West Flanders
The province of West Flanders occupies the northwestern end of Belgium. It's part of the region of Flanders, i.e. the Dutch-speaking part of the country. The province borders the Netherlands to the north, East Flanders to the east and Hainaut and France to the south. This is the only part of Belgium having a short outlet on the North Sea. The whole coastline consists of wide, fine beaches and dunes, and possesses a great tourist infrastructure and modern resorts. The waters of the North Sea are a paradise for windsurfers and all watersports fans. Inland, the most popular tourist destination is Bruges. The old Hanseatic city is the second-biggest and most important city in the country. It fascinates its guests with the network of canals reminiscent of those in Venice, and the most splendid Belgian carnival. The city is also famous as one of the culinary centres in this part of Europe.