Westkapelle, Netherlands

Westkapelle, a compact village on the western tip of Walcheren, is defined by its iconic Westkapelle High Lighthouse, which rises 57 meters above the dunes. Climbing its spiral stairs rewards visitors with a panoramic vista of the sea, the village's patchwork of fields, and the distant coastline. The village itself is a quiet settlement of traditional Zeelandic houses, many with thatched roofs, clustered around a central square. The sea dike, reinforced after the devastating 1953 flood, is a popular walking route, with the lighthouse as a constant landmark. During World War II, Westkapelle was heavily fortified by German forces as part of the Atlantic Wall, and the area saw intense fighting during the Allied liberation of Walcheren in 1944. Today, remnants of bunkers and a small war museum (the Polderhuis) provide context. The beach, though narrow, is windswept and wild, popular with kite surfers and those seeking solitude. The lighthouse, built in 1818 and heightened in 1875, remains a working navigational aid and a symbol of the village's maritime heritage.

Don't miss

• Climb the Westkapelle High Lighthouse for 360° views of the North Sea and Walcheren.
• Walk the sea dike and explore WWII bunkers and the Atlantic Wall remnants.
• Visit the Polderhuis Museum, which covers local history and the 1944 Battle of Walcheren.
• Enjoy wind- and kite-surfing on the broad, sandy beach.
• Stroll through the village to see traditional Zeelandic architecture and the old church tower.