Middelburg is more than a thousand years old, and was for centuries one of the most important trading centres in Europe. Despite wars and catastrophes, it has retained its historical ambience. Hundreds of monuments on imposing streets and untroubled squares bear witness to to times gone by, as do the medieval abbey complex with its 'Lange Jan' tower, the majestic, late-gothic town hall and the many simple workshops in the 'Kuiperspoort'.
Of course, none of this means that Middelburg still lives in the past. It has many busy shopping streets, cosy pubs and dozens of street cafes. A whole town centre full, in fact, and all within walking distance from your hotel.
Middelburg is hte natural centre of the island of Walcheren, which, with its picturesque villages and its varied landscape of forests and fields, wide beaches and high dunes, has enchanted visitors since the beginning of this century. Zeeland is an eldorado for water sports enthusiasts. A visit to the 'Delta Expo', an exhibition on one of the world's largest marine engineering projects, provides information on the way in which this unique part of the Netherlands was created. If you would like to range farther afield, a trip to Rotterdam or Amsterdam can easily be fitted into a day. And Belgian cities of Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent are even closer.
