In December of 2021, my husband and I spent a weekend in Ghent, Belgium. We traveled with our greyhound, so we drove the 2.5 hours from Amsterdam. These highlights are based on that experience. Want more visual inspiration? Check out the video of the trip.
Transportation: Normally we take the train, however, due to having our dog, we drove. You need to have a special permit to drive in the center of town, so watch the road signs carefully. However, this was something that our hotel was able to take care of, so we were able to go into the city center to drop off our luggage. There are different colored zones that determine parking costs; we parked a few minutes away in the orange zone, which was €6 euro per 24 hours.
Accommodation: We stayed at a little place in the Patershol district. It was a nice studio in a beautiful, quiet area that is a few minutes away from everything.
Wander the Town
Gent is very walkable, and everywhere where you go, you will want to take a photo. There are so many things to do and see, but here were some of my highlights.
Vrijdag Market: (Friday market) As in the name, this is a market only on Fridays. Here you will find produce, food stands and various clothing stalls. This market has been going on since 1199.
Graffiti Alley: Cobbled alleyway where the walls are covered in graffiti and art by local artists.
Het Belfort van Gent: For a great view of the city, go to the bell tower. This was built between 1313 and 1380. €8, with elevator.
Saint Nicholas' Church: Roman Catholic church with 18th-century statues, houses the Lamb of God painting (need to reserve tickets for this area).
Sint-Michielsbrug: Arched stone bridge with a beautiful view of some of the local landmarks.
Korenlei: A strip of picturesque buildings along the water.
Groot Vleeshuis: Unfortunately, this was under construction, but normally this is filled with restaurants and shops.
Patershol: Historical backstreets, a beautiful and quiet place to wander.
Gravensteen: Preserved 10th-century moated castle with an armory museum.
Eat
Chocolate: Supermarkets have budget friendly options or if you want bars of chocolate. For a splurge or praline options, I recommend Chocolaterie Luc Van Hoorebeke.
Fries: For low cost classic Dutch/Flemish snacks, including some of the best fries I have eaten, I recommend Frituur Bij Filip. Cash only.
Waffles: You will find options for waffles everyone, grab at least one while you are visiting.
Cuberdon: Also known as Ghent Noses, you will find these at stalls around the city. These triangle shaped candies filled with a soft gummy inside, while a local delicacy, I thought were gross. But you can try one for yourself!
Drink
Beer: If you choose to imbibe, I recommend Dulle Griet, this bar has 500 options to choose from. For a more laid back vibe, I recommend het Spijker.
Coffee: For a great coffee shop, you must go to Mokabon.
Notes:
I recommend saving your things to do on Google Maps, this way you can simply wander through the town, without missing your own list of highlights.
Currency is the Euro, but most places take debit or credit cards. We were able to utilize the local ATMs for cash as well.
Dutch and French are the languages spoken, but you will find it easy to speak English.
Other: Hopefully this gave you an idea of things to do in Ghent on your next trip to Belgium! I try to do as many quick links as possible, to send you directly to the website so you can get the most accurate and up-to-date information possible (fees and timetables).
Comment with any questions, and if you found this helpful, subscribe!
Safe and Happy Wandering.
Comments