10 Cool Tourist Attractions to Visit and Things to Do in Ostend, Belgium

May 10, 2023 Mustafa Natalwala 2441 Views

Ostend, also known as Oostende, is a city in the West Flanders province of Belgium. The city sits on the west coast of the country facing the British Isles. The majority of top things to do in Ostend, Belgium revolve around exploring history and beaches.

People mostly visit Ostend for its beaches. Tourists often couple Ostend day trips while visiting Bruges. It developed as a leisure retreat city in the 19th century for aristocrats and royalty. Many of the best places to visit in Ostend, Belgium hail from this period. The most well-known among them were built during the reign of King Leopold II.

There are also several other historical things to see in Ostend, Belgium. You can see art galleries with incredible collections of modern and contemporary art. Ostend tourist attractions includes buildings from the 19th century featuring historical architecture. The most iconic among these is the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

A significant part of Oostende attractions includes military sites. The history of the city is riddled with battles and wars. You can see forms, military buildings, battleships, and war museums among the places to visit in Oostende.

Another popular reason for Ostend travel is the happening festivals. The stylish seaside city hosts the TAZ Festival, Ostend Beach Festival, Winter in the Park, and more. These festivals are also major Ostend attractions that bring in day-trip tourists.

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Table of Contents

Top 10 Tourist Places to Visit in Ostend, Belgium

1. Fort Napoleon

This large polygonal fort was built in 1811 and is one of the biggest historical Ostend attractions. You can explore the fort and hear stories of the battles and wars these walls have withstood.

The fort was built under the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte in fear of a British attack. This attack never happened, but the fort was extensively used in later wars including WWI & WWII. You will need about 2 hours to tour this fort.

2. Museum Zeilschip Mercator

This ship was built in Leith in Scotland and was launched into the ocean in 1932. If you are looking for interesting things to do in Ostend, Belgium get aboard this historic vessel.

The ship served as a training ship and for scientific observations. It also served as an ambassador for Belgium in various world shows, fairs, and sailing events. You will need about an hour to tour the boat and learn about its interesting history when you visit Ostend, Belgium.

3. Atlantic Wall Open-Air Museum (Atlantikwall Raversyde)

This open-air military museum preserves the war sites that date back to the First World War. It is one of the most important historical places to visit in Ostend, Belgium.

The museum has bunkers, trenches, defensive lines, batteries, fortifications, and barracks. You will see many artifacts from the war including weapons, documents, uniforms, photographs, personal effects, and more.

The museum also tells a variety of stories of soldiers and battles. You need about an hour from Ostend travel to tour this military museum.

4. Ostend Beach

This large beach does not have many facilities, but is still one of the most popular Ostend attractions. People come here for leisurely strolls, jogging, picnics, and other recreational activities.

This place comes to life during the annual beach festival. The Ostend beach takes a new life during this event. You can easily spend an hour or so from Ostend sightseeing enjoying this beach.

5. Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk)

The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul dates back to 1899 and was initiated under the reign of King Leopold II. It is one of the most wonderful things to see in Ostend for those who admire classic architecture.

This Neo-Gothic church was designed by Louis Delacenserie. The design is inspired by the Cologne Cathedral and Vienna’s Votivkirche. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to tour this church.

6. Mu.ZEE Museum

This museum is dedicated to modern Belgium art. The collection specifically focuses on artworks created after the 1830s. It is one of the most interesting Ostend tourist attractions.

You will see the works of renowned artists including Leon Spilliaert, Paul Joostens, Ensor, Jean Brusselmans, Permeke, Walter LeBlanc, George Minne, and many more. You will need at least an hour to tour this museum.

I suggest you should get your Entry Ticket to Mu.ZEE Museum in advance.

7. Maria Hendrikapark

Aside from being one of the best places to visit in Oostende for recreation, this park also has a rich and vibrant history. The park is named after the wife of King Leopold II and almost every construction in the park has some history behind it.

The park has green space, ponds, playgrounds, a cafeteria, pedal boats, row boats, a miniature golf course, a restaurant, and a jogging track. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to tour the park.

8. Lange Nelle Lighthouse

This lighthouse was built in 1949, but there used to be a station here since 1771. The lighthouses faces the North Sea and people come here just to see this historical structure and take pictures with it.

It is one of the most popular Oostende attractions for tourists. You can also get atop the lighthouse to enjoy incredible views of the coastline and the ocean. You will need about half an hour for the lighthouse.

9. Leopoldpark

This park is designed like an English garden with bridges, flowerbeds, and walkways. It dates back to 1861 and is best known for the floral clock. This clock was put here in 1963 and still mesmerizes visitors. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to tour this park.

10. The James Ensor House Museum (Ensor Museum)

This museum sheds light on the life and work of Anglo-Belgian artist James Ensor. The artists lived here in the early 1900s. His art studio and lounge are kept as it is. The rest of the house is converted into a museum dedicated to his life. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to tour this museum.

If you are looking for more places to visit in Ostend, check out the sections below. We have created an exhaustive list of attractions and activities in and around Oostende, Belgium.

Things to do in Ostend, Belgium

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Ostend, Belgium

Mu. ZEE Museum
Fort Napoleon
Atlantikwall Raversyde
Ensor Museum
Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Mercator Ship
Navire Islandais Amandine
Royal Galleries of Ostend
Lange Nelle Lighthouse
Oostende Historisch Museum de Plate
Beaufort Beeldenpark Rock Strangers
Galleries Venitiennes
Monument of Leopold II
Astropolis Science Museum
Onze Lieve Vrouw ter Duinerkirk
Drie Gapers
Saint Joseph Church
National Monument voor de Zeeleiden
Monument for Seamen
Turkeyenhof Museum
Roman Archeological Museum
Permeke Museum
Lange Max Museum
Museumschip Tordino
Saint Godelieve Museum
Lange Max
Batterie Pommern
Radio Museum

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Ostend, Belgium

Lake Spuikom
De Hoge Dijken Nature Preserve

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Ostend, Belgium

Leopold Park
Casino Oostende
Maria Hendrikapark
Lunapark Reflex
De Nieuwe Koers
Shin Kai Tei Botanical Garden
Camping ’t Minnepark
Aquapark

Shopping in Ostend, Belgium

Kapellestraat
Shopping Center Feest
Christinastraat
Witte Nonnenstraat
James Ensorgalerij
Alfons Pieterslaan
SeaRena Shopping Center

Beaches & Island in Ostend, Belgium

Ostend Beach
Mariakerke Beach
Oostende Pier
Petite Plage
Bredene Beach

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventures in Ostend, Belgium

Hiking
Camping

Sightseeing in Ostend, Belgium

Plage O’Ostende
Alber I Promenade
Das Kristallschiff
Zeeheldenplein
Petit Paris
Gedenkstatte HMS Vindictive

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Ostend, Belgium

Belle de Jour
Apero Fish Palace
Cafe Botteltje
Le Foyer
Bistro Mathilda
Moose Ostend
Savarin
De Mangerie
Histories D’O
Valentino
Culinair Restaurant
Belair Oostende
Storm
Bistrot de la Mer
Lobster
Jilles Beer & Burgers
Passe Vite
Tao Oostende
Galerij Beausite
Den Artiest
Mange Tout
Mommy’s Bastard
Brasserie Henry
Expo & Kafie

Where to Stay in Ostend?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range, and Budget Hotels in Ostend. You can check the below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Ostend.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Ostend

How to Reach Ostend, Belgium?

By Air

You can reach Ostend by Ostend-Bruges International Airport. The airport sits about 5 km away from the city. You can get direct flights to visit Ostend from Alicante, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Rhodes, Cairo, Chicago, Doha, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Pittsburg, and more. You can get buses and cabs from the airport to get to the city.

By Road

You can get direct trains for Ostend travel from Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent. You can also get connecting trains from London, Paris, Lille, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Cologne, and more. The bus network connects Ostend with several cities in Belgium and also a few cities in neighbouring countries.

By Water

There are no direct water routes to visit Ostend.

Image Reference

Fort Napoleon – Bernt Rostad / Flickr
Museum Zeilschip Mercator – Roman Polyanyk / PixaBay
Atlantic Wall Open-Air Museum (Atlantikwall Raversyde) – Paul Hermans / Wikimedia Commons
Ostend Beach – Stephane Mignon / Flickr
Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk) – Marc Ryckaert / Wikimedia Commons
Mu.ZEE Museum – Miguel Discart / Flickr
Maria Hendrikapark – Sergii Gulenok / Flickr
Lange Nelle Lighthouse – Bernt Rostad / Flickr
Leopoldpark – Stephane Mignon / Flickr
The James Ensor House Museum (Ensor Museum) – Pierre Doyen / Flickr