What You Won’t Want To Miss In Ghent Belgium

Ghent is my favourite Belgian city. It’s a mix between the romanticism of Brugge and realness of Brussels. It’s a University town so there are a lot of young people adding liveliness to city life (if you’ve ever been to Leuven, it’s very similar). 

The city centre is quite small with all the main attractions nearby so you’ll have no problems getting around if you train in. You can easily see everything in half a day in Ghent Belgium but I recommend spending a full day here to have time to appreciate the town and wander off to some more local spots.

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Arriving By Train – One Day In Ghent

Ghent Belgium is easily accessible by train if you’re in Brussels, Bruges, or Antwerp. No matter where you’re from, you’ll most likely be arriving to Gent-Sint-Pieters by train.

Once you arrive at the station, take the 1 tram to Evergrem and get off when you see Ghent’s Gravensteen Castle. It’s pretty hard not to see, it’s a huge medieval castle in the centre of town!

When you’re waiting for the tram, make sure not to get on the tram that says “city centre”. It’s a bit of a scam, this tram will take you all the way around the city first, before arriving at the centre.

We had the app to buy tram tickets, but you can also send a text message with the two letters ‘DL’ to 4884. You’ll immediately get a return text from the De Lijn bus company. This is your ticket for the next hour.

When you arrive at the Gravensteen Castle, you can go to the tourist information office directly across the castle ( in the building to the far right of the corner of the square). It’s called the Oude Vismijn Building. Here, you can get a city map and walking tour guide.

Top Things To Do In Ghent

Tour Ghent’s Gravensteen Castle

If there’s anything you have to do while visiting Ghent Belgium, it’s Gravensteen Castle. It’s a medieval castle on the river at the edge of the centre town. 

They offer an audio guided tour of the castle, and not only was this my favourite tour of the trip, but probably one of my favourites of all time. It’s a comedic tour already included in your ticket and it’s hilarious! The tour does run a bit long, so we skipped some parts. 

There’s also a great view of Ghent from the top of the castle (pictured above) that makes your ticket worth it just for that! 

They accept card, tickets are about 10€ and they offer reduced prices.

See The Three Towers Of Ghent Belgium

If you notice anything about the Ghent skyline it’s that there are three main towers soaring over the city: the Belfry, St. Nicholas’ Church, and St. Bavos Cathedral. 

If you actually walk out onto St. Michael’s Bridge, you’ll get the best view of all three of them in one shot!

Get A View From The The Belfry

The Belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage site, you can head to the top tower for a spectacular 360 degree panoramic view of Ghent. You have to walk up a few stairs but then there’s an elevator that’ll take you to the top.  

The Belfry is Ghent’s pride and joy, it houses the Cloth hall and a large functional antique music box. Be sure to look for the copper dragon on top of the tower that’s been watching over the city since 1377.

See A Relic In St. Bavos Cathedral

Inside St. Bavos Cathedral is where you’ll find the Ghent Altarpiece, a.k.a. the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. I’d never heard of it before, but apparently it’s kind of a big deal.  

Since it’s completion in 1432, it’s been robbed and burned. Part of it is still missing, and has been for the last 80 years! You can read more about it’s intricate history here.

See The City From A Different Angle: Go On A Boat Tour!

This is a fun way to see the city from a different vantage point! Don’t go on this tour expecting all the city information you’d get from a walking tour. From my experience boat tours are more about being on the river and going to new places you couldn’t walk to.  

They’ll still give you some information but it’s very limited (especially ours, he was translating into three languages!) They’re offered in English, Dutch and German. You can find boat tour pick up locations all along the canal, we picked ours up along Graslei.

Walk Along Graslei

If it’s nice outside, it’s the perfect spot for a break. Grab a drink and a snack to sit along the canal, it’s what everyone’s doing! This is where the students hang out (at least it seemed that way), it was the liveliest spot in the entire city!

There are also some boutique stores that are worth checking out here. My favourite in the area is local artist Helen B. I recently discovered her on my last trip to Belgium and fell in love with her style!

Visit A Local Museum

I was really looking forward to visiting the House of Alijn in Ghent but it’s closed on Wednesdays. It’s a museum to learn about the customs, history, and tradition of Ghent Belgium. 

They also have a courtyard where you can grab a drink and relax for a bit after your visit.

Graffiti Alley

To avoid having unwanted graffiti painted throughout the city, Ghent designated one alley way. (It’s kind of what Brussels did with their comic book murals…read more!). So, in one alley way, you’ll find an entire cities worth of graffiti. It’s quite a small alley way, but it’s worth walking through once. Some are spectacular!

Local Ghent Food You Have To Try!

For such a small city, they cover all their bases. From a main dish, candy, and a local spirit. You can’t leave before you try all of these local delicacies!

Waterzooi

A must-try in Ghent is their traditional dish Waterzooi. Originally it was made with fish, but nowadays it’s more commonly made with chicken. It’s hard to explain exactly what it is so you’ll just have to try it yourself.  But basically, it’s chicken in a creamy carrot and leek soup. You shouldn’t have any problem finding it, they serve it at most restaurants. 

Cuberdons

It’s unlikely that you’ve seen, or heard of these before. It’s a triangular cone-shaped candy with a harder shell and gooey goodness on the inside. The triangle shape is meant to resemble a nose, although I’m not really sure why. 

The OG flavour is raspberry (purple) but now they come in all flavours and colors. These aren’t only sold in Ghent, you’ll find them elsewhere in Belgium now too.

A few years ago, there was even a local war over who originally created them, read about the controversy here!

Jenever

Jenever is the national drink of Belgium and the Netherlands. Local Ghent bar, T’Dreupelkot, makes their own Jenever. Try the original first and then venture out to try their other flavours. Watch out it’s cash only, and it’s a really small pub.

Don’t Miss Ghent At Night

If you have a chance to be there at night, you can follow the light walk. Ghent prides itself on being light efficient so it set up several light installations throughout the city. 

They did it to highlight certain buildings and light up regular objects, like a tree, to give it a new life at night. It draws your attention to things you might have otherwise walked right by. 

Here’s a guide to the light walk in Ghent Belgium. 

Need A Place To Stay In Ghent?

We stayed in Antwerp at B&B Lucy in the Sky and did a day trip to Ghent Belgium from there. But, would have liked to stay in the night in Ghent to enjoy some of the nightlife. Here are some accommodations I’d recommend booking.

Looking to live like a local in Ghent? Stay at Burgstraat 17 Apartment in Exclusive Patrician House in Medieval Ghent. It’s across from Ghent’s Gravensteen castle, has a private terrace, and 2 bedrooms so can sleep up to 4 people. The only problem – it books up fast! See room rates and availability here. (P.S. Check out Modern Appartment in the Heart of Ghent if your dates aren’t available).

For a hotel with medieval vibes, stay at 1898 The Post. This one of a kind boutique hotel is in Ghent’s old post office – doesn’t get more historical than that! See room rates and availability here.

Looking for boutique but modern? Stay at Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof. You will feel totally relaxed after staying here and visiting their spa. See room rates and availability here.

For more accommodation options in Ghent Belgium, click here.

Ghent Or Bruges?

So you’re deciding between Ghent or Bruges Belgium? I have to say, as similar as they are, they’re also very different. I can’t exactly compare them and I’d say both of these Belgian towns are very much worth visiting.

I’ve visiting Bruges twice now and have stayed there longer. I was only in Ghent for the one day from Antwerp. So I do think that Bruges might have a bit more to do (see my guide to Bruges here).

But! Bruges is definitely a more popular destination in Belgium, and because of that, it’s A LOT more touristy. It’s not as much of a real town as Ghent is.

So, Is Ghent Worth Visiting?

Ghent Belgium is 100% still worth visiting. As I mentioned it’s more local than Bruges and there’s still enough to see. From medieval castles, to boat tours, and local shopping!

My Belgium Day Trip Essentials

Related Posts

• The Complete Guide to Belgium
• Travel Guide: Brussels
• Guide To Brussels Comic Book Walls
• Travel Guide: Leuven
• Travel Guide: Bruges

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Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API