A plan for Gent

Ghent was once considered the second largest city north of the Alps, after Paris. It has a relatively high proportion of young people, and a significant seasonal student population. Unlike Leuven, another university town in Flanders, youth is not the only category of people living there. There is an interesting mixture of foreigners who came to live there, professionals working for major international firms, and artists among the people of Ghent. This mixture makes the people more tolerant and open-minded. This atmosphere seeps into every aspect of city life, making the city different from the smaller provincial cities or the bigger city of Antwerp.

1 Belfort en Lakenhalle (Belfry and Cloth Hall), Emile Braunplein (tram 1 or 4 to Sint-Baafsplein), ☏ +32 9 223 99 22. Daily 10:00 — 18:00; free guided tours of Belfry Easter vacations and May-Sep: Tue-Sun 14:10, 15:10, and 16:10. The Belfry was a symbol of the city's autonomy, begun in 1313 and completed in 1380. This municipal tower holds the great bells that have rung out Ghent's civic pride through the centuries. Take the elevator to the Belfry's upper gallery, 66 m high, to see the bells and take in fantastic panoramic views of the city. The Cloth Hall dates from 1425 and was the gathering place of wool and cloth merchants. €10 adults, €1.6 U19. (updated Jun 2023)

2 Sint-Baafskathedraal (St. Bavo's Cathedral), Sint-Baafsplein (tram 1 or 4 to Sint-Baafsplein), ☏ +32 9 269 20 45. Cathedral: Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 08:30-18:00, Sun 13:00-18:00; Nov-Mar Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.Mystic Lamb chapel and crypt: Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 09:30-17:30, Sun 13:00-17:00; Nov-Mar Mon-Sat 10:30-16:00, Sun 13:00-16:00. Don't miss this cathedral. Rather unimpressive exterior of Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque architecture. However, the interior is filled with priceless paintings and sculptures, including the 24-panel altarpiece The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, completed by Jan van Eyck in 1432. Simply spellbinding, this work was commissioned by a wealthy city alderman in 1420. Original altarpiece Adoration of Mystic Lamb is temporarily and partially closed. Since 2010 a scientific study and conservation works have been in progress. Visitors can follow the activities through a glass wall). Other art treasures in the cathedral include Rubens's restored The Conversion of St. Bavo from 1623. Augmented Reality (AR) tour of the crypt is available in 9 languages. However, the kids version of the AR tour is only available in Dutch, French and English.

De Bootjes van Gent (Rederij Dewaele Canal Cruise), Graslei or Korenlei, ☏ +32 9 223 88 53. Apr-Oct: daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-Mar: Sat Sun 11:00-16:00. A cruise on the canals is a good way to view the city's highlights. The tour lasts approximately 40 minutes; longer tours are available. €7 for adults; €6.50 for seniors, students, and those under 26; €4 for children aged 3 to 12; free for children under 3.

Jan Plezier Boottochten, Snepkaai or Ketelvest, ☏ +32 475 69 68 80. Large parties can reserve themed cruises along the waterways of Ghent. Among the themes are the pancake cruise (pancake boat), the spareribs cruise, and the shrimp cruise. These cruises are most often held for large parties; individual tourists are better off choosing a tour of Dewaele or hiring a boat to steer yourself. pancake boat €11.50 for adults; €9.50 for children aged under 6 to 12; free for children under 6.

1 Go Swimming at Badhuis Van Eyck, Vermeerplein (bus# 17&18). see website. An 1880 Art Deco pool restored in 2001, it that retains individual changing rooms. The old entrance is still there but the modern entrance is at the opposite end of the building. Adults €6, -26 & +65 €3.30. (updated Jun 2023)

2 Blaarmeersen sports grounds. The Blaarmeersen offers multiple sports grounds, including a climbing wall (3.500m², one of the biggest in Europe), athletics track, BMW, openwater swimming (on Thursday 18h-20h), roller blading, skate track, sup, cycling track, rowing (in the Watersportbaan). Adjacent to the sports facilities, there are several beaches to enjoy (booking is essential). (updated Aug 2025)

3 KAA Gent. KAA Gent play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top soccer tier. Their home ground Ghelamco Arena (capacity 20,100) is 3 km south of city centre. (updated Aug 2025)

hot air balloon flight Ghent. Hot air balloon flights over the city center are possible in the morning hours or in the evening. Take off location depends on the wind direction. Possible for passengers of minimum 6 years old. (updated Dec 2025)

Ghent provides an excellent and affordable sample of Flemish cuisine, which in the eyes of the locals is one of Europe's finest as it combines French delicacy with northern European sturdiness. Try some local specialties like mussels, spare ribs or 'stoverij' (a kind of tender meat cooked for three hours in dark beer with a brown gravy) with Belgian fries.

Another dish from Ghent is the "Gentse waterzooi" (litt. "boiled water from Ghent"), which was the food for the poor originally, a stew of cheap fish (usually turbot) and vegetables. Now it is often made with chicken as well.

Belgian waffles are available from a number of street stalls around the town.

The restaurants on Korenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt are a good deal, reasonably priced; the menus and 'menus of the day' at the Brasserie Borluut provide terrific value and this includes Gentse waterzooi.

The real upmarket restaurants are to be found in the 14th-century quarter called 'Patershol', near the Castle. There is also a big Turkish community in Ghent, centred around Sleepstraat a bit further north, which is home to numerous Turkish restaurants.

Budget

City centre

1 Soup Lounge, Zuivelbrugstraat 6. 10:00-19:00. Popular place to get a soup. (updated Feb 2023)

2 Frituur Bij Sint-Jacobs SYMPA, Walter De Buckplein 3. (updated Feb 2023)

3 Vandevoorde / Olivier, Steendam 20. (updated Feb 2023)

4 HFC Korenmarkt-Gent, Jan van Stopenberghestraat 5. (updated Feb 2023)

5 Seli's Noodlebar, Limburgstraat 28. (updated Feb 2023)

6 Tashun, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 120. (updated Feb 2023)

Heuvelpoort

7 Belchicken, Overpoortstraat 1. (updated Feb 2023)

8 Ichi Bites, Stalhof 19. (updated Feb 2023)

9 Pizza overpoort, Overpoortstraat 36. (updated Feb 2023)

10 Hashtag Falafel, Ottergemsesteenweg 1. (updated Feb 2023)

11 Orientali Streetfood Bar, Sint-Pietersplein 29. (updated Feb 2023)

12 Prima Donna, Overpoortstraat 46. (updated Feb 2023)

Mid-range

13 Neptune, Sint-Veerleplein 10. Really pleasant and friendly little place immediately opposite Gravensteen castle. Run by a husband and wife team (with two children running around for good measure). Neither food nor prices are as touristy as expected. Yummy local specialties, the Stoverij (beef stew) is particularly good. €30-40. (updated Feb 2023)

For authentic pubs, go to St. Veerleplein (the square in front of the Castle), the pubs around St. Jacob's church (especially during weekends), or the student area around Blandijnberg (Mount Blandin), especially in the proximity of the School of Arts and Philosophy, recognisable from afar by the 64-m-tall art deco Library Tower. Ghent is known for its many pubs and clubs and most have friendly staff. If you visit Ghent for its great nightlife, be sure to check out the bars listed in the "Off the beaten path" section.

Central Area: Castle-Korenmarkt-Graslei

1 Waterhuis aan de bierkant (The Waterhouse on the beerside), Groentenmarkt 9 (near the Castle), ☏ +32 9 225 06 80, waterhuis.aan.de.bierkant@skynet.be. Boasts about 400 different kinds of Belgian beer, but is fairly touristy.

2 Het Galgenhuis (the Gallows house) (near Waterhuis aan de bierkant). A tiny tavern in a lean-to built on to the Gothic Butchers' Hall. A good selection of draught and bottled beers.

3 't Dreupelkot, Groentenmarkt 12 (near the Castle), ☏ +32 9 224 21 20, dreupelkot@skynet.be. 200 kinds of Belgian genever, a number of which are homemade. Try the pepper genever if you are a tough guy or girl (be cautious!) Pol, the owner, is a friendly guy, although it might look the other way at first sight. Around €2 for a regular-sized genever.

4 Het Velootje (The Little Bike), Kalversteeg 2 (between the Castle and Vrijdagmarkt). Considered as the only tourist trap of Ghent, but even with this negative reputation it's worth a visit. The bearded owner Lieven calls his place a museum café with an authentic atmosphere by candlelight. This is all true but forgot to mention his collection of 200 antique bikes decorating the place. Drink prices are steep. Everything costs €4.50.

5 Damberd, Korenmarkt. Live jazz pub.

6 Gentse Stadsbrouwerij Gruut (Gruut Brewery), Rembert Dodoensdreef 1, ☏ +32 9 269 02 69. Brews beers with herbs for flavouring; a style commonly found throughout mediaeval Europe before the widespread cultivation of hops. (updated Jul 2023)

Sint-Jacobs & Vrijdagmarkt (Vlasmarkt-Beestenmarkt)

Charlatan, Vlasmarkt 6. Popular club with many live concerts.

On foot

The centre of Ghent is quite small, so you can walk around on foot. However, the main station (Gent Sint-Pieters) is not in the city centre, but takes a walk of about half an hour. The best option is to take the tram, which takes you directly to the centre in 10 to 15 minutes.

By bicycle

A bicycle is the recommended way to get around in Ghent. However, there are many roads with cobblestones that make cycling a shaking experience. Also make sure you stay clear of the tram rails. Nevertheless, you will see you are not alone on your bike: many inhabitants use bikes to get around. Even the former mayor uses his bicycle all day. There are many bike stands around to make it easy to lock your bike (important!) Many one-way roads are made two-way for bikes.

By public transportation

The transport system is Ghent is excellent and usually on time. The transportation company is De Lijn. A single ticket costs €3 if bought in the bus or tram (contactless only from white card reader), from ticket machines near stops, or from the De Lijn app. Such a ticket is valid for an hour's travel on all trams and buses. If you are planning to stay for a while, either buy a three day pass for €18 or 10 trips for €22 — they are valid for within the city and can also be used throughout Flanders (e.g. Antwerp or Bruges). The trams are the quickest and most comfortable way to travel, especially from the railway station to the city centre. There are 4 tram lines: 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 .

There is a De Lijn app available for Android or IOS smartphones which offer journey planning, real time travel info and ticket purchase in English.

Tickets purchased on a card should be validated on the reader (not the white one) when entering the bus/tram while tickets purchased on the website or app should be validated before entering the vehicle. With a few exceptions, the tickets are usable throughout Flanders.