MellonRodarte703
Keep In Hotel Italy And Relax
Beach lovers will enjoy Waiheke's premier beach destination Cactus Bay which can be lined with pohutakawa trees, golden sands and crystal clear waters which can be best for snorkelling though Thumb Point is really a diving and fishing Mecca like no other on the island. Guests can head down towards the Ostend Industry on weekends for any bit of culture and retail therapy as this quirky nearby marketplace packs in homemade cookies, handicrafts, German breads, books and music all in 1 bustling venue.
With regards to demographics, the market place has now finally realised the lengthy heralded aging population is lastly here and Farmer is operating with parks to help assure new attractions are designed to cater for grand parents and grand children. In his personal business for attractions aimed mainly at tiny children he will quite often try to "add a layer of entertainment", frequently humour, which will appeal to adults too.
Originally a tiny fishing village, the city of Oostende received its city charter inside the 13th century and now has a population of 91,000 persons, the largest population on the Belgian coast. Set half way along the 40 mile Belgian coastline, it became well-liked as a resort within the 19th century, when Kings Leopold I and II spent their summers there. During Planet War II the city was badly bombed.The city is protected from the North Sea by a series of large dikes built within the late 14th century. Yet, the city often fell victim to invading armies. Its significance as a harbour rose inside the 18th and 19th centuries, plus a railway link to Brussels was built in 1838. In 1846 it became a transit harbour to England, sending its 1st ferry boat to Dover. At present, a huge selection of passengers travel amongst Oostende and England inside a space of just two hours, which makes it a superb weekend resort for British travellers.Named 'The Queen of the Belgian sea-side Resorts, Oostende boasts a lengthy and sandy beach and is known as a favorite beach resort for locals too as visitors to Belgium, several of whom come to surf and sail. The old town and fishing harbour are common attractions, and Oostende has much to present within the way of shopping, eating and entertainment.Locations of interest:The twin-towered church of St Peter & Saint Paul, close to the railway station, is often a neo-gothic building constructed of sandstone in 1904-5. It houses the mausoleum of Queen Louise-Marie, Belgium's first Queen, who died in 1850 in Oostende.The 'Fort Napoleon', north in the city centre, is the only Napoleonic fortress still intact inside the whole of Europe. Constructed by Napoleon throughout the French occupation in 1810 and completed in 1812, it housed 260 soldiers. Inside the Second World War it was used as a German barracks.Among Oostende and Middelkerke, near the beach, lies a massive group of dunes known as the 'Raversijde Domain', which is a natural nature reserve. Here also is the 'Atlantikwall', a complex of tunnels and bunkers built by occupying German troops in the 1st and Second Globe Wars. Nearby is also an archaeological site of a medieval fishing village from 13th to 15th centuries.For garden lovers, the Japanese Garden within the Koningspark is worth a visit and can be found opposite the swimming baths, near the sea wall.Things to do:A walk along the splendidly clean and unspoilt beach, with a swim or paddle within the sea, is one of Oostende's pleasantest activities, but there are plenty of further activities in the centre and close to Oostende.Oostende has several purchasing centres, including the traffic-free Kappellestraat, Adolf Buylstraat and Witte Nonnestraat. Also, at the Alfons Pieterslaan and the Torhoutsesteenweg you can shop all year round. Market day in Oostende is on Thursdays on the Wapenplein, Groentemarkt and Mijnplein.For those interested in history and culture, Oostende has several museums and galleries to visit. The Museum of Local History holds collections from the Neolithic and Roman times, a maritime section and sections on the two globe wars. The Museum of Fine Arts holds works from the Belgian Masters, and at the Museum of Modern Art you can see a wide range of paintings, sculptures and objects from Belgium's recent history. Other locations are the Museum Sint-Pieterstoren, the Museum of Religious Arts, the North Sea Aquarium and the Schooner Mercator which can be a former Merchant Navy training ship now restored as a nautical museum. James Ensor House is where the famous impressionist painter lived.One from the most fashionable areas for families with children is the Maria Hendrika Park. Here you will find minigolf, rowing and pedal boats, playgrounds and woodland walks. Refreshments are available at the café.You can also take a horse-drawn carriage tour around the city, where you will be shown the interesting sights in the city.Food & Drink:Whatever kind of food or restaurant you are looking for you are likely to find it here. Oostende has plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars and taverns both within its lively city centre, and along the promenade. Wherever you go, you will find kiosks selling mussels, fresh fish restaurants, and the ice cream is not to be missed.There are several bars selling real ale, including the Café Botteltje and the Ostens Bierhuus. Oostende also features a selection of English style pubs.One with the most popular restaurants within the city is the James Tavern in James Ensor Galerij 34, off Vlaanderenstraat. In its friendly atmosphere, you can sample a wide range of local cuisine, including their specialty, garnaalkroketten, or shrimp croquettes.Of course, Oostende's best-loved food is fresh fish, and you do not have to look too far to find a wide choice of locations specialising in seafood. One from the best fish restaurants is the Old Fisher on the Fisherman's Wharf. This has a relaxed but elegant atmosphere where you can sample a wide range of local fresh fish dishes. Another fish restaurant is the David Dewaele, a family-run restaurant serving French cuisine and fish fresh from the North Sea.Hotels & AccommodationAlpha Hotel
IN 1419, PHILIP THE Wonderful, Duke of Burgundy, became Count of Flanders, uniting Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg inside his domain. Today they are three proudly independent nations – indeed Belgium is basically two distinct nations beneath one particular flag – but the Benelux idea remains strong, in particular in terms of tourism. Two-centre incentives could well, as an example, combine the art and culture of Amsterdam with the glorious North Sea beaches of Zandvoort or Scheveningen – exactly where the imperious Kuurhaus, setting for the drafting with the Hague Convention – or the spectacularly-wooded Ardennes may be combined together with the mediaeval treasures of Ghent or Antwerp. But, just as appropriately, borders can be combined with Luxembourg City, Delft and its blueware china be matched with Burges canals, and Maastricht, home to the treaty, might be combined with the neighbouring and fascinating German-speaking part of Belgium, taking in Spa, the town which gave its name to an complete health culture. The conflicting aspirations of Flemings and Walloons has, this year, let the Belgian tourist board to split itself in two – not specifically valuable for incentive organisers who want their trips to take in both the north plus the south on the county – with Brussels, even more confusingly, coming within the orbit of each offices. Dutch Flanders first. These may possibly be flatlands but you will find loads of high spots. Antwerp is undisputed diamond capital on the world and visits may be arranged for groups to view the precious gems being cut and polished. Other individuals may well prefer a brewery tour and with some fiercely independent brands all pushing hard for business enterprise, they are simple to arrange. Ostend presents a significant casino and bracing sea airs, plus steaming bowls of mussels and frites; Bruges and Ghent are amongst Europe’s finest mediaeval cities; Ypres commemorated the initial World War with its award-winning Flanders Fields museum in the lavishly- restored Cloth Hall, already a significant group attraction. French-speaking Wallonia concentrated even more on outdoor experiences. Events will be staged in the caves at Hamm, or how about centering an incentive on picturesque Durbuy, the world’s smallest chartered town? Ballefield tours are a crucial growth area for groups plus the Ardennes showcases memories of 1944’s momentous Battle of the Bulge. To browse our collection of hotels in Belgium, It might be little, but the Duchy of Luxembourg can be a delightful place, packed with variety – by means of group visits are inclined to concentrate on its elegant capital city, which can be now served by direct flights from quite a few crucial departure points. Amsterdam plus the Hague may possibly nicely argue over that is the correct capital on the Netherlands (for the record, the Dutch royal family members reside inside the former, but parliament sits in the latter) but there’s no disputing that Amsterdam has the edge with visitor attractions. There’s a danger of culture overdose with all the fantastic museums, galleries and concert halls – the concert halls – the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk and the Concertgebouw head a list of universally-recognised addresses. A canal cruise is obligatory, likewise a stroll through the infamous and oddly quaint red light district, a visit to 1 of your masses of atmospheric brown cafes and substantial investigation of Dutch cuisine spanning herrings sold on street stalls and opulent rijstaffel banquets which evoke the county’s colonial links with Indonesia. In Spring, bulb-fields and parklands extending as far as the eye can see, are a fabulous draw, a blaze of colour, set against spirit-level horizons and timelessly turning windmills. Pay a visit to the regular cheese marketplace at Alkmaar and see the cheeses being produced in Edam, a delightful village packed with regular wooden homes, or employ a private canal barge with on-board accommodation, to get a specific incentive gliding along some of the Europe’s finest never-ending waterways. To browse our collection of hotels in the Netherlands,
