Ostend or Oostende is best known as a ferry port. Ships have shuttled between Dover and Ostend for more than 150 years, and today's high-speed catamarans move hundreds of passengers and vehicles between the two ports in just two hours. As a result, many British vacationers make day or weekend trips to Ostend, where they get a taste of the Continent before sampling duty-free wares on the trip home. The Dover-Ostend ferry route also provides quick access to Bruges and Ghent, two of Belgium's most attractive cities for tourists.

But there's more to Ostend than the ferry terminal. This thousand-year-old city of 70,000 residents is a popular beach resort with Belgians, who flock to Ostend for sun, surfing, sailing, and the Kursaal (Casino). The fishing harbor and old town draw many visitors, as do the North Sea Aquarium and other museums.