National Landscape Zuidwest-Zeeland and Walcheren

The Landscape

The National Landscape Zuidwest-Zeeland has been shaped by centuries of interaction between people and the sea. Floods have left their mark, while land reclamation and sedimentation gradually transformed the terrain. Today, you'll find not only dikes and polders, including the oldest in the Netherlands, but also expansive dune areas, winding creeks, tidal channels, distinctive Zeeland hedgerows, and dozens of historic country estates. Spanning much of Walcheren, this unique region weaves together nature, culture, and the enduring art of living with water.

Walcheren was once an island, and that unique island spirit can still be felt today. Surrounded by the North Sea and the Western Scheldt, the landscape is protected by high dunes and sturdy sea dikes, offering sweeping views of cargo ships gliding close to the coast. Just beyond the narrow coastal strip unfolds a patchwork of fields, meadows, picturesque farming villages, and medieval country estates. But Walcheren has even more to offer: coastal forests, winding creeks, stately manor houses, meandering dikes, mysterious refuge mounds, and historic towns like Veere, Vlissingen, and Middelburg, each with its own fascinating story to tell.