Ghent is a stunning medieval city with majestic Gothic towers, ancient guildhouses reflecting off winding canals and endless charming cobblestone streets to get lost in. The city has something for everyone hhether you are a history buff, a foodie looking to find your next favourite belgian beer, or an architectural explorer, this city offers a perfectly Belgian escape.
A quick look at Ghent
Country: Belgium
Population:274,536
Language: Flemish
Currency: Euro
Best Month to Visit: June
Must See: Gravensteen
Must Eat: Waterzooi
How to get to Ghent?
Train: If you are arriving from international destinations, you will likely fly into Brussels Airport or arrive at the Bruxelles-Midi station via Eurostar. From Brussels Bruxelles-Midi station frequent trains run to Ghent, taking just 30 to 40 minutes. You can see the timetable and schedule here.
Bus: Flix bus offer direct busses from the Brussels-North train station, the journey takes about 1 hour and only costs €5.99. You can book and chack the schedule here.
Getting Around Ghent
On Foot: Ghent’s historic center is incredibly compact and fully walkable making it the absolute best way to experience the city.
Trams and Buses: For longer distances like getting from the main train station (Gent-Sint-Pieters) to the historic center the local De Lijn tram system is fast and reliable. You can find information about routes, tickets and schedules here.
If you plan on visiting multiple attractions, look into the CityCard Ghent, which covers entry fees to lots of attactions including Ghent Belfy and Castle of the counts and also gives you unlimited access to public transport.
When is the best time to visit Ghent?
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Spring and Autumn (April to May & September to October): The shoulder seasons provide the most comfortable weather for walking with mild temperatures and without the peak summer crowds.
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Summer (June-August): Warmer weather and longer days make exporing Ghent a joy and lively outdoor restaurant terraces but it does come with larger summer crowds.
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Winter (December): Winter brings a magical atmosphere with cozy Christmas markets and the city’s famous “Lichtplan” (Light Plan), which beautifully illuminates the historic architecture after dark.
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Where to stay?
The Historic Center (Korenmarkt / Sint-Baafsplein): Perfect for those who want to step out of their hotel directly into the medieval heart of the city, within walking distance of all major sights. We stayed at the ibis Gent Centrum St. Baafs Kathedraal. Super nice hotel a little pricier than what we normally go for but to be right in front of the Belfry and a short walking distance to everything was amazing.
Patershol: A charming, historic neighborhood with narrow cobblestone alleys. Perfect for those looking to be close to the historical centre but after a quieter, romantic vibe.
Station District (Gent-Sint-Pieters): Best for budget travelers or those planning daily day trips to nearby cities like Bruges, Antwerp, or Brussels, as it keeps you right next to the train platforms.
Things to do in Ghent
Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts)
A remarkably preserved 10th century medieval fortress right in the middle of the city, complete with a moat and battlements. You can explore the castles various rooms and bastions inlcuding an armoury, church and even a torture museum! One of the highights is definately the roof of the castle where you get panoramic views of the city. It costs €15.00 per person to enter, you can buy tickets when you enter or online here to beat the queues.
Climb the Belfry of Ghent
Climb or take the elevator up this 91 meter UNESCO World Heritage tower for an unmatched panoramic viewpoint over the city skyline. It costs €13.00 to enter, you can get tickets at the door but It’s recommended to book online to garauntee entry. You enter via the historic cloth hall that was built for the cloth trade that made the city rich during the Middle Ages. The interior is really beautiful so make sure you have a poke around before heading into the Belfry. Once you enter the belfy you will climb some stairs where you will reach the dragon of ghent! the dragon is a symbol of the city and has a pretty interesting history. From this floor you can also catch the lift all the way up to the top of the bellfry for amazing panoramic views of the city.
See the Ghent Altarpiece
St. Bavo’s Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of Ghent’s most significant landmarks. It also houses the famous “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” a masterpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. Famous for being the most stolen peice of art, apprently it has been stolen 12 times including by Nepolean and Hitler. The peice is considered a masterperice of middle age renaissanse art (not even going to pretend to know what that means but if you know i’m sure you are impressed!) The cathedral is incredibly impressive and is free to enter but to see Adoration of the Mystic Lamb it does cost €12.50.
Stroll along Korenlei and Graslei:
Korenlei, or “Grain Quay,” and its counterpart, Graslei or “Grass Quay “, formed the ancient harbor of Ghent situated on the banks of the Leie river. From the 11th century, this area was the bustling heart of Ghent’s grain trade. Guild houses line the quay that were built by prosperous merchants and powerful guilds. The facades of these buildings, representing various trades like masons and boatmen. Today it’s a bustling hotspot that is a great place to stroll along and take in the scenic waterfront views at one of the café terraces.
Boat Tour
There are loads of boat tour companies around korenlei area that will take you on a boat tours along the Leie river and Lieve canal, along the way you’ll pass under medieval bridges, and see some of the highlights of the city like the stunning facades of guild houses that line korenlei and the castle of the counts. We went with a company called De Bootjes van Gent and it only cost €11.00 for a 45 minutr trip. You can get tickets from the booths in person or online here. It was a reaaly cool experience to see the city from the water going places you cant access on foot. The only issue was the boat was packed like sardines and was not a comfortable. So we would reccomend looking into a private tour or a look for a boat that doesn’t pack you in!
Saint Michael’s Bridge
St Michael’s Bridge is a stone arch bridge in Ghent, Belgium, built between 1905 and 1909. It is famous for offering the city’s ultimate panoramic view. From the center of the bridge, you can capture Ghent’s three iconic medieval towers Saint Nicholas’ Church, the Belfry, and Saint Bavo’s Cathedral perfectly lined up in a single shot. It also looks down over the historic Graslei and Korenlei quays along the Leie river. This is the spot for photographers to get thet perfect shot for your Instagram.
TRAVEL TIP: All these places and more are all listed in the map near the top of the page!
Where/What To Eat & Drink
There are endless restaurants options serving up flemish and international cuisine in the historic centre.
Patershol: Medieval quarter with narrow alleys packed with cozy, diverse international and classic Flemish restaurants.
Vrijdagmarkt: Large historic square lined with traditional brasseries and huge outdoor terraces for regional stews and beer.
Graslei: Scenic riverfront quay offering upscale Belgian-French dining and beautiful waterside views.
Korenmarkt: Bustling central square filled with accessible, lively, and classic all-day brasseries.
t’Koninghaus
Serves delicious Flemish food we had the Stoverij a rich, slow-cooked Flemish beef stew made with Belgian beer and Waterzooi a creamy, traditional chicken soup that come served in a giant cauldron like bowl.
Frituur Hendrik
Located in a historic tripe house from 1542 next to the Groot Vleeshuis (Great Butchers’ Hall), where residents could buy meat and offal. Frituur Hendrik is the last remaining shop in the historic tripe houses that now serves Pomme Frites and Bitterballen.
Belgian Beer
Belgium is a beer lovers paradise and Ghent has loads of awesome places with large selections of Belgian beer in quirky historic buildings. A couple of places we really enjoyed were:
Dulle Griet: A bar that boasts the largest beer selection in Ghent with over 500 different beers from Belgium and abroad. The mian highlight here is the Max beer, when you order a max beer you will exchange your shoe as a security deposit for the giant 1 litre yard glass. The barman lowers a basket from the roof and places your shoe inside and raises it back to the roof. This was easily our favourite experience in Ghent!
Trolekelder: A quirky bar in a15th century building that is filled with trolls and mythological creatures. This ia another place with a really good atmosphere and more than 300 Belgian beers to choose from! and what is even more impressive is most of them have their own glass with some of them being really unique.
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