Ghent is one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium!
We are visiting Ghent, one of the great cities of Europe, a special place you would love.
The waterfront along Graslei Canal in the center of town, with its 500-year-old buildings, is one of the great parts of the city, and there are so many other things to discover in Ghent, Belgium, a city that you might not be very familiar with. A top favorite with locals and visitors, we’ll describe much more of this wonderful location later.
Korenmarkt is one of the most popular gathering places, with restaurants and bars and shops busy with locals and visitors night and day.
A top attraction is the spectacular Gravensteen castle, 800 years old, where you can walk along its fortified wall and explore the many rooms inside.
The 91-meter-high belfry tower was built in the 14th century, and you can go up to the top for a splendid view, looking out over the central part of Ghent.
Fans of Gothic architecture will love visiting the cathedral. There is no admission charge, but if you want to see one of the greatest paintings in the history of art, you pay a small fee—the masterpiece by John Van Eyck, in a chapel surrounded by stained glass.
The streets of Ghent are perfect for strolling. Take a walk, sit down at a sidewalk restaurant, watch the people go by, have a meal, have a drink, or just enjoy this beautiful setting.
Take the convenient tram system to get around and see other parts of town. There are green parks where you can get away from the city and take a stroll. Check out the canals and visit some of the museums.
Later, we'll take you to four of the town's major museums, covering art, history, and technology.
And then how about a boat ride, a 45-minute journey on the water, passing so many of the grand old buildings of town, ending back at that beautiful central canal where we are going to spend some time.
Curiously, Belgium and the city of Ghent are not very well known to visitors compared to the other busy countries of Europe. Belgium gets relatively few tourists, and yet it's a fantastic place to visit. And Ghent is one of the best of all Belgian cities, as you're about to find out.
It is located in Flanders in the northern part of the country, just 30 minutes from Brussels by train, and easy to reach.
The historic center of Ghent is compact, just 800 meters wide, and has many things to see. We'll take you beyond that to show you the rest of town.
Let's begin our detailed visit to Ghent at my favorite location, the river in the center of town, with beautiful promenades along both sides. It's busy all afternoon and evening, making a good place to start your day.
When you're in Ghent, it really pays to get up early, say, about 7:00 in the morning, take a stroll before breakfast, and enjoy the sunrise, especially near the canals. You get the reflection, and it's nice and peaceful and quiet. There's hardly anybody out at seven or 7:30 in the morning, and it makes for a delightful picture opportunity.
St Michael's Bridge provides one of the great viewpoints of the city, especially in the early morning with a flock of pigeons flying by, with that view looking down at the river with Graslei embankment on the right side.
It is quite popular throughout the daytime, with local people and visitors gathering to enjoy the scene—have a conversation, maybe a little picnic along the waterfront. There are plenty of outdoor restaurants along both sides of the river here, but the locals enjoy just hanging out on the cobblestone pavement. This is undoubtedly one of the major gathering places in the city for young folks. It's a big university town. And those students definitely enjoy spending time here at Graslei.
The action continues all day and into the night, which is a very special time with that beautiful lighting on the old historic buildings and bridges. It's all very safe and friendly here. This waterway was the main harbor of Ghent as far back as the Middle Ages, when this city was one of the largest and most wealthy in northern Europe. These beautiful buildings were headquarters for the guilds and merchants that made this city function.
We'll come back and see a bit more of Graslei later. But there are so many other places to show you in this amazing city.
Korenmarkt is right next to Graslei and is generally considered the town's main square. There are lots of outdoor restaurants here and more of those historic buildings. It's a great place for walking or taking a tram. The very busy and popular line number one comes right through the middle of Korenmarkt. And notice how pedestrians and bicycles can go right on to the tram track area after the train passes.
The historic center of Ghent is an automobile-restricted zone, which means that it's practically for pedestrians only. Trams and taxis are allowed in here, and a few cars with authorized permits, making this one of the largest car-free zones in all of Europe. As a result, you'll find many outdoor restaurants practically everywhere.
The grand old building with the towers opened in 1898 as the main post office of Ghent. Since then, it's been converted into a luxury hotel and has several large shops in the historic interior. Korenmarkt also has Saint Nicholas, a large Gothic church.
Another large square nearby is the Friday Market, which has an outdoor market on Friday and Saturday and is busy every day of the week. The tanners' guild house in Ghent is 't Toreken (which translates to "The Little Tower"). This fifteenth-century building, halfway up the tower, features a market clock, and atop the steeple, you'll find the golden weather vane of Melusine—a mermaid holding up her mirror to the wind. The tower was headquarters for the Tanners Guild, and now it houses the Poëziecentrum, a center for Dutch-language poetry, offering knowledge, expertise, and literary programs.
The oldest major building of town is a castle that dates back to the 12th century. This is Gravensteen, the Castle of the Count's, a remarkable medieval fortress nestled right in the heart of town, generally considered to be the number-one attraction of the city. It's the only remaining medieval castle in Flanders with a moat and a well-preserved large stone structure. The entrance is defended by a gatehouse which leads into the large castle yard.
Gravensteen is a testament to the city's medieval past and offers an immersive journey into the life and times of the Middle Ages. It's a short walk up the narrow spiral staircase, which leads you to the top of the towers. From this vantage point, you get breathtaking panoramic views of Ghent, looking back to where we had just been at Graslei and you'll see many other parts of town, including those medieval skyscraper towers that defined the skyline.
You get to walk all the way around the tower at the top of this keep, and you can stroll the entire perimeter of the outer walls, lined with crenellated battlements and numerous stone towers. Visitors can explore various rooms and chambers, each meticulously restored to showcase different aspects of life during the era. Impressive columns hold up stone-ribbed Gothic ceiling vaults.
The castle was not only built to defend the city from external attack, but also to control the unruly population of the city itself, to enforce the absolute power of the count. You can see why this amazing structure is the number-one attraction for visitors to the city. You don't want to miss that when you're in Ghent.
The neighborhood all around the castle is quite fascinating, with cobblestone lanes and restaurants and a section of town called Patershol, a most enjoyable place for a stroll and a meal.
Before entering Patershol, there are some lovely streets such as Burgstraat, with a vegetarian restaurant called the Epiphany Kitchen, serving a very delicious bruschetta.
The streets in this neighborhood are a bit narrower and quieter than those in the historic center of town. A mix of locals and visitors enjoys a tranquil atmosphere.
Crossing the river along this quaint little bridge brings us into that neighborhood of Patershol, known for its narrow, cobblestone streets, historic buildings, variety of shops, and cafes and many restaurants.
There are a few small hotels such as the NoNam hotel and some vacation rentals in the neighborhood. But Patershol is more of a restaurant neighborhood rather than a place to stay overnight in a hotel.
There is one particular restaurant street called Oudbrg in this neighborhood that has probably got the longest stretch of restaurants in all of Ghent, with a few shops and galleries tossed in. But mostly it's a great place to eat at an outdoor table with a huge variety of international foods available.
After 200 meters, there are no more restaurants, and this street changes name to Kraanlei. So cross the bridge over to the main part of the historic center, where you come upon a monster cannon, "Dulle Griet," which the people have affectionately named Mad Meg. This gun, eighteen or twenty feet long and of enormous bore, is said to have been given to the town by Marguerite of Constantinople.
It was one of the most powerful guns in the Middle Ages, and it could shoot a 600-lb stone over a mile! It was used several times in wars, the last time against the Spanish in the 1580s!
There are guns of this same type in England and Scotland, and curiously enough they are also called "Mons Meg" and "Roaring Meg." These guns shot great stone balls and needed a charge of 70 pounds of powder."
It is no surprise that you'll find more restaurants and quaint little streets in this neighborhood. And there's also a broad pedestrian thoroughfare with lots of shops that are open all day but close in the evening.
This street changes names a few times but continues for three kilometers, going through the central part of Ghent to the train station. It really is the city's main commercial spine.
Now it's taking us back through Korenmarkt, the major square visited earlier, and then return back to Graslei, where we're going to take another stroll. Your visit, and this story, will return here many times to soak up the beauty. The buildings have some fascinating stories to tell.
The most beautiful part of Ghent is where the River Leie runs through the heart of town, with Kornlei embankment on one side, and Graslei on the other, each with their own separate character. The busy waterfront is a hub of activity, lined with many restaurants, broad pedestrian promenades, and tour boat docks offering scenic rides. This is Ghent at its best, always busy with locals and visitors enjoying the scene.
Starting on the Graslei side, look up at the magnificent buildings along the waterfont. On the left we have the Corn Measuring House (Korenmetershuis), where they measured the grain in the old days. On the right, notice the Guildhall of the Free Boatmen (Gildenhuis van de Vrije Schippers), which was headquarters for the shipping merchants, owned by the Guild of the Free Boatmen from the mid-16th century until the second half of the 17th century. The facade, designed by Flemish architect Christoffel van den Berghe in 1531, features ornate sculptured decoration in the Brabantine Gothic style.
These buildings and the other structures nearby, representing more merchants, were critical to Ghent's success as far back as the Middle Ages because Ghent was the economic powerhouse of Europe for a while. Strategically located on the waterways, it acted as a trading center, bringing in grain for redistribution and wool for the textile industries of Ghent. It all happened right here in this one stretch of river that was the main harbor. Now it's a place for recreational boating, eating, drinking, talking with your friends, having a good time and enjoying the spectacular scenery – a beautiful environment.
The other side of the river is called the Kornlei, and here Marriott has an excellent hotel. It was a former pleasure house for sailors. The baroque facade above the restaurants was headquarters for another Sailors Guild.
Kornlei has a long row of restaurants where people love to hang out and have a drink, enjoy their spirits, and there is a broad promenade with an open terrace that attracts some people.
The Graslei side does attract more people, offering more restaurants and a longer promenade. It's also closer to the center of town, so naturally, more folks gravitate to Graslei.
You are welcome to sit at a waterfront table and just have a drink if you choose or have a meal. There are lots of restaurants to pick from. Now, granted, it's somewhat of a touristic place to eat, but the setting is so perfect and the food will be fine, so go ahead and indulge.
If you're looking for a gourmet meal, maybe just have a drink here and go elsewhere. Or why not have a picnic? Do it yourself. A supermarket is around the corner for food and drink, so just bring it over. Or you may be out for a stroll later in the day and want to take a walk and do some people-watching here. It's a great spot for it.
There is just something extraordinary about a setting like this along the waterfront with restaurants and people walking surrounded by very old, well-preserved buildings that have a lot of meaning for the history of the place and just the ambiance, the music, the food, the drinks. It is a superb place to spend some time.
There are not many other places in Europe with such a wonderful waterfront setting. Of course, there are some, especially in the Netherlands next door, with cities filled with canals and embankments along the sides of the canal. Of course, Amsterdam has miles of canals with many restaurants out front. Utrecht is a great example of wide promenades along both sides of the canal.
But even the ultimate European canal city of Venice does not have many examples of this kind of ambiance with restaurants along both sides of the Grand Canal -- perhaps at the Rialto, where you've got the bridge and beautiful restaurants on both sides. But of course, that is extremely touristic, 100%. Whereas here in Ghent, it's a mix of locals and visitors all enjoying the place together, making this place so special, perhaps unique in all of Europe.
You can take a boat ride that will bring you back and forth and into some of the side channels. Pick it up right here at the loading dock on the river or why not just row your own boat? You can get a little raft or a kayak. No license or experience required.
The river continues south underneath the arch of St Michael's Bridge, with more walkways along both sides and splendid views of all the waterfront action with boats going by and people paddling. Keep on walking. It's a great place to discover and you'll find another series of outdoor restaurants along this stretch of the river promenade. And maybe you can stop for another drink or have some more food.
It seems a bit less touristic than that stretch along Graslei. Enjoy those views looking out over the river with boats tied up at the docks. There is a lot more to see in that south part of town that we will get to shortly. You can go on foot or take the tram.
Next, we'll visit two major sites in the center of town, the Belfry and Cathedral, before heading south along Ghent's main retail street.
The Belfry is a major landmark you would enjoy and you can go to the top for a view. When you start climbing up, it seems like so many steps, you're going to have to walk all the way. But then surprise, surprise, there's an elevator that takes you up most of the way.
Built in the Gothic style in the early 14th-century, the tower is 91 meters tall, (299 feet). So you will certainly enjoy this fabulous view looking out in the center of town. You can walk around it to see in all directions. The tower was a symbol of city pride and was a lookout tower. Of course, it was built primarily to ring bells, which it still does today, as we saw in the room with the carillon drum rotating and ringing the bells. Historical exhibits are on several tower levels, including the original Dragon, which has been in the tower since 1377, and the Guardian of the Belfry. The Cloth Hall, a center for the textile trade, has been at the tower base since 1425.
The Belfry is one of 33 towers on the list of UNESCO's World Heritage sites in Belgium. A group of medieval bell towers recognized for their cultural significance.
Next to it on the same square is Saint Bavo, the Cathedral of Ghent. Inside there is spectacular Gothic architecture and a painting that some visitors consider to be the number one reason to come visit Ghent, coming right up. The cathedral interior is a breathtaking display of side chapels, soaring arches, elegant columns, and abundant stained glass windows.
Upon stepping into the chapel at the back of the church, you will face to face with what is considered one of the most important and beautiful paintings in art history. Painted by Jan Van Eyck and his brother Hubert in the 1420s, it's the first major oil painting and marked the artistic transition from medieval to Renaissance art.
It depicts the Adoration Of The Mystic Lamb, the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.
There are many different panels representing bishops, church officials, saints and biblical figures and ordinary worshipers and angels, some of them singing, celebrating the glory of God and heavenly redemption.
The setting inside this Gothic cathedral adds immensely to the effect of the painting.
For another kind of artistic experience, take a walk down Graffiti Alley, a place where anything goes. Everybody is welcome to make their contribution, which is an ever-changing display, as contemporary as this morning. You will find more conventional street art elsewhere in town.
A short walk brings us back to Korenmarkt, which wraps up our visit to the historic center of Ghent.
We began this story in the historic center at Korenmarkt, and now we're going down that main shopping street by tram and walking, and we'll explore those little side lanes. We're taking a short journey just south along a major shopping street, Veldstraat, starting out by tram and then doing some walking. We're going through a fascinating kilometer-long strip of retail, side lanes, and more restaurants, leading to a park at the end of the road and some museums.
Veldstraat
This will take us away from the more touristic center of town into the modern city. It's the other side of town that you don't see in many guidebooks, the authentic heart and soul of town where locals are out shopping, eating, and drinking.
We know Belgians like their beer, but you can also get very good wine in most restaurants and the occasional wine bar, such as Parole Winebar & Co. This classic wine bar has a beautiful selection by the glass and bottle. They only serve European wines, coming from the continent, and even Belgian wine. The bar is on Bennesteeg, a little side lane just off of that main street we've been on the Veldstraat. Notice the beautiful design of Veldstraat, with its wide cobblestone sidewalks and a single track for trams and bicycles.
It's a neighborhood where the side lanes can be at least as interesting as the main street. So by all means, go venturing off left and right, where you might find a vegan restaurant, such as Le Botaniste, on Hoornstrat. It presents a very efficient system with the food laid out so you can point and choose, and then it's served up to you and you can head to a table either indoors or out. It was delicious. Or, try some Asian food at Knees to Chin, a restaurant group with seven outlets in Belgium that specializes in rice paper rolls.
Koophandelsplein
Around the corner on Koophandelsplein you'll see a couple of beautiful outdoor restaurants, casual, affordable, local style food -- apparently no tourists in sight. Located right on a street with a tram running down the middle of it.
A block away, we arrive at a famous plaza called Kauter, one of the most fashionable public squares in town during the 18th century and still beautiful, famous for its flower markets and musical concerts in the bandstand.
On that same street, you'll see the Ghent Opera House (Opera Ghent), home base for opera and ballet. In the first half of the 19th century, rich Ghent industrialists initiated the building of this luxurious opera house, which now presents the best national and international artists, offering concerts, youth performances, opera, ballet and much more.
A block away, we see a grand neoclassical building, the old Court of Justice, still used by the Assize Court and the Court of Appeal. This building has been in use for more than 160 years. To solve the problem of the permanent lack of space in this neo-classical building, a modern building for the law courts was erected elsewhere on the edge of the city.
It's located on the Ketelvaart Canal, which is another place the kayakers will come paddling down. And there's a lovely waterfront restaurant on the bank. We'll cross the bridge in a moment, but first, have a look at the river that connects up with that canal. It's a popular recreational boating river with a marina along the banks.
There are several little alleyways that will take you down to that waterfront, a few with grafitti, yet on nearly all the streets of Ghent, you do not see much graffiti.
We're continuing on that same long street, but here it's changed names again to Nederkouter. It's still an interesting city street with those shops along it. It's wider, there are two tracks for trams, the sidewalks are more narrow, making this a good time to hop on the tram and jump ahead to our next destination, which is the city's main park and three major museums.
It's very useful to purchase the Ghent City card, which gives you free rides on all public transit, free entry to nearly all of the museums in town, and free boat rides and bicycle rentals.
Citadelpark
We have arrived at Citadelpark, a sprawling 36-hectare oasis of lush greenery, winding pathways, and picturesque ponds—an ideal retreat from the urban buzz.
There are fountains, statues and 780 trees in what had been the grounds of a fortress.
Museums
On the edge of the park we reach the Museum of Fine Arts, with 40 galleries containing 600 works of art from the Middle Ages to the present day, with paintings, sculpture, graphics and decorative arts, with a beautiful and relaxing interior design. Old masters hang alongside impressionists, surrealists and modernist, with the oldest piece dating back to the 14th century.
Naturally, the museum is well known as a knowledge center for Belgian art, with extensive collections from the 19th and first half of the 20th century. They include famous artists like Rembrandt, Bosch, Van Dyck, Roger van der Weyden, and Rodin, and Rene Magritte.
Located just in front of it is SMAK, the Belgian acronym for Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art,a relatively new museum that opened in 1999. The city of Ghent is known for rebelliousness, and its contemporary art museum is every bit as dynamic and unconventional as Ghent itself.
A few blocks over is STAM—Ghent City Museum, a museum of history and heritage that offers a journey through Ghent's past and present. Part of the museum building was once a medieval abbey, and many of the artifacts on display reflect that old heritage. Terracotta models, humorous puppets, sumptuous interior reconstructions and wonderful displays bring you right up to the modern day.
We have just one more museum to go on the north end of the historic center -- the Museum of Industry (Industriemuseum), located in a former cotton factory.
The museum might sound dry, but is actually quite fascinating because it explains how Ghent became such an economic powerhouse, starting from the Middle Ages, primarily because of textiles, importing wool and cotton and turning those raw materials into finished textiles. With their advanced use of machinery, Belgians were pioneers of the industrial age.
Printing was also a major industry for 300 years, as shown with many old and new printing presses and demonstrated with hands-on activities.
Well, congratulations, you have now completed a comprehensive tour of the city of Ghent in the heart of Belgium!
Comparisons are often made between Ghent and Bruges in a competition to choose which place is better to visit. The answer is they are both wonderful, and just 25 minutes away from each other by train or driving, so you might as well visit both.
They are each beautiful, with preserved historic centers of approximately the same size, about one square kilometer, with canals and extensive pedestrian zones. Both towns are popular, with about 7 million annual visitors to Ghent and Bruges with 9 million. Bruges has the advantage with virtually complete historic preservation, putting you deep into a time capsule, yet more crowded. Ghent, with some mix of modern buildings, has the feel of a "real" city for locals, population of 265,000, versus Bruges, 119,000. Visit both!
You can also view the video on the dedicated video page.
