The Belgian seaside
Coastline
How about a dip in the North Sea instead of the Med? According to Sebastian Ebel, the boss of travel operator Tui, Southern Europe’s scorching summer heatwave and wildfires will prompt people to seek out new destinations in Northern Europe, such as the Belgian coast.
Tramline
Fifteen seaside resorts are dotted along Belgium’s 65km of sandy beaches. The world’s longest tram route, the Coastal Tram, takes you from De Panne, near the French border, to Knokke-Heist, near the Dutch one, in around two and a half hours – or 67 stops (but who’s counting?).
Party line
The coastline is full of beach bars and while some have more Mykonosstyle party vibes than others, all serve cooling Belgian beers and cocktails. A chic pick is Lichttorenstrand (below, lichttorenstrand.be), in Knokke, where sunlounger hire costs around €15, a glass of rosé about €7.
Dividing line
The Zeedijk (the long promenade that separates the sands from the towns) is lined by tall apartment buildings and many (and we mean many) restaurants with beachfront terraces. Proximity to the North Sea means most serve seaside classics such as shrimp croquettes, sole and, of course, moules-frites. In Zeebrugge, restaurant ’t Werftje (twerftje.be) has locals queueing for a table – its grilled king crab is worth the wait.
Waterline
With three yacht clubs and more than 2,000 berths, Nieuwpoort, near the French border, is a must-visit for sailing fanatics. Two seafront hotels have opened in the resort in the past year – sleek sleeping spot The Cornr Hotel (from €158 per night, cornrhotel.be/en) and family-friendly Dune Hotel (from €148 per night, dunehotel.co.uk).
Storyline In 1933, after fleeing Nazi Germany, Albert Einstein lived in the pretty beach town of De Haan (or, as Belgian French speakers call it, Le Coq-sur-Mer) for six months and often enjoyed tea and a slice of brioche on the terrace of Grand Hotel Belle Vue (from €110 per night, hotelbellevue.be).
Wa i s t l i n e In Knokke, the one per cent rev their Porsches and Land Rover SUVs as they pass Albert Square, dubbed Place m’as-tu vu (Did-you-see-me? Square), and check in at five-star hotel La Réserve (from €295 per night, la-reserve.be/en); guests have included Paris Hilton and David Beckham. With four Michelin-starred restaurants, the town is also a haven for gourmands. Boo Raan (booraan.be) serves up Thai food on sharing plates – just save room for dessert as its zesty lemongrass crème brûlée is sublime.
Bottom line
At the eastern end of the coast are art galleries and designer shops as well as Zwin Natuur Park (zwin.be/ en), a protected area of marshlands and mudflats sheltering more than 200 bird species (including white storks and pied avocets) behind the windswept dunes. Perfect for a pm stroll or leisurely bike ride.
Chat line
Don’t worry about the language barrier. The Belgian seaside might be in the Dutch-speaking area of Flanders, but most locals speak at least some English.
Trainline
Fly to Brussels from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast in just under two hours, with fares from €42, see ryanair. com and aerlingus.com. Then hop on a train (again, less than two hours) to De Panne, Koksijde, Oostende, Blankenberge or Knokke.
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