More than 600-year-old ramparts and the rare tree frog share an unusual habitat in Sluis: the Wallen van Sluis were originally built as a defensive structure and are also one of the few places where this frog can be found. From here, you can see a side of the municipality where nature and history lie side by side. There are also beaches, tidal landscapes, museums and places with very different traces of history.
Beaches and landscapes shaped by the tides
The beaches of the municipality of Sluis stretch from ’t Zwin near Cadzand-Bad to Breskens. The municipality lists five sports beach locations for organised beach activities and activities in the surf zone. At Cadzand beach, you can also search for prehistoric shark teeth exposed by the tides.
You will encounter a different coastal landscape at the Verdronken Zwarte Polder near Nieuwvliet. Mudflats, salt marshes, dunes, channels and beach define the area; the tides shape this varied landscape. You can explore it on a walk or an excursion. A 2.5-kilometre walking route starts at several points along the Zeedijk. As route information can change, it is worth checking the latest details before setting out on a specific walk.
Explore the ramparts on foot and by bike
The Wallen van Sluis tell the story of their original function as defensive walls and have been part of the landscape for more than 600 years. A municipal walking route runs along a large section of the ramparts; a walking route of about five kilometres crosses the Sluis ramparts. A cycle path runs along the eastern side. This lets you take in history, walking and cycling routes, and the tree frog’s habitat together during your visit.
The Wallen van Aardenburg also bring history and nature together, but have their own historical traces: they date from the Eighty Years’ War and also show features from Roman times and the Middle Ages. Today, the area is a nature reserve where tree frogs and other remarkable amphibians live. Walking paths cross a large part of it.
Cycling routes around Sluis follow quiet polder roads and dikes, with views along the way of nature, fortified towns, town ramparts and the coast. One signposted route passes through the Sophiapolder and Groote Gat nature reserves. Another includes a detour to the church in Sint Kruis, known as De Peperbusse. For a longer ride, there is the 41.5-kilometre MTB Route Sluis: it passes through Sluis, Aardenburg and Middelburg in Belgium, and almost half of it runs off-road.
Local history, museums and notable buildings
Sluis is home to the only town hall in the Netherlands with a belfry, a Flemish bell tower. From the belfry tower, you can enjoy views across the landscapes of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Flanders. The working windmill Molen de Brak is also worth a visit. A weekly market is held on the Groote Markt on Fridays from 08:00 to 16:00; as the municipal schedule may change, check the times before your visit. You can also start the Via Brugensis from the same square. A section of the Way of St James also passes through Sluis.
The Cultuurforum Aardenburg offers an interactive introduction to Roman times. Visitors can play real Roman games there and learn how Roman objects were used, for example, in the kitchen and bathhouse. This makes a museum visit a way to approach the past not only through exhibits, but also by discovering how they were used at the time.
In Cadzand-Dorp, the houses are arranged around the church. The village is one of Europe’s oldest medieval ring villages; the Nooit Gedacht windmill is a prominent landmark. Another special feature is the ever-burning World Peace Flame, with fire from all continents. In Retranchement, remnants of the former fortifications remain, including Fort Nassau. The ’t Zwin visitor centre explains the history of the nature reserve of the same name and the relationship between people and the landscape.
Other places have their own distinctive features: In Sint Kruis, the blunt tower of the Dutch Reformed Church, built in the 15th century, is locally known as De Peperbusse. In Sint Anna ter Muiden, trees and historic buildings surround a square that is Zeeland’s first protected townscape. There is also a 17th-century church there with a prominent 14th-century tower.
In Groede, Het Vlaemsche Erfgoed is set within a 13th-century street layout. Its shops and workshops house cultural and historical collections. Museum Het Bolwerk in IJzendijke is the museum of the Staats-Spaanse Linies and is located in a former governor’s residence. It explains how people in the border region defended themselves against enemy attacks over the centuries.
Practical information
Alongside information about routes, you can also find information to help plan your explorations using regional flexible transport: there are 99 stops in the village centres across the municipality; in outlying areas, journeys are made from address to address. As these service details may change, check the latest information if you plan to use flexible transport. Whether you are particularly interested in the coast and tides, walking and cycling routes, or local history, these different highlights can help you plan a trip to Sluis that suits your interests.
Discover more destinations: Aardenburg, Breskens, Cadzand, Cadzand-Bad, Eede, Hoofdplaat, Ijzendijke, Nieuwvliet, Schoondijke, Sint Kruis, Zuidzande, Groede, Retranchement, Nieuwvliet-Bad, Oostburg, Sluis, Waterlandkerkje.
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