Vlissingen (historically known asFlushing) is a port town in the Dutch province ofZeeland, situated on the northern bank of Western Scheldt, just at its estuary on the North Sea.
It is the third largest town of Zeeland with 45,381 inhabitants. The town is industrial in character and is connected by a large canal toMiddelburg and onwards to the inland lake of Veerse Meer. In summer, tourists and day trippers flock to the city's well-known 2.6-km-long boulevard, which is also a sweep spot for maritime aficionados, as large ships pass by the Vlissingen coastline perhaps closer than anywhere else in the world.
Vlissingen has two railway stations and is the end on the lineRoosendaal-Vlissingen. Passing through Roosendaal, there are direct connections toRotterdam (1 hr 40 min),The Hague (>2 hr) andAmsterdam (almost 3 hr). There's also a direct connection toBreda and beyond. Trains go every 30 minutes.
Vlissingen is at the end of the motorwayA58 (Eindhoven-Vlissingen), which is the main road in. Coming from the south, the Westerscheldetunnelweg allows you to cross the water of the Westerschelde nearTerneuzen. Smaller, non-highway roads lead to town as well, making it possible to get here by bike, although they take detours to connect neighbouring villages.
As the town is an ancient harbour, it's reachable by boat.
Rotterdam Airport is one of the closest options when flying in, but is mostly served by discount carriers.Brussels has a larger international airport and is a good option when flying in. Amsterdam Schiphol is slightly further away but does have descent connections, making it still a logical pick.
You can easily get around by bicycle. The area is well served by cycle lanes and cycle paths. You can cycle along the shipping canal to Middelburg which is only a few km away. You can also cross the Westerschelde, and cycle toTerneuzen,Ghent orBruges. You can also take the bus.
The closeness of the sea, the regular sea breeze that blows through town and some of its architecture give Vlissingen a typical maritime character. There are many historic buildings around, reminding of the harbour's golden ages and of the daily life of the people who lived there.
Pretty much everything that is of regular tourist interest can be found in the very compact centre, orBinnenstadt. The old town of Vlissingen, which used to be a fortress, is centred on theKoopmanshaven (merchants' haven), with theBeursplein, or market square, extending directly to the east from it. Most of the historic buildings are contained within the former fortress and thus within walking distance from there.
On the Spuistraat, theBelgian Loodshuizen, pretty Jugendstil mansions commissioned by Belgian Maritime Pilots, were built in 1910. Pilots still board visiting ships to steer them through the tricky waters of the Westerscheldt. Watching the massiveships up close as they make their way towards and from the harbour ofAntwerp is a popular pass-time for the crowds on the boulevards. On the Beursplein you'll find the 1648Beursgebouw, a historic commodity exchange in Dutch Renaissance-style and now a restaurant. The 1730Beeldenhuis, now on the Prins Hendrikstraat, was built at the Dokkade as a city palace for a local adventurer who returned from his Far East travels a rich man and later became a leading figure in the Dutch West India Company. As the harbour industry along the Dokkade grew, the building was scheduled to be demolished. A plan to save it came through the last weeks and the precious façade was carefully taken apart and later rebuilt at the current location.
The North Sea side of Vlissingen is lined with boulevards, starting at the Koopmanshaven withBoulevard de Ruyter, and then extending northwestwards withBoulevard Bankert, with an increasing height of buildings and a beach.
Most visitors take a walk along the Boulevard. Go to the beach for a swim in summer season or a fresh walk at winter.
There are plenty of places to eat in the old centre and along the boulevard. Nearly all restaurants serveseafood, the typical food of the region.Mussels (mosselen) are a particular favourite, and advertised all over town, as are squid (inktvis), cod (kabeljauw orkibbeling), sole (sliptong) and plaice (scholvis). At day-time you can also try abolus, a bread that came from Zeeland.
Nightlife in Vlissingen is centred on the Bellamypark, a central square with the bars around it. As the bars are next to each other, just pick one and see if you like it. If you don't, there's plenty of other bars around.
| Routes through Vlissingen |
| END← | W  E | →Middelburg→Eindhoven |
| Thiscity travel guide toVlissingenis ausable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but pleasefeel free to improve itby editing the page. |
