landmark
Ghent
Vibrant medieval Flemish city with stunning canal-side architecture, the Gravensteen castle, and the famous Ghent Altarpiece.
19 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeBelgiumFlanders
Aalter
Flanders, Belgium · Europe
About Aalter
Aalter works well as a base: 10 minutes from Lotenhulle, 19km from Gravensteen.
Aalter is in Flanders, Belgium, with about 19,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Lotenhulle, about 5 km away.
Aalter (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːltər] ) is a municipality located between Bruges and Ghent in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Aalter, Bellem, Lotenhulle, Poeke, Knesselare and Ursel. It is bordered on the north by Maldegem, on the east by Zomergem and Nevele, on theRead more
south by Deinze, and on the west by the province of West Flanders. The mayor is Pieter De Crem.
Effective 1 January 2019, the municipality of Knesselare was merged into Aalter. Aalter was home to 29,242 people in 2021.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Aalter?
Within an hour or so of Aalter: Ghent (19 km), Gravensteen (19 km), Bruges Markt (20 km), Saint Bavo's Cathedral Ghent (20 km).
Are there any good drives near Aalter?
The nearest famous roads are Koninklijke Baan Coast Road, Brouwersdam and Chimay Street Circuit.
Where is Aalter?
Aalter is in Flanders, Belgium, about 5 km from Lotenhulle.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 18,802
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Belgium
- Region
- Flanders
- Timezone
- Europe/Brussels
- Coordinates
- 51.0902, 3.4469
Tags
Worth the detour from Aalter
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Gravensteen
A grim moated stone castle of the Counts of Flanders rising straight from the canals in the centre of Ghent.
19 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Bruges Markt
The medieval heart of Bruges, where the climbable Belfry tower looms over a square of stepped-gable guild houses.
20 km · about 25 min drive
cathedral
Saint Bavo's Cathedral Ghent
This Gothic cathedral guards the Van Eyck brothers' luminous Ghent Altarpiece, a landmark of European painting.
20 km · about 25 min drive
cafe
Café Vlissinghe
Bruges tavern serving continuously since 1515: likely Belgium's oldest café, with a Flemish Renaissance interior, a stove-warmed main room and a boules garden out back; Van Dyck is said to have paid in paintings.
20 km · about 25 min drive
film location
Belfry of Bruges (In Bruges)
The 83m medieval belfry that Ray climbs and falls from in the climax of In Bruges.
20 km · about 25 min drive
coastal drive
Koninklijke Baan Coast Road
The N34 'Royal Road' hugs nearly the whole Belgian coast, sharing its corridor with the world's longest tram line and passing Belle Epoque De Haan, dunes and beach resorts.
35 km · about 40 min drive
tunnel
Western Scheldt Tunnel
At 6.6 km the longest road tunnel in the Netherlands, diving under the busy Western Scheldt shipping lane to link Zeeland with Zeelandic Flanders since 2003.
40 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Aalter
- 35 kmKoninklijke Baan Coast RoadThe N34 'Royal Road' hugs nearly the whole Belgian coast, sharing its corridor with the world's longest tram line and passing Belle Epoque De Haan, dunes and beach resorts.
- 40 kmWestern Scheldt TunnelAt 6.6 km the longest road tunnel in the Netherlands, diving under the busy Western Scheldt shipping lane to link Zeeland with Zeelandic Flanders since 2003.
- 40 kmWesterscheldetunnelTolled 6.6-kilometre road tunnel under the Western Scheldt linking Zeelandic Flanders to Zuid-Beveland, replacing two ferries.
- 62 kmOosterscheldekeringThe colossal storm-surge barrier crossing the Oosterschelde, the showpiece of Holland's Delta Works flood defences.
- 66 kmZeeland BridgeElegant 5 km bridge over the Oosterschelde estuary, the longest in the Netherlands when opened in 1965. Its endless procession of arches makes one of the country's most photogenic drives.
- 79 kmBrouwersdamDelta Works dam carrying the N57 between two Zeeland islands, with the North Sea on one side, the Grevelingen lagoon on the other, and kitesurfers filling the sky.
Driving in Belgium
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.74/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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