Eeklo is a small city (30,05 km2 - pop. 19.100) in the north-western part of Flanders. This flat and primarily rural region - where traffic jams still are exceptional! - is traditionally known as the "Meetjesland". Eeklo acts as the centre of service s for this part of the country, which means that good facilities are available in the field of trade and finance, education, health-care, culture, sports and recreation, waste disposal and public services. Eeklo is also the home of the largest Belgian meeting of hot-air balloons (last weekend of july).

Eeklo was awarded city rights in the year 1240. A medieval legend tells the story of the head-rebaker of Eeklo, a wizard who could rid heads of undesirable characteristics by putting them in the oven. It gave the inhabitants of Eeklo their nickname of "re -bakers", and they're proud of it! However, medieval relics are scarce in Eeklo; but there are several buildings in the neo-gothic style typical for the second half of the 19th century, an era that saw the booming of Eeklo as an industrial centre (textile).

Nowadays, Eeklo is busy but not crowded, a pleasant place to live, to work and to relax, and an ideal base for visiting the wetlands to the north, the Flemish and Dutch coast and the historical cities of Gent, Brugge and Antwerpen.