Bredene (between Ostend and De Haan)
Most of our Belgian villas are here. Bredene is unusual on this coast because its seafront is a strip of dunes rather than a wall of apartment blocks, and the beach is wide and sandy. Ostend's centre is about 10 minutes away by tram or car, and Bruges around 25 minutes by car. From Calais, allow a little over an hour.
Best for: Families who want dunes and a short tram ride into Ostend
Not for you if: You want smart shops and restaurants: Bredene is mostly holiday homes and campsites.
De Haan, Wenduine and Vlissegem
De Haan kept its low-rise Belle Epoque villas, timbered and set among dunes and trees, when most of the coast built upwards. There is a links golf course, a small seafront, and woods on the inland side. Albert Einstein stayed here briefly in 1933. Wenduine is its simpler neighbour, and Vlissegem is a village just inland. Bruges is about 20 minutes away.
Best for: Couples and families who like a quieter, greener resort
Not for you if: You want late nights: De Haan goes to bed early and has little nightlife.
Blankenberge, Zeebrugge and Knokke-Heist
Blankenberge is a traditional resort with a long promenade, a 1930s pier and a Sea Life centre. Zeebrugge is mainly a port, though it has a beach and a marina. Knokke-Heist, further east, is the smartest town on the coast, with galleries, shops and the Zwin nature reserve near the Dutch border. Bruges is around 20 minutes from Blankenberge by car or train.
Best for: Families who want a pier, an aquarium and a busy promenade
Not for you if: You want peace in July and August: Blankenberge is crowded and the seafront is lined with high-rise flats.
Ostend, Jabbeke and the countryside inland (Oudenburg, Gistel)
Ostend is a proper city with a long beach, fish stalls by the harbour, the Mu.ZEE art museum and James Ensor's house. On its western edge, Raversijde has a Second World War coastal battery you can walk through. Jabbeke, Oudenburg and Gistel are farming villages in the polders behind, around 15 minutes from the beach and close to the motorway for Bruges and Ghent.
Best for: City-and-beach breaks, or a rural house within reach of Bruges
Not for you if: You want to walk to the sand: Jabbeke, Oudenburg and Gistel are inland.
De Panne, Koksijde, Nieuwpoort and Middelkerke (west coast)
The west coast has the widest beaches and the biggest dunes in Belgium. De Panne is known for sand yachting and has the Plopsaland theme park on its edge. Nieuwpoort has a large marina and a memorial to the flooding of the Yser plain in the First World War. Middelkerke and Westende are quieter family resorts. Calais is around 45 minutes from De Panne.
Best for: Wide beaches, sand yachting and the shortest drive from Calais
Not for you if: You want a big choice of villas: we have few on this stretch.
