Belgium’s charming medieval city and the capital of East Flanders. An unmissable urban gem of Flanders!


Ghent

Belgium, small but packs a punch. Not known among its fellow Europeans as a destination hub nor among those beyond the continent but look close and you will find some hidden gems. A confusing country with 3 official languages! We're here to help you navigate it and find the best best places in Belgium. 

Lying on the North Sea coast, Belgium's immediate neighbours are France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands. The small nation of Belgium might leave you surprised by its rich and gorgeous heritage. It boasts a number of fascinatingly historic cities packed with medieval and Art Nouveau architecture and famous for their long traditions in arts, fashion and fine dining. If you've seen the best of them, the Belgian countryside offers anything from sandy beaches to the densely forested hills and ridges of the Ardennes. Brussels, the country's vibrant capital, is a modern world city with a highly international character. It combines massive postmodern buildings in its European Quarter with impressive historic monuments, such as the World Heritage listed Grand Place, surrounded by guildhouses and the Gothic town hall. There's Laken Castle and the large St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, dedicated to the cities patron saints. The Royal Palace is a more recent but no less grand structure. One of the city's most famous landmarks is the Atomium, a remarkable steel structure and remnant of the 1958 World's Fair.

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Come one, come all - come big, come small! We've rounded up all of the kid-friendly places in Ghent, including parks, playgrounds, outdoor activities, and museums for you and your family to enjoy. These places and activities are fun (and safe!) for the whole family, no matter what size or age!

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Home to the iconic city of Ghent and so much more. Famous for its cycling events, beautiful sights, and medieval cities.  

East Flanders

Birds eye view of a main square and church in Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium

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Boat on a river and tourists walking by across the street in East Flanders

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Walking across the bridge towards a church at night in Ghent, Belgium

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Tree growing to the left of a river next to buildings in East Flanders, Belgium

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Houses next to a river in East Flanders, Belgium

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Cherry blossoms growing above a river in East Flanders, Belgium

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Guild halls, city buildings and more at night in Ghent, Belgium

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Ghent from above with a city view and the church in Belgium

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City at night by the river in Ghent, Belgium

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Colourful buildings next to a river in Ghent, Belgium

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River and boats in Ghent near city buildings, Belgium

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Church in Ghent near the city centre, Belgium

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Meet Ghent

### Why go to Ghent?

Ghent is truly Belgium’s hidden gem. It’s getting more touristy and well-known to outsiders but if you have the chance definitely go explore this charming medieval city. Ghent is the capital of East Flanders. It’s a thriving city with artsy vibes combined with historic sights as far as you can see. 15th century buildings sit side by side with contemporary art galleries. If you’ve ever seen a photo of Ghent, you’ve probably seen Gravensteen (aka The Castle of the Counts) and Ghent’s pretty canals. 

Thanks to Ghent’s central location in the Flanders region, it’s a convenient city to visit if you happen to be in Bruges or Antwerp.  


Tree growing by the river and bridge with buildings on the other side in Ghent

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### What you need to know about Ghent

#### Market & Vintage Shops

Coming to Ghent for a shopping trip? Ghent is an alternative choice and is known for its markets and vintage shops. Come by on a Friday or the weekend to see the local flea market. There are some super specific markets too, like the Kouter flower market and Book market on Sunday mornings. Don’t miss the Biomarkt on Friday mornings to see all the fresh fruit and veggies from local and sustainable farms of East Flanders. 

#### Stunning buildings 

Ghent has plenty of cute sights to see in the city. A day of urban exploration of Ghent will take you to medieval times and back in its architecture. Like Bruges, Ghent is known for its canals. Walking around the canals or taking a trip by boat is one of the best ways to see some of Ghent’s stunning architecture. 

Don’t miss the Saint Bavo Cathedral in the main square. It's 89m high and one of the symbols of the city. Just a short stroll away is one of the big symbols of Ghent, the beautiful Gravesteen castle, that was once home to a bunch of Counts. 



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Buildings in the city square of Ghent, Belgium

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#### Ghent has style 

Looking for arts and culture experiences in Belgium? Look no further than Ghent. Ghent is a city that has styles from medieval art in museums to graffiti art on Werregarenstraat. Wander the city centre around Vrijdagmarkt for local fashion boutiques to see unique pieces. Art lovers are spoiled for choice. 

#### Museums and history 

Ghent has been around for ages, seriously they found stuff from the Iron Age out here. A great city to explore for history buffs, Ghent has tons of museums to choose from. One historic thing every tourist to Ghent sees at least once is the Ghent Altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral. Ghent has some unexpected surprises too in its museums. There’s even a museum inside Belgium’s first mental asylum, now dedicated to supporting mental health. You never know what gems of history you’ll find.

Cathedral, bell tower and clock in East Flanders, Belgium

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### When to go 

You can visit Ghent in any season and have a good time, but the city really lights up in July during the festival Gentse Feesten. Ghent gets busiest in the summer, during the height of the tourist season.

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Transport

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You can easily get to Ghent by car from two major highways (E40 & E17). Brussels is around 45 minutes away by car, but traffic can make that much longer if you’re driving at a busy time. 

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Fly into Brussels National Airport. From there, it’s a 1 hour train ride to Ghent. 


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Gent-Sint-Pieters station is the nearest train station. You’ll have no trouble getting a train to Ghent - it’s the 4th busiest station in Belgium. You can catch a train from the major cities of Belgium to Ghent (including from Bruges, Brussels, Ostend, Leuven, Liege, Antwerp and more). The fastest trains are IC. 


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Eurolines offer regular bus trips into Ghent from Amsterdam, Brussels, and London. It’s probably the cheapest way to get into Ghent, but the trip will take a bit longer!


Ghent’s city centre is easy enough to get around on foot as the city isn’t that big. You can also get the tram or bus to help you get around quickly. Gent-Sint-Pieters station is a 30 minute walk away from the city centre. You can also catch a bus or tram from the station into town.

Long story short, Ghent is divided into 6 sections for drivers and getting around from one section to another can be annoying if you’re not used to the area thanks to the red lined bike roads, one way streets, and forbidden entries. Getting around in Ghent by car can be done, but we don’t recommend it for tourists. Best to park your car and go around by foot, bike or public transport to save yourself the trouble. 

Ghent is cyclist friendly. Keep your eyes peeled for cobbled streets and trams and you’ll be fine. You can rent a bike 

New to Ghent? When you arrive at the train station, pick up the free map of Ghent with all the public transport info to help you get around or see De Lijn’s website for live bus info. Ticket prices vary (around 1.60 at ticket machines, more when you’re on the bus), so it’s best to buy tickets in advance. 

Essentials

Emergency numbers:   Police (urgent): 101   Fire, ambulance, police: 112 

### Tourism Office

Visit Gent

Website: https://visit.gent.be/en

Address: Sint-Veerleplein 5, 9000 Gent, Belgium

Telephone: +32 9 266 56 60


Flanders

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