22 Essentials: what to see and do in Ghent (Belgium) in 1 or 2 days

From my first trip many years ago to Belgian region of Flanders on a route through Belgium, the splendor of the city of Witches and barely any image of Ghent.

Without a doubt I had a pending doubt, which was to return to really get to know her.

Recently I have been able to pay off this debt by visiting it on two occasions, and I can tell you that it is a city whose visit is very, very worth it, another great jewel that should not be missing in a route through Flanders.

Regarding your trip, as we always recommend, you have the option of starting your journey by signing up for a guided tour of Ghent with guide in spanish with a duration of two and a half hours, but in any case I am going to give you some tips that will be useful,

And if you prefer to visit on your own, I will tell you 22 interesting places What you should know during it.

Tips for visiting Ghent for tourism

At the outset I will tell you that Ghent It is a city that you find and on the way between Brussels and the very popular Witches.

If you are not doing a car trip through Belgium, a very good way to get there is by train, which you can catch in the center of Brussels or at the airport itself.

In fact, it can become an intermediate stop, either on the way to or from Bruges.

Excursions to Ghent from Brussels

From Brussels you can sign up for a Tour to Ghent from Brussels which in a day of almost 10 hours allows you to have a good approach to this Belgian city.

Or even join a combined excursion with the Tour to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels, which also takes place in a single day.

I also tell you that visiting the city will be very comfortable for you since most of the notable places are concentrated in the historic center, where you can take a nice walk through its streets with canals and monuments.

Of course, you can have a good approximation of its attractions with the visit Ghent in one day, although I am going to give you enough arguments so that you can enjoy them with the most relaxed visit in two days.

If you go on your own, from the train station It will take just 15 minutes to get to the historic center aboard a tram line 1, because Ghent is one of those cities that enjoy the charm that, from my point of view, trams confer.

What to see in Ghent

Then in the center you will have two main axes for your visit, which converge in the San Miguel bridge which crosses the main canal of the city, and from where you have the best views of its monuments.

San Miguel bridge

At San Miguel bridge You have one of the iconic corners of the city of Ghent, you can from there have the famous views of the three towers that follow one another, that of the Church of San Nicolás, Municipal Bell Tower and Cathedral of San Bavón.

In a perpendicular direction, with the church of san miguel Behind you, you can see other of the iconic scenes of Ghent, the one made up of the canal and the medieval docks of Ghent. Graslei and Korenlei.

Graslei and Korenlei docks 

The Graslei and Korenlei docks Located on both banks of the main canal, they were the commercial center of Ghent in the Middle Ages, and now they will be one of the axes of your tourist visit.

There you can see beautiful facades of buildings from different periods, starting from the grain warehouse originally from the year 1200.

From there you will see the beautiful image of the bridge and church of St. Michael, and you will also find lively terraces of bars and restaurants.

And at these docks you can board one of the small boats that take you on a cruise through the canals.

Climb the Belfort Municipal Bell Tower 

If it is about panoramic views, go up to the Municipal Bell Tower, Also known as Belfort Tower, becomes essential to enjoy the best of the city.

These bell towers common in Belgium and France are declared Heritage, and were used for defensive purposes to warn the population of enemy attacks.

When you go up, see if you are lucky and can see the carillon working, just like it happened to me.

Roeland Bell 

El Municipal Bell Tower  It dates back to the year 1380, and the first bell known as Roeland.

Now on a pedestal at the foot of the Belfort Tower You can see a bell that has the same name, and that was part of the carillon that was built in 1659 after the Roeland original.

The large bell that you can now see was removed from the aforementioned carillon when it was electrified in 1918.

St. Bavo's Cathedral

On the other side of one of the squares that surround the Belfort Tower is the Cathedral of San Bavón, a 15th-century Gothic building that replaced a 12th-century Romanesque church.

Although the cathedral was initially dedicated to San Juan Bautista, in 1540 it came under the patronage of Saint Bavo.

Inside the Ghent cathedral Several artistic works are preserved, such as a baroque altar in marble and oak and, above all, the great work of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.

Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

I announce that if you like painting, the visit of Ghent you will not have it complete until see the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, monumental panel of 20 panels painted by the Van Eyck brothers.

This painting has the curious “honor” of being the most frequently stolen work of art of all time.

In fact, two of its panels were stolen in 1934 and have not been recovered.

Completed in 1432 with the purpose of being the altarpiece of the chapel that was built in this church at that time mayor of Ghent, throughout history the work and its different panels have traveled to various cities in Europe.

It was in the year 200 when it moved to its current location in a corner of the St. Bavo's Cathedral to be seen by visitors, and in 2012 the last restoration of it was undertaken.

Van Eyck brothers monument 

Behind the Cathedral of San Bavón, facing the apse, you can see a large monument with statues of the Van Eyck brothers.

Regarding the real authorship of the famous work of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, there are various speculations.

It is known that it was started and painted for the most part by Hubert Van Eyck, and after his death it is assumed that it was completed by his younger brother Jan.

Municipal Pavilion

Among the Belfort Tower and Church of San Nicolás is the Municipal Pavilion, a modern construction from 2012 that is presented as a large 40-meter-long marquee under which various events are held.

The construction of this modern structure at the time was very controversial among the inhabitants of Ghent given its location in such a historic corner of the city.

City of Ghent

Very close you find the building of the City of Ghent, which will catch your attention due to the two very different architectural styles of its facades.

One of them shows a flamboyant Gothic style from the beginning of the 16th century.

The other façade is in the 17th century Renaissance style with architecture inspired by Italian palaces.

Castle of the Counts of Flanders 

Something that will surely surprise you is to see in the center of Ghent a large medieval castle, the only one preserved in Flanders.

It is a great fortress from whose walls you have beautiful panoramic views of the city.

El castle of the Counts of Flanders It dates back to a first wooden building from the 24th century, although its configuration with a large wall and 1180 towers dates back to XNUMX.

Vrijdagmarkt square in Ghent

Vrijdagmark It is one of the central squares of Ghent which was once a popular scene of executions, the last of which took place in 1822.

With great spaciousness and with a large statue in the center dedicated to a historical figure of the Middle Ages, Jacob of Artevelde, in this square a large building from the 15th century will catch your attention, one of the buildings that originally existed in the square.

Now this square has a great atmosphere, with numerous terraces, and highlighting the Street markets outdoors that its establishments install on Friday mornings until 13 p.m., and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 18,30:XNUMX p.m.

STAM, city museum 

Regarding museums, the STEM It is the main reference in this Flemish city, in which the history of the city of Ghent from the Middle Ages.

During your visit, you will be especially struck by the enormous aerial photos that you will walk over and that show what the city was like at different times, from 1534 to the present.

It is located in three buildings, a 14th century abbey, a 17th century convent and a modern 20th century building.

The best things to do in Ghent

Ghent canal cruise

One of the most typical activities on your trip to Ghent is to do a canal cruise  of the Lys and Scheldt rivers.

You find the boats in the Graslei and Korenlei docks.

Here you can book in advance of your trip Ghent canal cruise with a duration of about 50 minutes.

Walk through illuminated Ghent

Although in a full day you can see the most notable corners of Ghent, if you spend the night in the city you can enjoy one of its great attractions.

It is about giving a night walk through illuminated Ghent, which I can assure you is very worth it.

Keep in mind that the Ghent night lighting has been awarded internationally and every three years a Festival of Lights, the last one in May 2018.

Buy regional products at the Meat Market 

Very close to Graslei you find the Meat Market, old market from the 15th century with a large wooden roof, which at that time and until the 19th century centralized the meat trade in the city.

Nowadays it is a place where you can sit buy or taste the most diverse regional foods and drinks, like the typical Ganda ham.

Cafe Glagenjuisje 

attached to the Meat Market You find a tiny and very curious building where a cafe is located where you might want to have a snack.

I advise you to do it on the terrace given the minimal space you have inside.

Restaurants in Patershol neighborhood 

Patershol It is a neighborhood of narrow streets located next to the castle of the Counts of Flanders which after being a wealthy area began to concentrate artisans and merchants and then became a working class neighborhood.

After a period of decline in the last century, its subsequent rehabilitation has made it now a trendy neighborhood in Ghent with small and charming restaurants.

The best to eat in Ghent

Face to eating, in addition to the typical regional products that you find especially in the aforementioned Meat Market, you should try the nose.

cuberdon In flamenco, they are cone-shaped chocolates with a raspberry flavor, which are sold in carts that you can find on the streets.

In winter in Ghent it is typical to have one of the soups sold in the numerous soups that you can find on the street.

El most popular dish in Ghent is waterzooi, an original stew from Middle Ages made with fish or chicken, and it is also typical to buy mustard in Tierenteyn, sweets in Temmerman and waffles in MAX.

Grutt craft beer in Ghent

As for the typical Belgian beer, an iconic place is Gruut a craft brewery from the city of Ghent where the most traditional production systems are maintained.

Use a mixture of herbs for preparation (gruut) instead of hops, and offers several varieties of beer, wheat, blonde, amber, toast and inferno.

It should be noted that it is a very pleasant place to chat or eat.

Dulle Griet Brewery in Ghent

In the square Vrijdagmark It's worth a visit brewery Dull Griet, where you will find many types of Belgian craft beers.

It is an establishment with a very peculiar decoration where one of the rituals is when you order a liter beer, which they serve you in a yard giant.

To enjoy the beer you have to leave a piece of clothing in a basket hanging from the ceiling...and until you finish the beer, they don't give it back to you.

Kouter Flower Market 

Visiting the city on a Sunday is also synonymous with going to the Kouter Flower Market.

It is a large elongated square where on both sides of it there is a succession of establishments selling flowers, which makes up a very colorful complex.

Floralia, floral art exhibition 

But when the love for flowers reaches its maximum expression in Ghent it is on the occasion of the Floralias, flower art festival which is celebrated every several years in the month of April.

The last edition took place in 2016, and I can assure you that it is a true marvel.

Various corners of the city house large floral decorations, such as the Bijloke cultural center, where the aforementioned is located STAM museum, medieval abbey of st peter or the great park Citadelpark.

Map: how to get to Ghent

Ghent is just 57 kilometers from Brussels, one hour from the center of the capital by car and 35 minutes by train.

Bruges is only 50 kilometers and 25 minutes by train.