Walcheren

Beach near Domburg

Walcheren is a region in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It holds the capital of the province, Middelburg.

Cities

• 1 Domburg - City along the Northsea coast.
• 2 Middelburg - Capital of Zeeland and a beautiful city.
• 3 Veere - Historic city along the Northsea coast.
• 4 Vlissingen - Harbour city along the Scheldt.
• 5 Westkapelle - Most western point of Walcheren, which makes it perfect for panoramas over sea, or beach tourism in general.

Get in

By car

Most of Walcheren can be reached by car. To get to Middelburg from Rotterdam, use the A29 in the direction of Bergen op Zoom. The A29 will turn into the A59 and the A4 shortly after. Stay on the A4, which will become the A58 at the Markiezaat Interchange. Exit 35 services Goes, and exit 39 services the city centre of Middelburg.

When travelling from Antwerp, use the E34 to go west. Use exit 13 followed with a right turn to head for the Dutch border. This road will become the N62 which will turn into the N254, which services Middelburg directly.

By train

The peninsula of Walcheren and Zuid-Beveland is the only region of Zeeland that can be reached by train.

From Amsterdam, take the Intercity heading for Brussels, get off the train at Roosendaal and switch to the train heading for Middelburg and Vlissingen.

From Brussels, take the Intercity heading for Amsterdam and get off the train at Roosendaal, where you should switch to the train heading for Middelburg and Vlissingen.

From Paris, take the Thalys to Amsterdam and get off this train at either Brussels-South or Antwerp and switch to the Intercity heading for Amsterdam. Get off at Roosendaal station and take the train going to Middelburg and Vlissingen.

Get around

Walcheren can be travelled by bike easily due to its flat terrain, though on windy or stormy days you might want to consider travelling by car.

See

• 1 Walcheren Causeway (Walcheren). A narrow causeway that was the only land connected between Walcheren and South Beveland and consisted a dike surrounded by tidal mudflats. However, in late 1944, it became the scene of a three-day battle when Canadian forces assaulted the causeway in order to establish a foothold on German coastal defences. 

Do

• Visit the North Sea beaches - The North Sea beaches are perfect for relaxation during the summers, and many international tourists can agree. When the weather isn't warm enough for a day of sunbathing and swimming, then the beach lends itself perfectly for long strolls over the dikes or along the shoreline. The beach along the Scheldt isn't recommended for such activities, as it's highly industrious.
• Watersports
• Cycling - The flat terrain lends itself perfectly for cycling, whether you practice it as a sport or are a recreational cyclist, taking a bike may be the better way to see and visit all that Walcheren has to offer.

Go next

From Walcheren you can easily travel to the rest of Zeeland;

• Noord- and Zuid-Beveland - Both regions are, ignoring the canal and lake, directly bordering Walcheren, and therefore just a hop away. They can easily be combined with you visit to Walcheren.
• Schouwen-Duiveland - The most northern island of Zeeland, and just a hop away from The Hague and Rotterdam.
• Zeeuws-Vlaanderen - The N62 tunnel makes Terneuzen just a hop away from Middelburg. Zeeuws-Vlaanderen offers anything from beautiful beaches to nature reserves such as The Drowned Land of Saeftinghe.
• Tholen - Rural landscapes are what you'll find most in Tholen. It is, however, the only region that can't be accessed directly.

If you'd rather go elsewhere, then consider visiting Antwerp, Ghent, The Hague or Amsterdam, which can be travelled to easily.