Ostend is a pretty busy town. The shopping/walking area is busy, but so is the beach and this promenade. The town itself isn't really pretty, but the Promenade makes a nice and worthy daytrip. The boardwalk is very long, changes the name later on, but you can keep walking. It's very very wide and lined with endless cafés and restaurants. And some shops (many souvenir and beach gear shops). There is quite traffic on this Promenade. Lots of bikes (two-wheelers and four-wheelers), skaters, rollerbladers, e-scooters etc. But since it's a very wide promenade that's mostly no problem. Dogs are allowed on the promenade all year, just on the beach they're not allowed in high season. It's really nice and relaxing to stroll along the beach. Sit down at some restaurant or café, catch a drink and watch the world go by. Really enjoyable (even the food isn't that great - the drinks are alright though). We had a great time. Walked back and forth for two or three hours. We took our time. The beach itself is also pretty wide, clean and good to enjoy the sun. Cold water though, only for the brave (which I'm not). Ostende is worth a trip. Spend some time on the Promenade and then do some shopping in the big shopping / walking street afterwards. read more

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