Albert I Promenade
Albert I Promenade
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
707 reviews
Excellent
277
Very good
304
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88
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19
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19
Bandit-One
Lucerne, Switzerland7,836 contributions
Aug 2021
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.
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.
Written February 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nickie
Brussels, Belgium81 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
Out of all the towns along the Belgian coast, Ostend is my favourite thanks to its promenade. Starting just after the harbour as Albert I promenade, it runs beside the beach for nearly 2 kilometres becoming Koning Boudewijn promenade halfway along. I love to take the train to the coast at the weekend and walk all the way to the end of the promenade and back. It really clears my head! It’s also possible to rent bikes or carts and cycle along the promenade. It can get a bit busy in high season or at holiday weekends, but once you get past the shops and restaurants, its smooth sailing and you can even cycle all the way to the next town along, Middelkerke.
Written March 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Freddy_the_Traveler
Lede, Belgium105 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
Walking along is nice, but the building realy needs restauration or demolition. Dry and durty paint, Beams to support the roof... terrible! And the statue of the king, there is more birdsh*t then paint. Oostend: keep it or remove it!
Written October 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luapan hati
47 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Its dirty place...smely and to many sands everywhere...the wall is dirty too..scare to touch it...sorry...its really borring city
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JSolitude
Ostend, Belgium1,121 contributions
Aug 2019 • Solo
The boardwalk of Ostend is a very mixed bag: when you're walking along on the promenade with your eyes fixed towards the sea, it's a nice experience.
However, look the other way inwards and all you'll see is one massive concrete wall. Most apartments and elegant historical buildings from the previous century have been replaced with a wish-wash of uninspired modern apartments.
The worst thing is: you can not even look inland anymore as every square along the boardwalk has been filled and there seemed to be no thought process whatsoever when it came to a sense of harmony.
But it gets even worse: one of the few lasting historical buildings on the promenade 'Thermae Palace', a former splendid seaside hotel, is also in a terrible state.
The King's Galleries now even has to be supported because the concrete rot set in and was not repaired for years. The former winding view in the elegant galleries is now blocked by wooden panels. It's clear in the past this city never ever cared about building restrictions to prevent one side of the promenade would simply turn into a concrete wall of apartments. People who like this probably also think Benidorm or Blankenberge is pretty. Tastes differ, but anyone with some aesthetic feel for architecture and city planning will categorize it as a complete disaster.
However, look the other way inwards and all you'll see is one massive concrete wall. Most apartments and elegant historical buildings from the previous century have been replaced with a wish-wash of uninspired modern apartments.
The worst thing is: you can not even look inland anymore as every square along the boardwalk has been filled and there seemed to be no thought process whatsoever when it came to a sense of harmony.
But it gets even worse: one of the few lasting historical buildings on the promenade 'Thermae Palace', a former splendid seaside hotel, is also in a terrible state.
The King's Galleries now even has to be supported because the concrete rot set in and was not repaired for years. The former winding view in the elegant galleries is now blocked by wooden panels. It's clear in the past this city never ever cared about building restrictions to prevent one side of the promenade would simply turn into a concrete wall of apartments. People who like this probably also think Benidorm or Blankenberge is pretty. Tastes differ, but anyone with some aesthetic feel for architecture and city planning will categorize it as a complete disaster.
Written August 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer F
London, United Kingdom31 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
Ostend was a wonderfully popular beach resort 50 or 60 years ago and it still has such a lot to offer — but it's a big secret, apparently. It is full of the most beautiful art deco buildings — including the stunning Grand Post Office, which has been turned into a concert hall with restaurant and bar — but you would never know from looking at websites about Ostend. On Monday nights in July and August, we learned too late, there are horse races at the incredible Wellington race-course. Again, no mention. To celebrate Belgium's national day on July 22, there are firework competitions on the beach in front of the Albert Promenade. We were lucky enough to catch one of the displays — but we found out by accident. British travellers used to be able to travel by ferry from Dover to Ostend but this service no longer exists and so most of the tourists are from Belgium or France. But Ostend is beautiful and honestly, has much to boast about. Just needs a bit of a PR push, that's all!
Written July 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
edwinvd101
Ostend, Belgium103 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
A great efort has been made to modernize the promenade. When it is full of tourists trying to walk and enjoy the view, it's a different story. Cyclist fly by. A pedestrian walk, forget it. And then you have the carts for little, big and too big children (and grownups) racing like crazy. Occasionly someone is run over, but what the heck?
Now that most tourists have gone it is somewhat calmer but the cyclist racing and the go-karts driven like mad still spoil what could be an attraction for the locals and the tourists
Now that most tourists have gone it is somewhat calmer but the cyclist racing and the go-karts driven like mad still spoil what could be an attraction for the locals and the tourists
Written September 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel Guide Info
Antwerp Province, Belgium444 contributions
Jun 2017 • Friends
Excellent promenade! Suitable for all ages. Great views of the ocean. Take a jacket. Could get windy. ☹️
Written June 25, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saaluaa
Dubai, United Arab Emirates24 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Beautiful seaside promenade with view on endless white beach and the refreshing North Sea, very nice sunset and cloud formations.
Written July 20, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia M
Skegness336 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
Starting from the Marina, opposite the train station, follow the road round past the boat Amandine, past the Zeeheld statue and onto the promenade. There are café-bars and souvenir shops, and a long sandy beach. If not much time, turn off at the Casino and down into Monaco Plein and head back into town, or of course go back the way you came, We have often done this on day trips.
Written May 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tricatel93
Bollwiller, France115 contributions
Faut-il obligatoirement être en état d'ébriété pour visiter Ostende ?
De quel côté nous conseillez vous de nous loger? Mariakerke ou plutôt près du port? En sachant que je ne peux pas trop marcher. Donc il faudrait qu'il y ait magasins et plage pas trop éloigné. Nous sommes allés du côté des sculptures de sables mais je n'ai pas pu marcher jusqu'à mariakerke donc je ne sais pas si c'est mieux par là! Merci pour vos conseils
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Claim your listingAlbert I Promenade - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Albert I Promenade
- Hotels near Albert I Promenade:
- (0.14 mi) Hotel & Wellness Royal Astrid
- (0.14 mi) Monarc
- (0.28 mi) Les Paquerettes
- (0.19 mi) Thermae Palace Hotel
- (0.17 mi) Avenue Beach Hotel
- Restaurants near Albert I Promenade:
- (0.03 mi) Koninklijke Villa Oostende
- (0.04 mi) Venetiaanse Gaanderijen
- (0.17 mi) Valentino
- (0.15 mi) Savarin
- (0.12 mi) Yak Tibetaans restaurant
Albert I Promenade Information
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