Spend a Weekend

Start your weekend in Ostend - accessible via ferry from Ramsgate, by car from Calais or Zeebrugge, by train from Brussels - where you may well wish to base yourself for the weekend, the city being pretty much bang in the middle of the Flemish Coast. Spend Friday afternoon exploring the city, making sure not to miss the Museum Ship Amandine (one of the last ships to fish in Icelandic waters), the North Sea Aquarium, Kappelstraat (for shopping), PMMK (the Museum for Modern Art) and local artist James Ensor's former home. If the weather is good, hike along the beach to Fort Napoleon or the Church of our Lady in the Dunes, or, for a gentler promenade, stroll under the protection of The Royal Galleries.

Stay at the Thermae Palace Hotel, once Leopold II's seaside villa, or Hotel du Parc if you prefer something a little more modern. For dinner, stick to seafood and you are sure not to be disappointed, it doesn't come fresher than this! Try one of the restaurants on the promenade, such as Beluga, then head for Langestraat, which doesn't come alive before 7pm and is full of cafes, bars and nightclubs.

On Saturday, take the tram north to Knokke-Heist, where what you do may well be dependent on the weather and your travelling companion(s). Even if you're not a gambler, visit the Casino for its stunning interiors: murals by Paul Delvaux, Keith Haring and Rene Magritte, as well as the largest chandelier in Europe, measuring 8.5m in diameter and 6.5m in height, it weighs 7000kg and contains around 22,000 pieces of glass. Wander the pretty streets filled with smart houses, art galleries and upmarket boutiques, but don't forget that all the shops on the coast are also open Sunday so you will still have time to pick up mementoes tomorrow. Nature lovers should pay a visit to Zwin Nature Park, where the dunes are protected to provide a sanctuary for indigenous birds and wildlife, as well as the Butterfly Garden. Have lunch at one of Knokke-Heist's many excellent restaurants, such as Bartholomeus, where sublime food and great views over the beach are guaranteed.

In the afternoon, take the tram route back south. You could wander around the old fish market of Zeebrugge, which has been turned into a maritime theme park, Seafront Zeebrugge, where it's possible to explore a real Russian submarine and a lightship among other things, then follow it up with supper at one of the restaurants that have sprung up around the regenerating quayside. Or go to Blankenberge, one of the most popular and liveliest resorts on the coast, packed with activities for families, such as crazy golf, bowling, a 1930s pier, the Serpentarium, Sea Life Marine Park and rides on an amphibious boat. After the sun's gone down, it is worth staying on for the night life in Blankenberge. Another option en route back to Ostend would be a stop in De Haan, which - in complete contrast to Blankenberge - is one of the quietest resorts. Without a single high-rise building, De Haan is full of pretty little streets of enchanting cottages and villas built in Anglo-Norman style.

On Sunday, it's time to head south along the coastal tram to the furthest stop, which is at De Panne, a resort that has something to offer everyone. If you missed Zwin in Knokke, you should visit some of the 750 hectares of nature reserve in De Panne - these dunes are perfect for a Sunday walk, bike or horse ride, to build up an appetite for lunch. And if you like activity holidays, you might also like to try your hand at sand sailing, for De Panne, with its wide beach, is where this sport was created. Those interested in architecture will find the Dumont neighbourhood, a late 19th/early 20th century residential area, interesting; as in De Haan, the houses are Anglo-Norman in style and many have British names, such as Rochester and Daisy's Home. For retail therapy, there are interesting individual shops to be found along Zeelaan and the Markt, while kids will enjoy Plopsaland, a fantastic theme park just outside the resort. After all that activity, head to the promenade for lunch and visit Imperial for great food with a view along the wide sandy beach.

After lunch, it is time to start wending your way back to Ostend and the return journey home. Once again, the option is yours to choose whichever resort along the tram line appeals most. Koksijde is home to the Paul Delvaux Museum - Delvaux is second only to René Magritte in the Belgian surrealist league; while its sister resort Oostduinkerke is famous for being the only place in the world where horseback fishermen wade through the shallow sea collecting shrimp, but only in summer. Nieuwpoort is a fairly large resort located at the point where the River Ijzer enters the North Sea; the river mouth provides a natural yacht harbour, considered one of the best in northern Europe. Wander along the harbour and indulge in some watersports or, for something completely different, explore the resort's historic heart - dating from the Middle Ages, Nieuwpoort has been subjected to 13 sieges and never once surrendered!