Ostend is Belgium’s prime seaside resort, dating from the first flush of post-independence national pride in the 1840s. It is a bit more workaday now, with much of the 19th century buildings demolished by war or more recent wrecking balls. The beachfront has fallen victim to developers of 10-storey apartment buildings, which appear empty of people, at least in March, to complement the wide, wind-blown off-season beach. Busier in the Summer, Spring is the perfect time to come and take a look.

There is plenty of marine stuff to see, including a 1930s-era sail training and scientific expedition ship, the Mercator, moored in the main marina opposite the railway station http://www.zeilschipmercator.be/en/mercator/.

Ostend is worth exploring if you want some sea air and are done with the crowds and renaissance quaintness of Bruges, just 30 minutes away by rail. The bracing seafront allows for beach time in the summer, but not at other times of the year.

Retreating Artists. Like many corners of countries, Ostend has it’s claim as an artist’s hideout, notably Marvin Gaye, who came here in 1981 at the invitation of Freddy Clousaert, a concert promoter, to recover from a period of drug abuse. One good way to get a structured walk around the city is to follow in Marvin’s footsteps with the city’s Midnight Love tour as he recuperated and wrote a few songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IpLIR8IImc Head to the tourist office to upload the tour https://www.visitoostende.be/en/marvingaye. The painter James Ensor was from Ostend and lived there for almost his entire life, and has a good display at the local art museum.

Mu.ZEE. The Mu.ZEE, Ostend’s contemporary art museum at Romestraat 11, is worth a visit as it gives good insight into an energetic period of Belgian art, with focus on artists such as James Ensor and Leon Spillaert.

Léon Spilliaert, Self-portrait.

The MuZEE is a good way to see some of Belgium’s often eccentric 19th-20th century visual art tradition which includes, for reference:

• Rene Magritte (1898-1967), surrealist painter.
• James Ensor (1860-1949), expressionist, surrealist painter. Liked Ostend and stayed there.
• Paul Delvaux (1897-1994), occasionally surrealist but very dreamscapy.
• Léon Spilliaert (1881- 1946), symbolist and expressionist painter.

The Atlantic Wall. Ostend was badly shelled in World War II, although heavily fortified against coastal invasion by German occupiers both in World War I and more extensively in World War II as part of the Atlantic Wall, which ran from western France to northern Norway. This section was one of the most heavily fortified, because the Germans incorrectly assessed the main invasion threat as being in the Pas de Calais area, just west of Ostend, when in fact the Allies did two things (1) conduct an extensive intelligence deception effort to confirm that belief, including running fake military radio networks and (2) invading further west in Normandy.

There is an excellent preserved complex, the Raversyde Atlantikwall, 6 kilometers along the coast southwest of town, which you can access in a 15-minute coastal tram ride. These fortifications are in good condition, in part because the war passed them by and they didn’t get flattened. Buy your out and back tram ticket and get on at the Marie Joseplein tram stop, getting off at the Raversijde Domein stop (not the Oostende Raversijde stop). You cross over the sand dunes by the steps and path just east of the stop; once over the dunes head east to the entrance: https://www.raversyde.be/en/atlantikwall

Depending on your level of interest, you can easily spend two hours roaming the well-preserved and restored battlements and bunkers, including a faithful recreation of the commanding officers’ cottage.

The Kursaal. Depending on the season, the Kursaal Casino, apart from being a fine example of post-war Belgian modernism, has an extensive concert program which kicks in towards summer, and their calendar is worth checking before you go, especially if you miss 80s Europop and other eclectic acts, including a Frank Zappa homage. https://www.kursaaloostende.be/nl/kalender Check out the Marvin Gaye at the piano statue – he performed here during his retreat.

Logistics. Ostend is quite compact as befits it’s 19th century origins, and the rather grand Victorian railway station is a 10-minute walk on the quayside east of the city center. If you finish your Belgian trip here, you can connect to the Eurostar at Brussels Midi railway station.

There are plenty of food options and the Apero Fish Palace at Nieuwstraat 5 is a great seafood place. Café Botteltje at Louisastraat 19 has a comprehensive and well-kept Belgian beer selection and also serves food. Mussels are a local specialty (with fries of course) and two places to go are the Het Mosselhuis on Nieuwstraat 14 and Kombuis on Van Iseghemlaan 24. There is plenty of apartment accommodation on airbnb and the central hotels are decent –  I stayed at the City Partner Hotel Ter Streep on Leopold II-laan 14, which was fine.