Wetteren between cultural heritage and nature

Wetteren combines remarkable cultural heritage with varied landscapes and many opportunities to explore the surrounding area on foot or by bicycle. Between protected buildings, river dunes, wet meadows and museums, it offers a destination where you can spend your days in very different ways. This makes Wetteren an interesting base when looking for holiday accommodation: you can decide whether architecture, nature, exercise, local history or culinary enjoyment should be the focus of your trip.

Culture and history in Wetteren

A prominent starting point for cultural discoveries is the Sint-Gertrudis parish church. It has been protected as a listed monument by ministerial decree since 3 November 2003. Villa Julia also tells the story of the town’s architectural history. It was designed by Ghent architect Modeste De Noyette in the neo-Flemish Renaissance style. The villa has been protected since 15 October 2002 and, despite alterations and adaptations, still features an authentic and well-preserved design.

The Wetterse reuzen also form part of Wetteren’s cultural character. They have considerable heritage value, are mentioned in a parish account from 1622 and are among the oldest giants in the country. Once a year, during the Wetteren fair, they leave their usual location. Another tradition is represented by the folklore procession in Kortenbos: with more than fifty floats, it depicts rural life in times gone by.

For a deeper look at the region’s past, the Heemkundig museum Wetteren offers collections of craft tools, historical clothing and religious objects. You can plan your visit according to the seasonal opening schedule: from March through November inclusive, the museum is open on the first Saturday of each month from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. The Kloosterordemuseum focuses on an unusual subject. This small doll museum displays 200 official religious habits from 149 different religious orders.

Walks, cycle routes and nature experiences

The Art-decowandeling is a 3.5-kilometre circular walk through the streets of Wetteren’s centre. A brochure provides information about each stop and step-by-step directions through the streets. This allows you to combine architecture and exercise without devoting the entire day exclusively to a museum visit. Those looking to plan longer walks will find a total of 165 kilometres of walking opportunities in the Kalkense Meersen walking network, in the area around the Scheldt between Wetteren and Dendermonde and through the Kalkense Meersen itself.

Several circular walks offer different distances. The 4 bossenwandeling is 11 kilometres long and starts at Paelepelbos. The Kamsalamanderpad covers 7.5 kilometres and also starts there. The De Warande running route begins at the Wetteren sports hall at Warandelaan 14, 9230 Wetteren; along the way, you can discover the Den Blakken nature area. In the valley of the Serskampse Beek, a wooden path also leads through a marshland area.

There are specific destinations for cyclists too. The blue loop of the Wetteren mountain bike route is 37 kilometres long. The cycle route along the Scheldt runs between Wetteren and Schellebelle on the northern side of the Scheldt, along the edge of the Kalkense Meersen nature reserve. The Floraliëntocht places flower and ornamental plant cultivation in East Flanders at the centre as its recurring theme.

Landscapes with their own character

The Kalkense Meersen is a contiguous area of wet grassland covering 800 hectares between the village centres of Kalken, Overmere, Uitbergen, Schellebelle and Wetteren. Around 30 pairs of black-tailed godwits raise their young there every year. In the Molenbeek Valley, the stream winds between wet meadows and wet woodland. In Hospiesbos, you will find seasonal woodland flowers such as anemones and hyacinths, as well as mushrooms.

Paelepelbos is characterised by numerous ponds inhabited by great crested newts. The De Blakken - Speelbos dune area contains some of the best-preserved remnants of drifting sand dune complexes along the Scheldt in East Flanders and is protected as a landscape. The Provincial Domain Den Blakken and the De Warandeduinen nature reserve offer a landscape experience in which you can walk barefoot through the sand of the river dunes.

Special excursions and local treats

The Wetterse Watertuin on Jabekestraat in Wetteren is open to visitors free of charge every Saturday from the end of April to mid-August, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. Group visits are possible at other times. For a culinary touch, the Heilig Hartkerk in Kwatrecht, Wetteren, has been converted into a microbrewery. At the Heilig Hart Bar, visitors can taste beer, wine and sake on Saturdays and Sundays.

When choosing your holiday accommodation in Wetteren, you can use this diversity as your starting point. For an architecture- and culture-focused stay, the Art-decowandeling, Villa Julia, the Sint-Gertrudis Church and the museums take centre stage. Those who want to structure their days more around landscapes and trails can incorporate the different route lengths, the Kalkense Meersen, Paelepelbos or the dune areas into their plans. Families with different interests can alternate cultural visits, nature observation and active stretches without mixing up the character of the individual experiences.

You can also extend your travel plans beyond Wetteren: De Pinte, Kruibeke, Nevele, Haaltert, Gerhardsbergen, Maarkedal, Sint-Laureins and Evergem offer further points of interest when searching for a suitable destination.

For the overarching travel overview: East Flanders.