P1 AquaX Oostend 2019

Ostend is a city on the Belgian coast known for its long beach and promenade.

Docked in the marina, the Mercator is a 3-masted 1930s ship that now acts as a floating museum -The Mu.ZEE displays Belgian art from the 1830s onward. The neo-Gothic–style Church of St. Peter and St. Paul has soaring spires and distinctive stained-glass windows. Near the harbor, Fort Napoleon is a 5-sided fortification built in 1811.

Ostend is known for its sea-side esplanade, including the Royal Galleries of Ostend, pier, and fine-sand beaches. Ostend is visited by many day-trippers heading to the beaches, especially during July and August. Tourists from inland Belgium and foreigners mostly arrive by train (day trips) and head for the closest beach area, the Klein Strand, located next to the pier. The locals and other residents in Belgium usually occupy the larger beach (het Groot Strand).

Near the beach is a well-preserved section of the fortified Atlantic Wall, open to the public as the Atlantic Wall Open Air Museum located in Raversijde. one can walk through the streets around Het Vissersplein. At certain times, there are markets in the neighbourhood streets and in the summer the Vissersplein has music festivals. The Vissersplein (Bonenstraat/Kadzandstraat) is a car free zone with many brasseries where patrons can sit outside and have a drink. Towards the port side there are many little fish outlets, and beyond that the ferries can be observed docking.

https://www.visitoostende.be/en/see-and-do

Oostend Tourist Information site

Notable sites include:

• the Casino and Fort Napoleon, Ostend
• Oostende railway station
• The Mercator, the ex training sailing ship for Belgian merchant navy officers, now open to the public to view
• Hippodrome Wellington, horse racing venue
• St Petrus and St Paulus Church, Ostend (Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk), built in Neo Gothic style