In 60 seconds
During the High Middle Ages, Ghent (Gent) was a powerhouse city-state second in northern Europe only to Paris. Today, it pairs monumental Flemish architectural majesty with a spirited university pulse that keeps its canals and plazas alive with creative energy. Stand on Saint Michael's Bridge to take in the iconic skyline view of the 'Three Towers of Ghent' — Saint Nicholas' Church, the Belfry, and Saint Bavo's Cathedral, home to the incomparable 1432 Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. Explore the moated medieval fortress of the Gravensteen, dine on waterzooi in the cobblestone Patershol district, and lounge alongside the stepped guild façades of the Graslei quays.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You only want postcard stillness; Ghent is a working, living university city with modern trams and active street life.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Ghent fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Gothic cathedral sheltering Jan and Hubert van Eyck's 1432 Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Gaze upon the luminous, jewel-toned polyptych that revolutionized Western painting, now displayed in a climate-controlled cathedral chapel.
1180 moated stone fortress built by Count Philip of Alsace in the heart of the city
Cross the moat into stone-vaulted halls and climb the high battlements for dramatic views across Ghent's towers.
91-metre 14th-century belfry crowned by a gilded fiery copper dragon symbolising civic liberty
Take the lift to the viewing gallery beneath the dragon weather vane for a sweeping panoramic view over the medieval canal network.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Warm Flemish bistro in Patershol celebrated for traditional Gentse waterzooi
Savour steaming, creamy bowls of chicken waterzooi with leeks and potatoes in a candlelit brick-walled room.
Beloved 1937 coffee roastery bar with classic art deco wooden banquettes
Perch on a vintage stool for rich house-roasted coffee served with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a speculoos biscuit.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Enclosed medieval grid of narrow cobbled alleys and canals packed with independent bistros
Wander ancient lanes once home to Carmelite friars and leather tanners, now Ghent's premier culinary dining enclave.
Intimate museum of 20th-century everyday life and folklore situated inside a 14th-century almshouse
Explore evocative displays of vintage toys, family rituals and neighbourhood traditions arranged around a tranquil courtyard garden.
After dark
Legendary tavern on Vrijdagmarkt stocking over 500 Belgian beers
Order the house Max beer served in a giant wooden coachman's glass — you must give the bartender one shoe as collateral!
Historic water's edge tavern overlooking the Leie with 150 craft beers and terrace seating
Sit on the stone terrace watching canal tour boats glide by while tasting rare Flemish red-brown sour ales and local Gandavum triple.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Twin medieval harbour embankments lined with ornamental guildhalls dating from the 12th to 17th centuries
The city's living salon, where students and travellers sit along stone quays watching reflections shimmer on the water.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Steps from Saint Michael's Bridge, the towers and canal-side restaurants
The most convenient location for exploring Ghent's historic highlights and dining out on foot.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Ghent forms a textile alliance with England during the Hundred Years' War under civic leader Jacob van Artevelde.
Hubert and Jan van Eyck complete the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb for Saint Bavo's Cathedral.
Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is born in the Prinsenhof palace in Ghent, becoming ruler of half of Europe.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Preserved Belle Époque seaside town visited by Albert Einstein, accessible by coastal tram
Stroll past Anglo-Norman timber villas and open dunes along the most architecturally charming beach on the Belgian coast.
