The Belgian coast is a mysterious gem with poise and quiet confidence, as Rebecca Lowe discovers.

When I told friends I was off to Flanders for a weekend break, the response was invariably the same. A flutter of excitement followed by a furrowed brow: "Is that in the Netherlands?"

Well, for those of you who share my friends' geographical blind spot: no, it's not. Flanders is the Dutch-speaking region of northern Belgium, bordered by a 67km sandy coastline of pristine beauty and imbued with an aura of serenity, sophistication and colourful charm.

There is something perplexingly unjust about tourists' neglect of the Flemish Coast. With the gastronomical prowess of France, the beer brewing boldness of Germany, the linguistic complexity of Denmark and the cultural variety of all of the above, this unexplored pocket of Europe is the perfect alternative to those well-worn trips to the Cote d'Azur. And not just because it's cheaper.

Fourteen resorts sit along the coast, from the dunes of De Panne in the west to the chic boutiques of Knokke-Heist in the east. Getting from one to another is easy, with the world's longest tram system, the Kusttram, joining up the dots. And with such a diverse palette of sights, sounds and seaside fun to sample enroute, I recommend trying to join up as many as possible.

One of the great Flanders treats is sitting on the beach, wallowing in a bag of freshly caught shrimp and sipping one of Belgium's 500 varieties of beer. It is easy to spot locals: they are the ones able to peel the shrimps without picking shells out of their hair two weeks later, and drink dark Westmalle - often nine or ten per cent proof - without picking themselves off the floor two glasses later. Native Ostenders will tell you that in their neck of the woods, the locally brewed Keyte is the perfect prawn accompaniment.

For the shrimpless, however, the best beer is unarguably the Trappist variety, brewed by monks of the Cistercian order in only six monasteries throughout the world. Fruity, flavoursome and deceptively devilish, it's easy to con yourself into thinking you're sipping a light summer punch. But don't be fooled. These beverages are not for the uninitiated or, indeed, the uninformed. Serve the wrong beer in the wrong glass and you're excommunicated for life.

Likely to result in equally cruel and unusual punishment is a failure to feast on at least a token amount of the endless rich Belgian chocolate on offer. Walking into one of the 2,130 chocolate shops in Belgium is like walking into a fairytale, with piles of individually wrapped gems glistening on shelves and tabletops like the lanterns of Aladdin's cave. Suffice to say, a visit to Flanders is not for the calorie-conscious.

But if you're one of the mad minority who shuns such extravagances, why not just kick back and enjoy the huge array of succulent savoury treats on offer? With more Michelin-starred restaurants per head than France, enjoying your meals in Belgium is almost a constitutional requirement.

"You could happily come here just to eat," says Linda De Schepper, of tourism organisation Visit Flanders. "People here love food with a passion. And because we are all so good at cooking at home, the restaurant chefs have to work especially hard to satisfy us."

Yes, it may be a Roman Catholic country, but here food is the true deity. And in Flanders there are few quicker ways to Heaven than on the back of a North Sea cod or trapped inside a vat of creamy moules marinieres.

In the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge, seafood is literally dragged from the sea straight onto the stalls for sale to passers by. By giving in to the temptation you can assuage your conscience as well as your hunger, with many fisherman struggling against rising oil prices to keep their businesses afloat.

Or else you could journey to nearby Rubensplein on the eastern end of Knokke's Albert beach to delve into some of its renowned mussel dishes or fish waterzooi - all finished off with a decadent dollop of authentic Belgian waffle complete with icing sugar, whipped cream and jam.

Or, if cockles make you crabby and crabs make you cranky, you could try one of the many delicious traditional recipes that have been cooked for generations by Flemish families. Forming the heart of the region's hearty food culture, many of the favourites, such as rice pudding with saffron, allegedly date back to medieval times when Flemish soldiers brought back the recipe after going to war in Turkey.

One of the best meals I have ever had was at the Ostend Queen, at West Helling 8400. The only thing better than the fish, which melts in your mouth like butter, is the vista, which stretches endlessly down the Ostend coastline. Try specialities such as Sole "Belle Epoque" and the Zeevruchtenshotel made with oysters, lobster, king crab, Ostend grey prawns, black tiger prawns, pink shrimp and winkles. Then wash it all down with a decent sampling of its wine stocks of over 2,200 different red and white varieties, together with Champagnes.

The Ostend Queen is one of a dozen of the finest restaurants in Ostend currently combining two Belgian staples - culture and cuisine - by commissioning 12 artists to design a plate, each of which can be collected from a different eatery. Called Met Kunst Aan Tafel, or Dinner with Art, the innovative idea is that food and art lovers will visit each of the restaurants in the hope of completing their collection.

But there's a lot more to do in Ostend than just eat and collect plates. This stylish harbour town is a rare combination of liveliness and tranquility, with the salty sea air from its 9 km of beaches wafting around towering apartments, fashionable bars and a racecourse. Dominating the town centre is a giant casino, where you can indulge in some sexual healing by getting it on with the ghost of one-time Ostend resident Marvin Gaye (or so I heard on the grapevine). This was allegedly the last resting place of his piano, the spot commemorated with a life-sized sculpture of the man and instrument.

Or if you are already sexually healed, go along instead to the Museum Ship Amandine (one of the last Belgian ships to fish in Icelandic waters), the North Sea Aquarium, the Kappelstraat (for shopping), the PMMK (the Museum for Modern Art) and local artist James Ensor's former home. If the weather is good, hike along the beach to Fort Napoleon or the Church of our Lady in the Dunes, or have a relaxing stroll under the protection of The Royal Galleries.

But don't miss one of the city's most beautiful buildings: the Church of St Peter and St Paul, built in the neo-Gothic style at the start of the 20th Century. Its large and impressive stained glass windows, designed by Michiel Martens to replace the originals destroyed during the world wars, depict the kings and queens of Belgium in epic style.

Then, when you've exhausted the joys of Ostend, take the tram down to where the dunes and the polders meet to ramble through 750 hectare of unspoilt nature reserve in De Panne: the green pearl of the coast.

The first piece of Belgian land that Leopold I touched when he returned from exile to create an independent country in 1830, De Panna is a resort with something for everyone. Try your hand at sand sailing at the site of the sport's creation, or amble through the Dumont neighbourhood to see a variety of architecturally interesting 19th Century Anglo-Norman houses - all while the kids are kept amused at the intriguingly titled Plopsaland.

But don't plop there forever, because De Haan is a must-see. Due to stringent building requirements, this enchantingly quaint Belle Epoque village just north of Ostend is completely skyscraper free and packed full with thatched cottages and Art Deco mansions - one of which was once home to Albert Einstein for five months. You can even perch next to the physicist on a bench in one of the many town squares if you feel like a few minutes of intellectualism by proxy.

And once you've had your cerebral moment, why not a chic one? If you're anyone who's anyone, apparently Knokke-Heist, at the northernmost end of the coast, is the place to be. A mecca for the moneyed, this Epicurean's dream is filled to overflowing with designer stores, upmarket boutiques and private art galleries. Throughout the summer, business moguls, celebrities and general show-offs turn up from miles around to strut their stuff in this North Sea answer to St Tropez.

"In Knokke it's important to see, but it's more important to be seen," says Knokke tourist officer Mieke Remmerie. "Everybody who is anybody is here. The parties are amazing. The most exclusive cost 370 Euro for a night of Champagne, caviar and oysters."

But, like much of Flanders, Knokke is a place of contrasts. If ogling or being ogled is not your thing, put the streets of gold - and your ever-emptying wallet - aside and take a trip to the sweeping sand dunes of Zwin Nature Park, where indigenous birds and wildlife thrive.

And that's the Flemish coast in a nutshell: a mysterious gem lurking in the shadows of its more overtly tourist-friendly neighbours with the poise and quiet confidence of an older sibling that shirks the limelight. Cultural yet quirky, cosmopolitan yet quaint, colourful yet quiet, the 14 resorts have everything you need for a wonderful weekend break.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Getting there: Rebecca Lowe travelled to the Flanders coast as a guest of Tourism Flanders-Brussels, travelling by Norfolkline ferry from Dover to Dunkerque. Fares start at £19 one way for a car and up to four passengers. For more information, visit www.norfolkline.com or call 0870 870 10 20.

Tourist information: For details on destinations in Flanders, contact Tourism Flanders-Brussels at www.visitflanders.co.uk, or call 020 7307 7738 (Mon-Fri). Further information can be found at www.flemishcoast.co.uk