Places of longing Knokke, Heist and Blankenberge

Thursday 01/09/2022

For many - not just the Belgian middle class - Knokke, Heist and Blankenberge are the places of longing where you must spend your holidays or at least a free weekend. They live in mostly soulless apartment buildings, just to catch a glimpse of the sea from the window. But many can only afford a place 'out back' and have to be content with a stroll along the beach promenade.

The fame and popularity of Knokke may also be an echo of the glamorous years when - until 1973 - the Knokke Song Festival, the third most important European song competition after Sanremo and the Eurovision Song Contest, was held at the Casino in Knokke. In 1960, Udo Jürgens won the competition here with 'Jenny' and landed his first No. 1 hit.

The travel guides rave about cozy cafés in the old town of Blankenberge, which on closer inspection often turn out to be impersonal fast food stands with a mandatory cheeseburger menu. Dear Belgians, don't take it personally, but we were really happy to be able to retreat to the much cozier De Haan in the evening.

It's not much different in Oostende, after all, it's more urban and the squares are bigger and the offerings are much more diverse - and the sculptures on the pier are a bit more daring.

We took the tram along the coast (as one does when one is here). The day pass costs 7.50 euros.