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Vlissingen is a beautiful city with a maritime character and one of the protected town and village views in the province of Zeeland. Wonderful beaches (the Nollestrand and the Badstrand), cozy boulevards and a beautiful marina where many people are amazed. The southern pier is adorned by a wind organ with bamboo pipes, the tones of which are carried through the air when the wind blows strongly and thus plays the instrument. In the center you will find about three hundred monuments, which make Vlissingen the 30th monument city in the Netherlands. Westkapelle has a completely different, much smaller atmosphere and a history that is closely related to the Second World War. The village was badly hit by a bombardment and was almost completely wiped off the map. In 2013 there is still a creek in Westkapelle, which was created as a result of the bombing. A clear reminder of the war and the liberation is the Sherman tank that still looks out over the water on the dike. Near the'Hoge Licht\\\' lighthouse, for which Westkapelle is known, are also the graves of the war victims. From the starting point it is just under two kilometers by bike to the first point of interest of the route: the Oranjemolen in Vlissingen. This tower mill used to be used as a corn and peeling mill, but in 2013 it only grinds on a voluntary basis. Because of its location you can see the mill from afar. The exact year of construction of the historical heritage is not known, but because the mill was already mentioned in writing in 1699, it must be even older than that. The Oranjemolen is the closest windmill to the coastline in the Netherlands and it is the only one of 23 city windmills in Vlissingen that has stood the test of time. Then you continue to the windmill in Zoutelande. You can't help but smell the salty sea air along the way. The mill from 1722 looms on the horizon as you approach the village. The Zoutelande windmill was built after its predecessor was blown over. The ground sailor still grinds grain, but now does so with a miller who works on a voluntary basis. Continue your tour along the sea and set course for the Lage lighthouse of Westkapelle (Noorderhoofd). The red lighthouse was built in 1875 and has a height of 11.5 meters. Because Westkapelle has two lighthouses and the other signals a higher light signal, this is called the"Westkapelle Laag\\\". The four-storey lighthouse looks simple, but it is a beautiful object. Less than five kilometers away in Meliskerke is the Meliskerkse mill. This round, stone ground sailer dates from 1801. The corn mill was built at the time to replace a post mill, which blew over during a violent storm. The mill ground grain until 1954, but then it fell into disrepair until it was restored in 1987. Anyone curious about how the mill works can visit it on Saturdays. Nature lovers will be amazed at the Ter Hooge estate. The approximately 25 hectare estate consists largely of a park and forest area. The park is mainly laid out in the English landscape style: extensive lawns, fairytale water features were designed here after the Second World War. The park stretches out around a magnificent castle. Two slender, octagonal stair towers rise high above the estate. The first castle was built here in the Middle Ages, but the current complex was built in 1755 on the foundations of the old castle. About ten kilometers further, at the mouth of the former Welzinge canal that gave access to the port of Middelburg, is Fort Rammekens. The fort used to be called Zeeburg and in 1496 it was not yet a fort, but a bay where ships moored. It is the oldest surviving sea fortress in Western Europe. Fort Rammekens was built in 1547 to protect and control the busy shipping routes to Antwerp and Middelburg. The fortress was built over the former sea dike in the shape of a diamond. A bastion, with thick walls in which cannons could be placed, was erected, aimed at the Western Scheldt. Half-bastions with cannons were built at the ends of the walls, which were covered with earth in the post-Napoleonic era. A lot of natural stone was used in the construction of the fort, because it was more resistant to salt water, and for defense the fort was given a moat on the inland side. Fort Rammekens was in the hands of the Spaniards, the French and the English after 1560, but in 1814 it became Dutch property again. The defensive function was abolished in 1869, but continued to be used as a powder magazine.