Ghent is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Located in Belgium, both Bruges and Ghent are the most underrated sights of Europe. It is a beautiful blend of serenity and liveliness. Ghent is also known as a university city, considering it has many young people and students. Other than students, Ghent also witnesses a steady stream of foreigners and people with artistic inclination who choose to live here. It is called ‘Gand’ in French and ‘Gent’ in Dutch.
The city center of Ghent is free of cars and other vehicles, it is an open area embracing people who choose to come here, and dissolving you in its sheer gorgeousness. Ghent also bears a historical significance, it was a rich and powerful city during the Middle Ages.
Ghent is just half an hour away from Brussels by train, and is on the way from Brussels to Bruges. Most people use either Ghent or Bruges as a base to travel to either of these places, Brussels, Lille and Antwerp.
Ghent has two main railway stations – Gent-Sint-Pieters and Gent -Dampoort. All trains passing through Ghent stop at. Gent-Sint-Pieters, while the train from and towards Antwerp stops at Gent-Dampoort. If you plan to visit Ghent during the weekend from places like Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp, it makes sense to opt for a return ticket at a special rate.
How to reach Ghent
From Bruges, it is a 25-minute train ride to get Ghent.
From Brussels, it takes a 35 minute train ride.
From Antwerp, it takes a 55 minute train ride.
From Waterloo, it take 1 hour and 9 minutes by train.
From the French town Lille to Ghent, it take a train journey of 1 hour and 16 minutes.
From Ostend to Ghent, it takes a 40 minute train journey
From Kortrijk, a little town in West Flanders, it takes 25 minutes by train to reach Ghent
Distance from Paris to Ghent is 2 hour and 44 minutes by train
The train distance from Amsterdam to Ghent is 2 hours and 16 minutes
You can buy tickets online in advance via Belgian Rail (be sure to confirm the prices there) or simply purchase your tickets at the train station, as I did without any issues.
How to move around the Ghent City Center
The city center of Ghent is quite small, easily walkable by foot. The main train station, Gent Sint-Pieters is not a part of the city center, so you may have to walk for about 30 minutes to reach the place. The best way out is to take a tram, which takes you to and fro the city center in ten to fifteen minutes. Apart from walking, people bicycle their way in and around Ghent. Most one-way roads often end up as two-ways for bicycles.
What places should I visit in Ghent (Top 10 Attractions)
Ghent City Center
Step into the world of Harry Potter – a mystically unreal world with breathtaking sights. The place is replete with buildings with baroque facings, cute cafes, restaurants, shops and massive cathedrals and the Gravensteen castle. You can expect to spend a day here, taking in the sights and sounds, while walking along cobbled streets and enjoying hot chocolate, waffles, fries, Belgian beer and anything that teases your taste buds. You can also enjoy a nice boat ride for an hour, for an estimated 7 Euros. You can expect to spend almost a full day here and enjoy it to the hilt
Belfry and Cloth Hall
The Belfry is synonymous with the pride of the city and has a historical significance. The construction of Belfry started in 1313 and ended in 1380. Belfy is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. There are 255 stairs, they are easy to climb as they are not narrow. At the very end, you may find a straight staircase that some people may find as narrow. If you are not ready for the climb, you can also take the elevator ride from the first floor. You can also halt your climb at various intervals as they are rooms and landings, where you can take a breather. The view from the top of the Belfry tower is definitely worth all the effort, you get fantastic panoramic views of the city from the top.
The Belfry Tower is a tower that was built during the medieval age to watch out for enemies. While the cost for Belfry is 8 Euros (as on 2018), it is free to go to the Cloth Hall. The Cloth Hall started in 1425 and was the collection place for cloth and wool traders.
St. Bavo’s Cathedral
This is a stunning cathedral, located in the city center. You cannot take pictures inside the cathedral. Do not miss on the ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’, it is ethereal . Though the entry to the cathedral is free, there are a couple of Euros per person to see the Altarpiece (with a free audio guide). The cathedral is decorated with ornate design and fascinating marble work. You also buy souvenirs from the Cathedral Shop for a few Euros. It is open from 8.30 AM to 5 PM. Around 1 to 2 hours is enough to partake in the beauty of this place.
Gravensteen Castle
This is a fairy-tale moated castle, built by Count Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders, after he came back from the Crusades in 1180. Walk through the turrets, moats, torture devices and the torture chamber. You can climb up the fortification of the castle and go up the rooftop, from where the view is simply breathtaking! You can expect to spend a couple of hours here, the timing is generally from 10 AM to 5.15 PM, and the cost is about 10 Euros (as on 2018).
Saint Nicholas Church
This is a beautiful Gothic Church, within walking distance from the city center. The Gothic style building captivates the tourist with wonderful architecture, beautiful stained glass windows and the sculpted woolen pulpit dating back to the 17th century. It has free-entry and is open from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Museum of Fine Arts
You can expect to see more than 400 selection of European paintings and art right from the Middles Ages to the contemporary era. Most artwork is Flemish and Belgian-based. The museum is open from 10 AM to 6 PM, and costs 8 Euros (as on 2018). The Museum is away from the city center, and within walking distance of the train station.
Vooruit
This is a vibrant performing arts center located in a century-old building, in the heart of Ghent. The art center is open from 10 AM to 1 AM. It has a nice café with a nice terrace, giving it a look of a chic music venue. If you are in the mood to watch some performing arts, exhibition, theater, musical concerts, you should go to the Vooruit.
Graslei and Korenlei
This is like the Mini-Amsterdam in Belgium. Graslei and Korenlei can be best explored by a canal boat cruises, or you may even choose to walk along both sides and enjoy the scenic view. Do not miss out on the popular waffle shop called ‘Jack’s House’ which offers delicious waffles with a cute little Belgian flag on top.
Korenlei is the left bank, while Graslei is to the right. These are opposite sides of a street that runs along the Tusschen Brugghen, which was once a harbor in Ghent. Both sides have beautifully designed buildings dating back to the 12th century. Today, the area is a hotspot for tourists and nature lovers, who love to meet up, spend time with one another, enjoy a canal ride and sample through delicious goodies. You can also climb the steps of St. Michael’s Bridge that connects both sides and get an unbelievably beautiful view of Ghent.
St. Michael’s Bridge
Looking for a place to take the most beautiful pictures of Ghent? St. Michael’s Bridge is the place. From the bridge, you can see the beautiful old buildings and churches. Below the bridge, there are many cafes, shops and local restaurants. From St. Michael’s Bridge, you can get a breathtaking view of the river, the promenade, the central building, the coffee shops, the main square and the restaurants. Though the time for taking pictures may be subjective, the sunset view at 4 PM can be gorgeous due to natural light. The shot of the three beautiful cathedrals aligned together is a delight. Incidentally, St. Michael’s Bridge is also a meeting point for many walking tours. Christmas markets in Bruges is also held at St. Michael’s Bridge. Most people tend to take pictures from the center of the bridge; the best view however 15 minutes away from the center in the direction of the towers.
STAM Ghent City Museum
This museum is a look into the history of Ghent. The journey of an average amount of 2 hours takes you through 9 exhibitions. Audio guides and hand-held radio is provided for easier comprehension. As you go through buildings and constructions dating to different era, you are also enthralled by the stunning refectory, dating back to the 14th century.
What to eat in Ghent
Ghent offers delicious and affordable Flemish cuisine You can taste some of the best locally made European cuisines in Ghent. The local specialties include ‘stoverii’ (tender meat cooked in dark beer with brown gravy, for three hours), spare ribs, mussels and of course, Belgian fries, waffles and beer
Another popular Ghent dish is Gentse waterzooi”, which is a stew of fish, vegetables and chicken.
The Brasserie Borluut offers delicious value-for-money fare, and so do restaurants at Vrijdagmarkt and Korenmarkt. You can also find upmarket restaurants at ‘Patershol’ a 14th quarter. Turkish food lovers can go to Sleepstraat, a Turkish community a bit on the northern area, which offers delicious Turkish fare.
The best restaurants in Ghent are Roots, Soup ‘R’, Oak Restaurant, Karel De Stoute and a Thai eatery called Kin Khau. Soup’R, Paul’s Boutique, Greenway, Win and Lokaal offer cheap dining options.
Ghent – Weather
Ghent has a typical Belgian climate with warm, sunny summer from June through August. The highest temperature is between June and August when the temperature is as high as 23 degrees, after which it becomes cooler. The winters fall between December and February with temperatures falling from 1 degree to minus zero.. The rain tends to fall anytime between September and April.
How many days in Ghent – Rough Itinerary
3 days is good enough to enjoy the beauty of Ghent. A rough itinerary should include spending your time at the city center, visiting the churches, taking a boat ride, photo opportunities in St. Michael’s Bridge, climbing up the Belfry tower and Gravensteen, taking a stroll in the beautiful cobbled street lane of Patershol, enjoying delicious Belgian waffles, frites and beer at Vrijdagmarkt and going for romantic, quiet stroll in the evenings.
Have you been to Ghent? How was the trip? Do share your experience and tips in the comment section, below.
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