Oostende beach is approximately a 20 minute train ride from Bruges and perfect for a quick beach get a way. The tickets were extremely affordable and they offer weekend rates as well that were 10 euros round trip.
Places to eat & drink:
There were two places right on the beautiful beach to get food and snacks: Petite Plage & Bondi Beach. They were both less than a 10 minute walk from the train station and perfect for enjoying the warm sunny summer days in Belgium.
Petite Plage:
Petite Plage had a very chill beach vibe with younger kids working the food/drink counters. I really enjoyed this place because it was open air and I felt like I was on the beach drinking and not just at a restuarant. They didn’t have any enclosed glass around or above so you could sip a beer with the ocean breeze on your face. It is also a good place for bigger groups because each seating area had room for groups of 8-10 people.
Bondi Beach:
Bondi beach was also very casual and had a beautiful view of the ocean. You ordered at the bar and had a seat at any open spot. Bondi Beach was enclosed in glass around the perimeters and had many umbrellas for some shade as well.
The beach itself (that’s why we came right!):
The beach was gorgeous and very sandy and swimmable. There was plenty of space to lay and sunbathe, build sandcastles or swim in the water. The map below has symbols that indicate where things are along the promenade of Oostende Beach.
Surprise bonus! A fun fish market:
As soon as we walked out of the train station area we arrived at a fish market that was about two blocks long running parallel to Albert Promenade. For any fish lover- it was a dream come true. They had so many seafood items to choose from, oysters, crab, lobster, soups, the options were endless!
I was told the soup on the left (red color) was a spicy version of the traditional seafood soup in Belgium. The soup on the right (white/clear) is the traditional way the seafood soup is made. We went on a Saturday and I am not sure if this market is every day or just on weekends during the season.
I read so many different opinions about the beaches in Belgium and I am so happy I decided to go!
Did you visit a beach when you were in Belgium? Comment below and let me know what beach you went to and if you liked it!
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