You probably know Belgian beer and Belgian chocolates. It is also no secret that French fries were invented in Belgium. As a holiday destination, Belgium is just as varied as its culinary specialities; after all, the small kingdom has coasts, low mountain ranges and attractive cities to offer. The capital and EU metropolis Brussels, for example, attracts millions of tourists from all over the world every year - the Belgian North Sea coast, on the other hand, still seems to be a blank spot on the map of many holidaymakers. Why is that?

From the seaside hotel in Belgium by tram to the beach

It can't be the distance - the Belgian coast belongs to Flanders, the northern part of the country, and is only a few hours' drive from Germany. There are 13 seaside resorts on the almost 70-kilometre-long West Flemish coast, including classic seaside resorts like Knokke as well as the harbour town of Ostend and the exclusive De Haan with its Anglo-Norman style villas. The beaches slope gently down to the sea, are mostly wide and have fine sand. There's plenty of space for ball games, beach sailing, surfing and horse riding. The promenades tempt you to take a stroll, the streets are full of shops and boutiques. Restaurants with Belgian specialities abound. Practical: the seaside resorts are connected by the coastal tram Kusttram - from Knokke in the north to De Panne in the south. So leave your car in the car park of your seaside hotel in Belgium, stroll down to the beach and simply let the tram take you to the next town.

Maritime Belgium: lakeside hotel in an exclusive location

Your lakeside hotel in Belgium is a stylish villa between the beach and the dune forest, surrounded by an English cottage garden. It is just 200 metres to the beach and 500 metres to the town centre. As beautiful as the Belgian coast is, you should not miss a trip to Bruges, which is only about 15 kilometres away. There you will find a beautiful, late-medieval old town, excellent museums - and chocolatiers like Dominique Persoone, who not only makes sweet but also very unusual chocolate creations. Have you acquired a taste for chocolate? You can book your Romantik Hotels on the Belgian North Sea coast here.