Oostende Things To Do – Attractions & Must See

Oostende Things To Do

Oostende is a delightful Belgian seaside town, with plenty of historical and cultural things to see and lively places to visit. From WWII bunkers to fish markets and 19th century sailing ships, there is no shortage of exploration to be done in Oostende.

Museums

Oostende is a history buff’s paradise with a wide range of museums to visit. WWI and WWII of course are the focus of most museums, including one of the city’s primary places to visit: the Atlantic Wall. The Atlantic Wall is a series of more than sixty bunkers and trenches, preserved to look exactly as they did sixty years ago. For those with more of an art museum persuasion, there are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Provincial Museum of Modern Art.  The Mercator offers a unique museum experience, because this three mast sailing ship from the late 19th century was once used as a training ship for the Belgian navy and sailed on missions to exotic destinations such as Easter Island, Rio de Janeiro, Pitcairn and Tahiti. Now a museum of all things nautical that is cheap to visit and a great place to go with kids. In fact, there are many boat museums in Oostende, so you can get a glimpse into many eras of ships and sailing.

Around the Town

There is plenty to keep you occupied simply walking down the streets of Oostende. You can start out walking the impeccably clean beach to the pier, enjoying the scenery and sculptures. There is also a good fish market where the fishing fleets of Oostend hold their fish auctions. Certainly worth a visit and a major highlight of Oostende for seafood lovers. You can meander up to the Wapenplein, Oostende’s main square, and do some window shopping and enjoy the buildings. Those who are looking while they walk around will notice that Oostende has a wealth of statues and monuments that are not only fun to pick out but often hold interesting historical meaning. Be sure to visit St Petrus and Paulus Church, the docks, and Leopold Park, and you will have a well rounded experience of the city. If you want to sit back and enjoy the ride, there are also many city tours to lead you through the best parts of Oostende.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about Oostende things to do.