Ghent, the city where modern art and culture meet the mid-century! This city in Flanders, Belgium is the city to go to if you enjoy music, dance and visual arts as well as sightsees that teach you about Belgium's history! It is the first city in Belgium to introduce the “Veggie Donderdag” and thus Europe’s Veggie Metropole. Every Thursday the Vegetarian menu is in the foreground. Besides of the many cafés, unique districts and historical buildings, the city is also well-known for its student life style. Ghent with its small river,Leie, running through the city center is definitely a must see! In this following guide we have listed a few highlights for your trip!!

 

City Center

Old alleys, bars next to the river Leie, shops, museums, restaurants and so much more in one city center! The two most known districts are the ‘’Graslei” and the ‘’Korrnlei”, each on one side of the river. The Graslei with its row of guild houses in the old port area are definitely worth a stop. Every one of them has a different meaning. The Eerste Korenmetershuis(Grain’s Measurers) for example represents the grain’s weigher guild and the Vrije Schippers ,Free Bargemen, is a late Gothic building. Other houses are the Metselaars (Masons) and the Koornstapelhuis (Granary). The Sint-Baafskathedraal, St. Bavo's Ctahedral, is also recommandable for a visit. The Gothic St. Bavo's Cathedral has lots of paintings to discover.
Ghent has another beautiful neighborhood ,Patershol, known for its small restaurants and bars and its winding cobblestone streets. The old houses used to belong to the leather tradesmen and Paters. Today, it is a hotspot for many young people. The Vooruit building is the most visited avenue for dance and art performances... everything from low key concerts to lively ambient!

Do you want to taste Ghent’s great food variety? These two restaurants definitely convince every tourist. “Yaki Noodle” is great for a nice dinner with your friends with affordable and tasty dishes. The Pakhuis Brasserie is a little more expensive, but worth a visit. The restaurant used to be a textile warehouse and with its ironwork architecture and unique roof it not only serves great food and drinks but also gives you a unique atmosphere!

 

Belfort

A 91 m high Belfry tower in the city that represents the power of the guilds. Together with the St. Bavo's Cathedral and St. Nicholas' Church, it forms the famous Ghent three towers “Drie torens van Gent”. The tower was constructed in 1314 and used to be Ghent’s watchtower. With one of the best bells in the world, they warned the city if there was danger. On top of the tower, there is a gilded copper weather vane shaped into a dragon,which for the locals stands for freedom. Nowadays, the tower is a great sight in the city since form the top you have an amazing view over Ghent! The entrance fee is eight euros!

Gravensteen

The Castle of Gravensteen is the castle of the counts of Flanders. The Lieve Canal flows around it and makes it appearance even more unique! The castle has been  used for many different things from a prison to a cotton mill with the country`s first spinning mule! Today is a very attractive spot for tourists and offers a great view over the city!

Museums

This city also has many museums to be discovered. The most known one is the “Museum voor Schone Kunsten”. It was built in the early 20th century and has paintings from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. You will find paintings from artists like Gericault, Corot, etc. here. The paintings of the painter, Hieronoymus Bosch, are also part of the exceptional collection. Another museum that is worth a visit is the natural-histry museum the world of KINA. It is a museum for nature, evolution and biology. Additionally, it offers a show about Ghent and the Emperor Charles V.  

Other highlights

Even though Ghent is a smaller city, it has lots to offer. Other highlights you shouldn`t miss are the mill factory of the 19th century and the Grasburg Bridge over the Leie.