of his life. Studio and lounge on the second floor. Only reproductions are displayed. €2 adults, €1 seniors and students, free for children under 18 .  
• 51.225594 2.914497 2 Mu.ZEE ( Art Museum by the Sea ), Romestraat 11 , ☏ +32 59 50 81 18 , [email protected] . Tu-Su 10:00—18:00 . Created after the 2008 merger of the Museum voor Moderne Kunst (Modern Art Museum) and the Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts). €9 adults, €7.50 seniors, €1 young people aged 13 to 26; free for children under 13 .  
• Leopold Park . The Leopold Park was set out in 1860 on the old city walls in British style, with ponds, paths and flowerbeds. The first park regulations gave free access to tourists, but local residents had to pay. The beautiful bandstand was inaugurated in 1885. The best-known statue of Oostende, called The Sea, but there is not one person who calls it that. Nearly everyone remembers the statue only by its popular name ‘Dikke Mathille’ - ‘Fat Mathilde’. There even is a “Dikke Mathille” beer that you can taste in local pubs. Near the Fat Mathilde on the right hand side is the famous Floral Clock created from 20,000 flowers and plants. It has a diameter of 9 m, the hands are 3 and 4 m long and weigh 70 and 90 kg. The date, made entirely of flowers, is reset every day during the summer months.  
• 51.23 2.922 3 Sint-Petrus-en Pauluskerk ( St. Peter and Paul Church ), Sint-Petrus-en-Paulusplein . This vast, neo- Gothic church from 1907 has a suite of stained-glass windows and a memorial chapel dedicated to Belgium's first queen, Marie-Louise of Orleans, who died in Ostend in 1850.  
• 51.226876 2.919899 4 Zeilschip Mercator ( Sailing Ship Mercator ), Mercatordok ( Not far from the rail station ), ☏ +32 473 59 08 43 . May Jun Sep: daily 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-18:00; Jul Aug: daily 09:00-21:00; Apr-Jun Sep: daily 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00; Oct-Mar: Sa Su and holidays 11:00-13:00 and 15:00-17:00 . A former Belgian merchant marine training ship, this three-masted schooner is now a floating maritime museum. It has a length of more than 78 m and a width of 11 m. This beautiful ship is really worth a visit. Great for kids as well. €5 for adults, €3 for children ages 5-12, free for children under 5 .  
• 51.232747 2.922599 5 Noordzeeaquarium ( North Sea Aquarium ), Visserskaai 25 ( Near the old fishing harbor ), ☏ +32 59 50 08 76 . April to September daily from 10:30—12:30 and 13:00—17:00 with no break in July and August; October to March weekends from 10:30—13:00 and 13:00—17:30 . Small aquarium with a collection of fish, mollusks, shell, and crustaceans from the nearby waters of the North Sea. Popular with children. €2 for adults; €1 for children 4-14 .  
• 51.229388 2.923994 6 Amandine Ship , Vindictive-laan 35Z , ☏ +32 473 59 08 43 . Daily 10:00—17:00. Last entrance at 16:30 . Sits in a dry basin on a plastic "sea" as a museum of the history and traditions of Ostend's Icelandic fishery. €4 for normal ticket, €2 for children aged 4 to 12, children younger than 4 for free .  
• 51.23376 2.91869 7 Oostends Historisch Museum De Plate ( De Plate Oostend Historical Museum ), Langestraat 69 ( close to Wapenplein ), ☏ +32 59 80-02-89 . Sa 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00; school vacations W-M 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00 . Housed in King Leopold's restored, 19th-century summer residence, the museum holds displays of Neolithic and Roman objects excavated in the vicinity and exhibits depicting Oostend traditional dress, folklore, and history. There's a re-created fisherman's pub, a fisherman's home, and an old tobacco store. €2 adults, €1 seniors and children 14-18, free for children under 14 .  

Raversijde [ edit ]

An area in the western suburbs of Ostend, Raversijde is a short ride out of town on the Kusttram . Raversijde is most famous for its eponymous domain , formerly part of the royal estate. Leopold II had a holiday chalet here and Charles VI retired to the estate following his regency. Sold to the state in 1981, Raversijde is now run as a country park by the provincial government. The park, as of 2022 contains:

• 51.20081 2.84767 9 Memoriaal Prins Karel ( Prince Charles Memorial ) ( next to the Atlantikwall Museum ). A small museum in honour of Prince Charles, the last royal owner of the estate. The memorial museum is housed in the home he stayed at frequently from 1950 until his death in 1983. ( updated Jan 2023 )

Do [ edit ]

• 51.236231 2.922378 1 Sea excursion - Franlis rondvaarten , Weststaketsel , ☏ +32 59 70 62 94 , [email protected] . 1 July-20 July and 16 August-29 August: daily 14:00—17:00. 21 July-15 August: daily 11:00—17:00. Boats depart every hour . The company Franlis provides 45-minute sea excursions along the coast which provide an unusual view on Ostend and its harbor. Embarking point is West Pier in Ostend (right in front of the small beach “Klein Strand”). €9.50 adult, €7.50 child .  
• Football: KV Oostende were relegated in 2023 so they play soccer in Challenger Pro League, Belgium's second tier. Their home ground Versluys or Diaz Arena (capacity 8400) is 2 km west of the river.
• Ostend Beach . Ostend is visited by many day-trippers, especially during July and August. Tourists from the Belgian inland and foreigners mostly arrive by train (day trips) and head for the closest beach area from the station. There is a pont - free of charge - that takes you the eastern beaches: a wild stretch of beaches and dunes between Ostend and Bredene. There is even a beach for nudism-aficionados. Drinks and ice cream at - marvelously set - Twins Club.  
• Bike Rental . Many places in Oostende offer bicycles for rent, including the following stores: Nico - Fun on Wheels (Albert I-Promenade 44A), Linda (Albert I-Promenade 28), Candy (Albert I-Promenade 4). There are coastal tracks through the dunes, and country roads leading to quiet villages. It is the perfect place to start cycling tours to the many Belgian coast towns and even Bruges is nearby. ( updated Mar 2018 )

Buy [ edit ]

Ostend is a paradise for shopaholics. First of all, you have the Kapellestraat with all the important large chain stores. In the Adolf Buylstraat you can find designer clothing, shoes and accessories. Ostend has also a shopping center Shopping Center Feest- en Kultuurpaleis with 17 different shops. Other shopping streets are Christinastraat, Witte Nonnenstraat, James Ensorgalerij and Alfons Pieterslaan

Eat [ edit ]

There are a number of places to eat in Ostend, ranging from Pizza Hut to charming old-style Flemish pannenkoekenhuizen (pancake houses). There are also a number of chocolatiers and Dutch-style snoepje (sweetie) stores, the latter lit up in bright pink neon. Most street corners are either a coffee shop or a bar.

A common treat is a coffee served with a small advocaat (eggnog). Sometimes these come with three or four profiteroles, free of chocolate sauce, for dipping in the liqueur.

Budget [ edit ]

• 51.228379 2.910999 1 Frituur Franky , Karel Janssenslaan 53 , ☏ +32 59 41 26 95 . Tu-Su . Popular place among locals for fries in Ostend. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• Passe-Vite , Nieuwstraat 10 , ☏ +32 59 51 39 13 . Good food at a budget price. Serves for example spaghetti and salads. ( updated Mar 2021 )
• Oli's Frituur ( Oli's Friet & Eat ), Van Iseghemlaan 107 , ☏ +32 495 15 11 77 . Close to the beach and the Ostend Casino. Serves fries and a selection of typical Belgian dishes. Possible to eat inside or on the terrace. ( updated Jun 2022 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 51.233218 2.921782 2 Lusitania , Visserskaai 35 , ☏ +32 59 70 17 65 . Busy and popular restaurant in the touristic heart of Ostend. The food is well presented and comes in generous proportions. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 51.23257 2.919946 3 Apero Fish Palace , Nieuwstraat 5 , ☏ +32 59 50 02 24 , [email protected] . The place to go if you want to eat seafood. The signature dish is a huge bowl of mixed seafood. ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 51.222112 2.928473 4 Het Koninginnehof , Platanendreef 1 , ☏ +32 59 80 04 54 , [email protected] . This restaurant on a small island in the middle of the Maria Hendrikapark offers tasty meals.  
• 51.230531 2.911044 5 St-Malo , Albert 1 Promenade 62A , ☏ +32 59 50 39 67 , [email protected] . In this restaurant they serve Belgian and Thai dishes. Lunch menu €22, dinner menu €42 .  

Splurge [ edit ]

• 51.234868 2.920129 6 Ristorante Marina , Albert I-promenade 9 , ☏ +32 59 70 35 56 , [email protected] . Closed on W and Su evening . Italian restaurant for fine dining. They can offer gluten free dishes. Menu for €75 . ( updated Jun 2017 )

Drink [ edit ]

• 51.23276 2.916421 1 Copador , Langestraat 10 , ☏ +32 476 87 64 74 . Daily from 14:00 . Cozy bar to go to if you feel like having a coffee, glass of wine or a cocktail. ( updated Jun 2017 )

Tati's Jazzclub ( tatis ), Langestraat 71 ( in the Langestraat (main bar/pub street in Ostend), you should walk up to the quay; look for the saxophone hanging out front, next to the Irish bar Celtic ). Depending. Just go and see if it's open .   The Langestraat area is the area with the most bars in Ostend. You have a choice of over 30 bars and restaurants.

Sleep [ edit ]

• 51.23347 2.91793 1 HI De Ploate Ostend , Langestraat 72 , ☏ +325 980 52 97 , [email protected] . Check-in: 10:00 - 22:00 (rooms available after 15:00) , check-out: before 10:00 . In the city center. Almost all year round there is a high chance that a large part of the people staying in the hostel are going to be groups of school children. Lockers and luggage storage are available. There is also a kitchen and a self service restaurant. €22-32 . ( updated Jan 2016 )

Medium [ edit ]

• 51.229444 2.912911 2 Hotel de Hofkamers , IJzerstraat 5 . Check-in: 14:30 , check-out: 11:00 . Small charming hotel with only 25 rooms, in a quiet street in the heart of Ostend. The hotel has a secure parking/garage. Close to the Casino-Kursaal of Ostend and the beach. €100 .  
• 51.230007 2.913751 3 Hotel Ter Streep , Leopold II laan 14 . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 11:00 . Embellished with flowers, the hotel is near the beach, the casino of Ostend and the shopping centre. €90 .  
• 51.23086 2.913351 4 Ramada Ostend , Leopold II laan 20 , ☏ +32 59 70-76-63 . In the centre of Ostend, close to the beach. Rooms are spacious and comfortable. Hotels offers free Wi-Fi and has Mercator restaurant serving international favourites.  
• 51.228204 2.921127 5 Burlington Hotel , Kapellestraat 90 ( by the yacht marina opposite to the main train station ), ☏ +32 59 55 00 30 , [email protected] . Hotel with view on the yacht marina. Double rooms starting at €82 . ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 51.226039 2.902257 6 Thermae Palace , Koningin Astridlaan 7 , ☏ +32 59 80-66-44 , [email protected] . The majestic landmark hotel at the Ostend beach remains full of grand history, but is now rather worn and outdated in many ways.  

Connect [ edit ]

Ostend has 4G from all Belgian carriers. As of June 2022, 5G has not reached the city.

Go next [ edit ]

• De Haan is a beach resort with many fanciful buildings in the belle époque style. Residential streets are lined by many quaint houses. De Haan is an easy side-trip from Ostend by the coastal tram ( Kusttram ). Get off at the station De Haan aan Zee. Also neighbouring Bredene-aan-zee is nice to visit, as it is the only Belgian coastal town where the original coastal dunes have not been destroyed by the 'Atlantikwall' of endless rows of uniform, ugly and grey apartment blocks so characteristic of the Belgian seaside. In Bredene, there is no seaside promenade, the town is behind the dunes and high-rises are limited. On the beach, all you see behind you are dunes, and a couple of casual beach bars. A few WWII German bunkers (part of the original Atlantikwall) still stand on top of the dunes. Bredene is also home to Belgium's only nudist beach (a small section of the beach east of town centre). Bredene is halfway towards De Haan, and you can get there either by coastal tram or by taking the free ferry and walking along the beach (just 3 km).

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