Sightseeing in Blankenberge - what to see. Complete travel guide

Blankenberge is a major resort and a popular tourist destination in West Flanders. This charming coastal town is washed by the North Sea. This is a beautiful place that attracts many tourists from all over the world who come to relax at local beaches. Nowadays, tourism has become one of the biggest contributors to the town’s economy. Local authorities do everything they can to make Blankenberge as comfortable as possible for tourists so that guests enjoy their vacation in the town and want to return to it again.

We don’t know much about the history of Blankenberge. However, a visit to this town will help you understand more about this region, local people, and the history of the settlement. Initially, Blankenberge was nothing but a small fishing village. Everything changed in the 19th century when people from other towns and countries started arriving to enjoy a seaside holiday. The first hotel opened in Blankenberge in 1850. Nowadays, this is a well-established and popular resort. The number of guests visiting the town grows every year.

The town’s beach is the main landmark of Blankenberge and the main reason to come here. What is so special about this beach? Length is the first thing that distinguishes the beach from other coastal areas. The beach is three kilometers long but there are no trees in the coastal area, and the vegetation is scarce. The beach’s width is roughly three hundred and fifty meters. A large pier is another peculiarity of this area. Built by the order of the town’s authorities in 1933, the pier also has a length of three hundred and fifty meters. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you seek serenity and peace, it is hard to find a more suitable place. This is an ideal area for relaxing both body and mind. Only seagulls flying above the water sometimes ruin the silence with their cawing. While taking a stroll along the coast, you can enjoy the inimitable scent of the North Sea that smells differently from the usual sea scent. The picture-perfect scenery deserves a separate mention. When standing near the water and looking at the horizon, it feels like you are flying above the endless sea surface. All troubles and worries disappear in such minutes, and the mind feels cleared and refreshed.

Having visited the Blankenberge beach, you will quickly notice how beautiful this place is and how comfortable it is for families with children. The beach is covered with soft and warm sand. Cool sea water will save you from hot summer days. For the convenience of visitors, there are numerous dressing cabins. Initially, such beach “huts” were typical only for British coastal resorts, but later they appeared in Belgian resorts as well. It is better to visit this town earlier in summer because the resort season is short on the North Sea coast. However, even if you visit the town when it is too cold to swim, you can still admire the fantastic view of the endless sea surface.

Blankenberge hosts the largest festival dedicated to sand sculptures. It takes place from June 15 to September 15. It takes one month for skilled masters to create true masterpieces made from sand. Don’t forget to attend this interesting event. You can see how such fragile material as sand is used to make buildings, castles, churches, popular film characters, and famous historic personalities.

Everyone will easily find something to fit their personal taste because masters work in different techniques. Even children will find it interesting to visit this festival because they will be excited to see characters from their favorite cartoons. All sand sculptures are of different shape and height. Some sculptures are several meters tall and wide.

The Flower Parade is one more important event in the cultural life of the town. This colorful and exciting parade takes place every year on the last Sunday in August. More than a hundred thousand guests arrive in the town to see this spectacular show. Even children are excited to watch colorful flower processions. Young dancers perform in front of each platform. Animals, cartoon heroes, and various creatures made from flowers are installed on these platforms that slowly move along the street. This is a truly mesmerizing view.

It is easy to get to Blankenberge from the capital of Belgium, Brussels. The train is the most comfortable way to get to the resort – there are daily trains that connect the two cities. As a rule, trains to Blankenberge depart every hour. The time in transit is approximately one hour and a half. If you choose to take a bus, the journey will be even shorter – only half an hour. However, the ride might take longer due to weather conditions. If you prefer to use the car to get to the resort, the ride will last approximately one hour.