Hulst: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

The striking historical features of Hulst include its fortifications. The ramparts, gates and moats have remained exceptionally well preserved over the centuries. The restored town walls form a circular route of around 3.5 kilometres, which can be walked in full in approximately one hour. This means that history is present not only in individual buildings, but also in a continuous route through the townscape.

Culture and history

Another distinctive structure is the Stadsmolen, a round stone windmill of the Stellingmolen type dating from 1792. It is open to the public; guided tours are available by appointment. In Kuitaart, Molen Vogelzicht is also located in the municipality of Hulst in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen; it is a grain mill of the Grondzeiler type.

Since June 2022, the Museum Hulst and the Toeristisch Infopunt have been housed in the 's-Landshuis. The museum presents the history of the region in ten rooms, from prehistoric times to the present day. There are also temporary exhibitions in two rooms. A special historical trail leads to the Hof te Zande Church: it is a former monastery chapel built around 1250 and the only surviving Cistercian building in Zeeland in the so-called brick Gothic style. At the church, visitors can take a historical walk using information boards and a podcast.

The Kloosterzande walking route begins at Hof te Zandeplein and is approximately 7.5 kilometres long. In its woodland section, wild-growing Stinzen plants flourish; these are part of the rare flora. In Hulst, culture also takes the form of a journey through stories: the Beeldenroute connects the themes of “Reynaert” and “Staatsen en Spaansen”, both of which are set in the Land van Hulst. There is also a Reynaert tradition involving theatre performances, parades, cycling and driving routes, street names, associations and Reynaert sculptures.

Landscape and water

The Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe is the largest brackish-water reed marsh in Western Europe. The landscape of the Westerschelde near Hulst has a different character: it is an estuary with mudflats, salt marshes and sandbanks. Hulst’s coastline along the Westerschelde is 31 kilometres long. Along this coast, the areas near Hulst are suitable for walking, cycling, fishing and boating.

The landscape also includes specific places for observing nature. The Gasdam near Emmadorp is a suitable birdwatching location. Various excursions are offered in the Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe. There are different types of paths for exploring the area on foot: the Plankierpad in Saeftinghe is an easy, 1-kilometre walking route that begins directly behind the dike and partly runs along a wooden boardwalk. The Ruige Laarzenroute is a more challenging and adventurous 2-kilometre walking route that partly leads through mud.

Perkpolder also demonstrates the connection between water and landscape. In summer, the beach and the seadyke promenade are used for swimming and wading; passing seagoing vessels can be seen close to the shore.

Routes and views

The routes around Hulst range from the historic town-wall circuit and the walk by the Hof te Zande Church to the nature-focused trails in Saeftinghe. Hulst also has a network of selected cycle paths and roads. These were selected for their scenic appeal, safety and the facilities available along the route. A viewpoint at a particularly great height is the Radartoren Ossenisse: from a height of 30 metres, it offers wide-ranging views across the Westerschelde.

Local rhythm

The Thursday fresh market on the Grote Markt in Hulst has stalls selling fruit and vegetables, cheese and fish, baked goods, tapas and poultry.

For a further overview of the local area, direct links are available to Hulst, Vogelwaarde, Terhole, Graauw, Heikant, Kloosterzande, Lamswaarde, Walsoorden and Hengstdijk.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Zeeland.