Zealand is a province located on several dozen islands and a piece of land near the border with Belgium. For centuries, its areas have been exposed to the destructive effects of sea waves, and therefore there are now many dams here to protect against floods.
The region is famous for its historic, medieval towns. Among them, the capital Middelburg stands out, where a huge shipyard operated since the 15th century. Today, charming tenements stand over the canals, and five high windmills stand above the moat surrounding the Old Town.
In addition to Middelburg, Zierikzee is an interesting town with the oldest merchant house in the Netherlands, Veere with a charming fishing and yacht port, and Goedereede, once a vibrant port whose access to the full sea is now closed by a dam.
Zealand is the main center of summer tourism in the Netherlands. The local sandy beaches attract tourists each year from both the country and neighboring Germany. Recreation in small former fishing villages where family-run guest houses operate is very popular. The most important resort is the modern Vlissingem.
The region also has one of the longest European bridges, the 5 km Zeelandic Bridge, and the Oosterschelde dam with movable locks built in the 1980s, which protected the province against devastating floods caused by sea waves.
