The golden sands are backed by a line of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes offering refreshment to holiday-makers. Both the seaside promenade and an eye-catching pier that heads out 350 metres into the sea entice visitors to take a stroll and relax. The size of the beach makes it ideal for children to play, while its soft sand ranks among the best in the world.However, Blankenberge has much more to offer than just a beach life. Exploring on foot is part of an essential pleasure of being in the town and the vibrant shopping streets of the centre give this place an international feel. There are lots of nightlife opportunities during the summer months, one of the most popular being the Casino, located on the beach-side, almost in the heart of the town.

Thanks to short distances and convenient transport facilities, many tourists combine their stay in Blankenberge with one-day excursions to places like Brugge, Ostende and even Antwerp and Brussels. The fact that the resort can be easily reached from the centre of the country by train certainly adds to its popularity as well. There is no place for boredom, as Blankenberge offers a variety of sporting and leisure activities for everyone – children, fun-loving teenagers and grown-ups. Still, it is families that make up the majority of visitors. Among many family attractions are the Dairy Museum, Pirate Adventure Mini Golf and Sea Life Centre, the latter of the three offering its visitors a chance to see all kinds of creatures which populate the North Sea.

Tourists staying in Blankenberge during the summer months have an opportunity to admire the fabulous sand wonders, built on the site of the annual Sand Sculpture Festival, right next to the pier. Many distinguished sculptors from all over the world contribute to the amazing constructions, embrasing a different theme each year. Walking through the Sand Castle’s chambers promises to be an extraordinary adventure for young and old alike.

In former times, Blankenberge was just a small fisherman settlement that due to its strategic location suffered repeated plunder and destruction. The sea was at the same time a principal source of income and a major threat as it brought storms and floods. Only in the 19th Century did the small town evolve into one of the first seaside-resorts in Belgium that quickly began to draw visitors. The first hotels started their activity around 1850. Following World War II, the one-time fisher harbour of Blankenberge was transformed into a yacht harbour, which is now to be found on the western side of the beach. Nowadays, the town no longer depends on fishing for income. With more than 150,000 visitors during the summer peak season, tourism is obviously the main driver of the local economy.