Beaches, Beer and Burgers: A Weekend in Belgium

I love holidays by the sea. As well as the benefits that a good dose of sea air (and some sunshine) brings, there’s something about being by the coast that makes me feel at home and relieves the stresses and strains of the busy life I lead. There’s a trick, though, to finding a good seaside resort that isn’t overcrowded to the point of not allowing you room to move or having to face lengthy queues for food and drinks.

So Ostend was the destination of choice for this weekend break, offering a relaxed vibe, stunning coastlines and just enough other visitors to create a bit of a buzz and bustle without being overwhelming. During my trip I discovered three major pulling points that will encourage a return visit: beautiful beaches, a bucket-load of Belgian beers to choose from, and an excellent burger joint selling the kind of fare that is perfect after a long day of sightseeing or shopping.

Beaches

For those of you who don’t know Ostend but are keen to discover somewhere new, it's located in the Flanders region of Belgium. Self-styled as the ‘City by the Sea’, it offers more than five and a half miles of sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see and attract sun-seekers, surfers, picnickers, sailors, plus lots and lots of cyclists cruising along the promenade. The beaches, while busy, never looked overcrowded and it’s impossible not to enjoy a relaxing walk along the sand, breathing in the fresh air and soaking up the relaxed atmosphere.

While we were in the city the Disney Sand Magic exhibition was in full swing . Marking the 25th anniversary of Disneyland, it features artists from all over the world who have come together and recreated some of Disney’s most beloved characters and famous attractions in sand sculptures. Elaborately constructed, they line an area of the beach, with the Cinderella Castle taking pride of place in the eye-catching display. There are 150 sculptures in all, created by 40 artists using 240 trucks of sand, and the festival runs until 1 October 2017.

Beer

Belgium is, of course, famous for its beer. With more than 1,100 different brands brewed in more than 160 breweries, over half of which are in Flanders. Ostend plays host to the North Sea Beer Festival every late August Bank Holiday weekend (weekend passes from €12) and is, like most Belgian cities, a beer-lover’s paradise. The culture is built around enjoying a long, slow-drinking session sampling the different varieties of beer, with the city’s main square the site of open-air café-restaurants where locals while away the time with their favourite brews. Typical Ostend beers to try include Keyte Tripel, which commemorates the 17th century Spanish siege of the city and is a sturdy blond beer, and Dikke Mathile, an amber beer whose deep colour is equalled by a rich flavour. The choice is endless, so Ostend’s compact layout, making it easy to cross the city by foot, is a definite bonus after you’ve sampled a few of the best brews.

...and Burgers

After a long Sunday stroll along the promenade and a bit of paddling in the sea, I was in need of some sustenance. Right there on the seafront, calling out to us was Jilles Beer and Burgers (which can also be found in Bruges and Ghent, but doesn’t have the feel of your usual restaurant chain). The seating area outside on the promenade was busy, with a mix of young urbanites enjoying the sunshine and older clientele out for a stroll by the seaside.

Jilles is an artisan burger joint that offers an astounding choice of 25 different burger options, depending on your preference for beef, chicken, pork or vegetarian, plus a huge variety of extra options mainly focusing on cheese. These burgers are then paired with an even wider selection of beers – with more than 50 different brews to pick from. It’s well worth checking out the pairings recommended by resident beer sommelier Sofie van Raefelgem to get the full benefit of a delectable beer and burger combination to delight your taste buds.

An extra tip – we had the chicken wings as a starter and they were the tastiest I’ve ever tried. The company’s home-brewed beer, Rostekop, is an easy-drinking brew that pairs well with most of the burger options on offer and is a bit lighter on the alcohol content if you have more exploring to do and still need your wits about you!