Top Things to do in Nieuwpoort
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10 Things to Do in Nieuwpoort That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Nieuwpoort, Belgium including King Albert I Memorial, Navigo-Nationaal Visserijmuseum, Museum Paul Delvaux, De Panne Beach, Villa Les Zephyrs, Duin en Distel - Prive Sauna en Wellness, The Ganzepoot Locks, Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen, Sofie's Sunset, Westgolf.
Restaurants in Nieuwpoort
1. King Albert I Memorial
Overall Ratings
4 based on 248 reviews
What does Nieuwpoort have in common with Namur, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Kortrijk and Bruges? In all of these cities you can find a statue of Albert I, the Soldier King. These bronze riders mark the way the German army invaded Belgium in 1914, up until Nieuwpoort where they came to a grinding halt. This was achieved through the power of seawater and the smart coordination of the sluices and locks. But water wasn't only an ally, it condemned Nieuwpoort to a crueler fate, the complete destruction of the city as first city at the front. A hundred years later the monument to King Albert I is a serene place in a beautiful landscape, surrounded by water. The ideal place to tell the story of the inundation. This happens in the hyper-modern visitor center 'Westfront Nieuwpoort' right under the 2500m² Terrace of the monument, with a polyvalent inner circle and 3 exposition wings.
Reviewed By Mark G - Maidenhead, United Kingdom
This is an important memorial of the first world war with fine views from the top (lift or escalator). The museum below has good interactive exhibits explaining how the German advance was held back by managing water levels. The main attraction is a digital Panorama which sadly had now English description. Other wise this was a good small museum.
2. Navigo-Nationaal Visserijmuseum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By MarKno - Koksijde, Belgium
The third museum with 5 stars in Koksijde ( others are Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen, Delvaux museum) is the Visserij museum. It used to be a small charming museum but since some years it has been completely renewed and extended and is now a modern museum about the live of fishermen and fishes alike.
The museum is build on different floors and host among others real boats and an interesting aquarium with lots of fishes. You can try to identify the fishes using the pictures and text giving on the posters. Problem: the fishes are continuously moving and there are lots of them. By the time you think you have identified one he is gone.
It is also a large museum, so take a few hours to visit. And of the three museums it is also the one I would most recommend to visit with kids.
To prepare your visit have a look at the website : www.navigomuseum.be It has an English version.
Of course , just outside the museum you have a café-restaurant. It is build in an old fisherman’s house and has a large Terrace. If you are just in for a drink then take a Rodenbach (Belgian specialty beer) with grey North Sea shrimps.
3. Museum Paul Delvaux
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 151 reviews
Reviewed By MAZAGDN - London, United Kingdom
Paul Delvaux was one of the leading surrealist artists of his ear and a leading exponent of this art movement. Second only in fame to the better know surrealist Rene Magritte, also of Belgium.
The Foundation Delvaux was set-up as a foundation in an old style fisherman's house - extensively remodelled and enlarged - and is itself a beautiful house. The artist and his wife lived behind his foundation during their stays at the seaside.
The foundation has a pretty little restaurant with a fantastic sun drenched Terrace (if you're lucky!) that serves good simple fare or one can simply enjoy a drink and dessert!
The collection itself would grace any world class museum and so represents one of the best places in the world to see the artist's work and learn about his passions and life.
4. De Panne Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 556 reviews
Reviewed By PHE22 - London, United Kingdom
A great sandy beach that looked good even in poor weather. Heavy seas pounding the shoreline were very picturesque.
5. Villa Les Zephyrs
Overall Ratings
4 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By Dirk B - Middelkerke, Belgium
Een mooi voorbeeld van hoe de rijke burgers, vroeger , hun vakantie door brachten aan de kust . Ieder jaar is er ook een andere interessante thema tentoonstelling
6. Duin en Distel - Prive Sauna en Wellness
Overall Ratings
5 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By D'alleine E - Veurne, Belgium
Ik ben ondertussen al enkele keren in deze wellness geweest. We worden altijd uitstekend ontvangen, krijgen uitgebreide uitleg over alle faciliteiten. Water, fruitsap en versnaperingen zijn steeds aanwezig maar je hebt ook de mogelijkheid om bijvoorbeeld een fles cava of champagne bij te bestellen.
Een aanrader is het ontbijtarrangement met een ruime keuze aan beleg, broodjes en koffiekoeken. Ook voor de koffieliefhebber is er een uitgebreide keuze aan verschillende soorten koffie!
De ontvangst en rondleiding in het complex gebeurd telkens door de super lieve gastvrouw Petra! Een dikke pluim voor de ontvangst en het warme onthaal van je gasten. Het maakt niet uit hoeveel keer je er al bent geweest, ze ontvangt je steeds met een glimlach! Alles is er ook aanwezig, slippers, handdoeken, douchegel, shampoo, scrubzout... noem maar op! Je komt er niets tekort! Met plezier tot een volgende keer!
7. The Ganzepoot Locks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By conrad57 - Ieper (Ypres), Belgium
The Ganzepoot locks near the King Albert Memorial is a historical WW1 historical site for the Belgian Army. These locks complex was used to keep the water inland at high tide serving for the inondation of the Yser battlefield and keep the German Army away from the Belgian lines. This held the German Army four years out of the last part of brave little Belgium. One can walk and cycle around and see the sites of the seven locks that were kept operational 24/7 during 4 years of the Great War. A must see and to combine with a visit to the King Albert memorial and it's information centre on the Yser indondation. Difficult to reach by car, no parking area. Better to walk or cycle up the Ganzepoot Locks. There is a good pedestrian and cyclist path around the memorial so that visitors can admire without any danger from the cars on the major roundabout around the memorial and the locks. There are many small Belgian and French memorials near the locks commemorating the efforts of the engineers involved in keeping the system working under German artillery bombardments. It is worth seeing this part of Belgian military history
8. Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By MarKno - Koksijde, Belgium
Koksijde is a seaside resort which has three marvellous museums: Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen, Delvaux museum and Visserij museum. When the weather isn’t fit for sunbathing on the beach they are a perfect place to spend a few interesting hours enriching your cultural and historic “baggage” . The Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen is maybe the best known..
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The museum offers the visitor an educative and extensive journey into the world of the Cistercian religious order and at the same time an insight into the Middle Ages. The Cistercian order was really a European multinational avant-la-lettre founded early 12th century by Bernardus of Clairvaux and having franchise abbeys all over Europe... including the UK!
In the museum the audiovisual means ( although at times some are broken) are picturing very well how the monks were living and some of the audiovisuals require the participation of the visitor. There is even a short romantic movie (flashback included) with the abbey and the North Sea as background. Adults and children alike will enjoy the experience.
The visit will take you between one and two hours. After that you go through the alley to ....nothing. Actually only a few bricks are left of the once majestic church and abbey. The ruins only give you an idea of the layout and size of the abbey, the rest is up to your imagination , of course helped by what you just have been experiencing in the museum.
To prepare your visit have a look at the website : www.tenduinen.be It has an English version.
To end your visit go to the recently restored old fisherman’s house ( on the grounds of the ruins) which is now converted into a café with Terrace. You can get there a good Belgian beer en a snack.
9. Sofie's Sunset
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
10. Westgolf
Overall Ratings
4 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Jan47Cheshire - Cheshire
didn't actually play mini golf as was going dark when we were there, but had a drink on the patio overlooking the course - lovely setting, friendly staff, convenient for our hotel. Seemed to be popular with families
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