Exploring the Flanders coast, Melanie Dakin discovers an unexpected treasure house of Art Deco architecture plus a host of other delights from great art to fine food - not forgetting the chocolates

As a great admirer of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District, I was amazed to find a host of Art Deco gems a lot closer to home during a recent visit to the Flanders coast.

I had gone to sample the Belgian gastronomie and discover the famed wide beaches and hadn't given a thought to architecture until I arrived at my hotel, the aptly named Manoir Carpe Diem Romantik Hotel where the plumply upholstered beds and cosy bar tempted guests to stray no further than the front door.

From here though, I soon learned, it was just a short stroll to view a number of gorgeous Art Deco homes dotted along the route to the tram station on Rembrandtlaan, which I readily set off to discover, camera in hand.

The station, built in 1902, reflects the Belle Epoque style, while visitors heading further into the town will note the tell-tale portholes, bell towers, symmetrical details and stepped rooflines (ziggurat) of the Deco era in the homes and hotels away from the seafront. Had it been a warmer day, I could have mistaken this sleepy town for suburban Florida.

Architecture aside, the Flanders coast has plenty to tempt the short break tourist.

The coastal tram, the longest in the world, connects cities and towns along the entire Belgian (West Flanders) shoreline, between De Panne near the French border to the exclusive seaside golf resort of Knokke-Heist near the Dutch border.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Knokke became a haven for artists, including Albert Verwee and James Ensor, born to a British father and Flemish mother, whose house in Ostend is now a small museum. Ensor forged a link between Knokke and art in 1880 when he founded the Cercle des Artistes. There are now more than 40 art galleries in the town and the casino, which contains the largest chandelier in Europe, has works by Paul Delvaux, Rene Magritte, Keith Haring and Nikki de Saint Phalle. Nikki also built the Dragon, a fully equipped playhouse in the garden of artist Roger Nellens, who has organised many exhibitions at the casino for Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Salvador Dalì, Max Ernst and Marc Chagall.

Art aside, Knokke is famous for its connection with Belgian singer Jacques Brel, who took part in a song contest in the town in 1953 and was ranked 27th out of 28 competitors. His song, Knokke-Le-Zoute Tango, about an unsuccessful Lothario, commemorates the town.

Areas to aim for are the exclusive summer villas and mansions of Het Zoute, home to the exclusive Royal Zoute Golf Club, and the Kustlaan, a street known for its luxury boutiques.

Getting away from it all, Knokke also sports the Zwin, a large coastal nature reserve comprising mudflats, sweeping sand dunes and a salt-water marsh that is a protected bird sanctuary.

Maps are available for several themed walks such as the Melkwegalong rural paths and farms and the Kunstroute art walk. While in the area, you might also like to visit the Sincfala museum in Heist, which documents the history of the region, and the Vlindertuin butterfly garden. This is near the Moeder Siska coffee house, which serves heart-shaped Belgian waffles.

Elsewhere along the 67kms of pristine white sand that make up the Flemish coast you can try your hand at kite surfing and sand yachting in De Panne or call in at Ostende for sightseeing around the PMMK (Museum for Modern Art), the North Sea Aquarium, the Mercantor sailing ship and the museum ship Amandine, one of the last ships to fish in Icelandic waters.

Another treasure over the road from here is the cathedral, built in 1904-05, with exquisite stained glass windows depicting various Belgian kings and the marble mausoleum to Belgium's first queen, Louise-Marie.

Dining out in Flanders offers lots of scope. One treat is to stop off for one of the 400 varieties of beer, which range from blonde, lager type brews to stout, paired with a cone of delicious local grey prawns, traditionally cooked at sea in seawater.

Seafood restaurants are plentiful along the coast, while The Ostend Queen on the top floor of the Ostend casino boasts stunning views and specialises in fish dishes. In Knokke, try the Michelin starred Barthomeleus for seasonal local ingredients. And wherever you go, just remember to save some room for the chocolates.

Norfolkline ferry service runs up to 24 sailings every day, with a crossing time of 1 hour 45 minutes. Details: 0870 870 1020, www.norfolkline.com

Tourism Flanders-Brussels: 020 7307 7738 (Mon-Fri) www.visitflanders.co.uk

Manoir Carpe Diem Romantik Hotel: www.manoircarpediem.com

10:51am Friday 25th July 2008

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