Zeebrugge (meaning "sea landing) is a harbour-town on the coast of Belgium, a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. It serves as an international Port and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés and beach. Zeebrugge has been instrumental in Brugge's reinvigoration as a city, which unfortunately lost its harbor to silting hundreds of years ago. The construction of the new seaport at Zeebrugge began at the turn of the 20th century and the city's reputation as an art and tourist center for Northern Europe began its revival. The marina is also Belgium’s most important fishing port, and the wholesale fish market located there is one of the largest in Europe. Aside from being a passenger port with ferries to the UK, the harbour serves as the central port for Europe's automotive industry and is important for the importation, handling and storage of energy products, agriculture products and other general cargo.
Transportation in Zeebrugge
By Car: Zeebrugge can be reached by the N31 from Brugge and the E40/N34 from Brussles via Brugge.
Bruges lies a short distance from the main E40 motorway connecting Brussels with Ostend and Calais, and the E403 from Lille and Kortrijk to Zeebrugge.
By Train: Zeebrugge's Stations are serviced by national and international lines. Belgium is connected to France, Holland and Germany via the TGV Thalys service with up to 3 trains daily from Paris to Brussels.
By Ferry: Zeebrugge ferry port is the destinations of P&O cruise ferries from the North of England on the luxurious overnight ferry service while for Scotland ferries sail from Zeebrugge to Rosyth ferry port with Superfast Ferries.
In Zeebrugge's old fish market area, along the old quays you will find lots of fish restaurants, fish stores and enjoyable pubs. The maritime theme park "Seafront Zeebrugge" extends over an area of 20,000 m² in and around the building of the old fish market. Seafront Zeebrugge is especially famous for its real Russian submarine, which can also be visited. In this 100 meter long steel colossus you will experience how the 75 crew members lived and worked in a very cramped situation for months. Next to this, the 400 meter long building of the old fish market also has a indoor-exhibition with hundreds of pictures, video projections, lifelike settings, scale-models, sounds and interactive computers.
