Discover Damme: Canals, Fortifications and Culture

Damme combines impressive architectural history with waterways and expansive polder landscape. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Damme can therefore plan their stay in very different ways: with culture in the historic town centre, walks along the canal or a cycling tour through the countryside. It is particularly appealing that historic sights and active pursuits can stand side by side in your travel plans, without Damme having to be limited to just one type of holiday.

Discover historic Damme at your own pace

Damme’s Gothic town hall was built between 1464 and 1467 on the site of, and partly on the foundations of, a larger hall dating from 1241 that was dilapidated at the time. The Sint-Janshospitaal offers another insight into the architectural history of Flanders. Built in the 13th century, this early Gothic hospital is one of the few surviving early examples of civic architecture in Flanders.

The Church of Our Lady is also one of the town’s prominent historical landmarks. It was built in 1225 and houses wooden statues of the apostles dating from the 13th century. From April to September, climbing 206 steps offers a panoramic view of the 17th-century town walls, the Damse Vaart and the extensive polder landscape. For planning your day, this combination of historic architecture, a climb up the stairs and far-reaching views is a clearly distinct programme item in its own right.

Canals, fortifications and polder landscape

The historic town centre is enclosed by a 17th-century earth fortification with bastions, ravelins and ditches. Anyone interested in landscape and military history will find permanent exhibition areas at the “Damme en de Zwinstreek” visitor centre covering the origins and development of Damme, the landscape of the Zwin region, and the forts and defensive structures of the Staats-Spaanse Linies.

The Damse Vaart, also known as Napoleon’s Canal or the Bruges–Sluis Canal, is approximately 14 km long, connects Bruges and Sluis by water and passes through Damme. The Damse Vaart walking route leads through the expansive polder landscape between Damme and Oostkerke. In addition, you can cycle for kilometres along the canals on towpaths in Damme, as well as use marked walking and cycling routes. This allows you to focus your stay more on activity and landscape or combine them with the historic sites.

Experiences for different kinds of travel days

The Walking Museum in the town centre is a free, smartphone-based experience featuring ten large information panels. It is suitable as an independent way to get to know Damme, while the Tyll Owlglass Museum provides information about the pranks and antics of Tyll Owlglass, his international counterparts and the cultural and historical context of this figure.

A themed book market takes place in Damme on the second Sunday of every month. In summer, you can also visit Maïsterplan, a three-hectare maze in a cornfield on the Zuiddijk in Damme. Anyone wishing to combine different interests within their travel group can therefore divide their stay between history, reading, landscape and a seasonal experience. Also bear the following in mind when planning: the “Kennismaking met Damme” walk is not signposted.

The right base for your plans

A holiday apartment or holiday home in Damme is particularly suitable as a base if you want to combine cultural sightseeing with walks or cycling tours. What matters here is less a general promise than your preferred travel rhythm: for a culture-focused stay, the town hall, hospital, Church of Our Lady and museums take centre stage; for active days, the Damse Vaart, the polder landscape and the marked routes are ideal. The visitor centre provides information about cycling networks, walking routes, riding routes and activities in natural areas, and can complement your further selection.

More places to consider

For further travel planning, you can also compare Sijsele, Oostkerke, Langemark-Poelkapelle, Deerlijk, Roeselare, Ruiselede, Nieuwpoort and Menen.

To the higher-level travel overview: West Flanders.