Belgium is certainly well-known for Brussels, its capital, or Brugge, a lovely little city near the ocean. But Ghent often tends to be the forgotten one, and let us tell you one thing: IT SHOULD NOT. From all the places we’ve visited in Belgium, it is by far our favorite. The good thing is, it’s a much less touristy city, so it is quieter and more pleasant to visit.

Ghent is one of the oldest cities in Belgium and it’s the historic capital of the Flanders. Believe it or not, it has been one of the most important cities in Europe during the Dark Ages.

Cobblestone streets, stunning architecture, incredibly impressive churches, or lovely canals, you won’t regret taking a day to explore this medieval gem. 

Let us take you through a perfect one-day itinerary. 

HOW TO GET THERE

THINGS TO KNOW

THINGS TO DO

Admire St-Michael’s Bridge from all angles

When you get off the tram at Korenmarkt station, head to St-Michael’s Bridge (Sint-Michielbrug). This is the ultimate place to glance at all the architecture of the city, from the Medieval Towers to the canal, and to get the most amazing clichés! Indeed, it’s the only place where you can take a picture of Saint-Nicholas Church, Saint-Bavo’s cathedral, and the Belfry all aligned.  

Graslei and Korenlei

From Saint-Michael’s Bridge, walk down the stairs to reach the waterside. From there, walk along both sides of the canal on Graslei Street and Korenlei Street. This is THE spot. This area is beautiful and full of history. Admire the old facades and the beautiful Gratsburg bridge, the pride of Ghent people!

Enjoy a drink outside by the waterside

On Graslei Street, find a nice terrace in front of the canal and enjoy the view. We were there during the winter, and we sat outside under a heater with a nice blanket and a warm chaï latte. That was near perfection.

Visit the Gravensteen Castle, or at least appreciate it from the outside  

Okay, sensitive heart, let’s first mention one of the reasons why this castle is so famous. Built in 1180, it has been a place of torture and atrocities during the 12th century. So much that it was almost demolished after. It served indeed as a prison and a courthouse, and the prisoners were often tortured and treated in a very barbaric way.

If you still want to visit it after knowing that, (I didn’t want to!) it’s possible for 12 euros. You also get an audio guide with the ticket. It’s obviously a very good occasion to learn more about medieval times in Belgium. Besides, there is a torture museum inside (yup!).

As horrible as the history of this castle is, it’s beautiful and exactly the kind of monument you have in mind when you think about the Middle Ages. Big plus here, if you pay for the visit, you can end up on the rooftop and get a terrific 360 degrees view of the city!

Discover Patershol

After visiting the castle, head to Pathersol. It’s literally a 2 min walk. This little neighborhood is absolutely charming, with intact cobbled streets dating from the Middle Ages. No wonder why it’s been a UNESCO-protected area since 1981. 

It’s the medieval heart of Ghent and a perfect place to go shopping in really cute shops while admiring the architecture. Since there are no cars allowed there, it’s the ideal location for a quiet walk. You will also find art galleries and great restaurants.

Explore Graffiti Street

From Patershol, cross the river and go to Graffiti Street (Werregarenstraat) for a little bit of street art! It’s only a narrow little alleyway, but it’s worth the detour.

Fun fact, it’s constantly changing, as anyone can express himself at any time. From time to time, it is painted over completely so people have a blank canvas again. So if you ever go back to Ghent, the street will look totally different!

Admire the churches, one after the other!

What makes Ghent so impressive is to a large extent its massive gothic churches. Sint-Niklaasker (Saint-Nicholas Church), Sint-Baafskathedraal (Saint-Bavo’s cathedral), and Sint-Michielskerk (Saint Michael’s Church) are the main ones. They give the city a very unique ambiance. 

You can admire them from the outside, but it’s free to enter Saint-Nicholas and you can pay a little amount to visit the others. Take the time to walk around.

Try some cuberdons

Cuber what? Cuberdons are local cone-shaped candies with several different flavors. They are a very unique type of delicacy and we bought them from a cute little stand in the street. Not our favorite thing in the world, but it definitely deserves a try! Bonus point, it’s vegan!

Time for a drink at Korenmarkt or Vrijdagmarkt (or both…)

Right next to Saint-Nicholas’ Church, the Korenmarkt is the perfect place to have a drink during the afternoon while being surrounded by historical buildings. By a drink, we of course mean… a Belgian Beer! And at the same time, why not some delicious Belgian fries.

The name of the square means Wheat Market, because, in the 10th and 11th centuries, it was a very important place where the cereal was sold. 

Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market) is another lovely square where you can do exactly the same. And you will find the Tavern Dulle Griet there, a café where you can choose between more than 350 different Belgian biers ! Beers lovers, that’s a dream!

WHERE TO EAT

We highly recommend that you discover Ghent’s vegetarian cuisine (and of course what we suggest, vegan cuisine!). The city is indeed known to be Europe’s “veggie capital”! Fun fact, every Thursday, more than 90 restaurants, 20 hotels, and 50% of Ghent’s population go vegetarian for the day.

So why not dig into the city’s culture for real, and eat those greens! We ate at Le Botaniste, a plant-based food and wine bar. We could choose between a large selection of delicious and colorful warm dishes.

If you have more time in the city, a canal tour is also a great activity that you can do for only 7,50€. No need to book, simply buy your ticket at the deck and jump in the next boat!

Have you been to Ghent? Let us know your must-dos in the comments below. We would love to hear about your experience!

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