Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we visit Ghent, Belgium! Ghent is one of the prettiest towns in Belgium. As you know, here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new travel destination. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate when you visit Ghent Belgium.
Hate #1: Ghent Train Station
If you arrive in Ghent on a high-speed train, you’ll arrive at Saint-Peters (Sint-Pieters) station, and it’s a long way from anything you want to see when you visit Ghent. It’s almost a two-mile walk to Ghent city center from the train station. The best Ghent train station to use is Gent Dampoort, which is just a 15-minute walk to the city center. You can ask if your train makes a stop at Dampoort, or you can take a tram to the city center from Sint Pieters.
Love #1: Architecture in Ghent
As you walk around Ghent, the architecture is stunning. There are cathedrals, bell towers, spires, churches, a castle, and colorful Flemish homes lining the riverfront. Some of the architecture in Ghent dates back to the 7th century, and you can find nearly every style of architecture in Ghent. Add in the amazing museums in Ghent, and it’s really a beautiful and fun city to explore.
Hate #2: Tourist Crowds
Ghent is a beautiful city, but it does draw a lot of tourist crowds, especially on the weekend. You’ll run into travelers from all over Europe and the US. It’s a popular weekend getaway within Europe, so it can get a little rowdy late at night as well. It’s a somewhat small city, so most tourists are concentrated in the same place.
Love #2: Touring Ghent
Along with the architecture to admire, just walking around is one of my favorite things to do in Ghent. The streets are great for pedestrians, so it’s a wonderful city to explore on foot. It even appears to be very wheelchair-friendly; we’ve seen more wheelchair accommodations here in Ghent than anywhere else in Europe. Ghent is a very easy city to navigate.
Hate #3: Service in Belgium
If you’ve watched our other Love/Hate videos, you know I’m not fond of the service anywhere in Belgium. The service in Belgium generally isn’t great. Add tourist crowds and tourist-trap restaurants, and the service in Ghent isn’t any better than elsewhere in Belgium. Just go for the people-watching and the beer, with low expectations for the service, and you’ll be fine.
Love #3: Ghent Boat Tour
Ghent is lined with canals, so taking a boat tour is a must when in Ghent. The boat tours in Ghent are usually less than one hour, but it’s a fun way to get a unique perspective on the local architecture. You also get a nice history lesson while you’re on the boat. The boat tours in Ghent are also very affordable, so it’s one of the best budget-friendly things to do in Ghent.
Hate #4: 6 pm Shutdown
When 6:00 hits, they roll up the sidewalks in Ghent. The stores all close for the evening, so if you have any shopping to do, you want to get it done before then. Sometimes, shops will stay open slightly later on the weekends, but not much. Ghent gets very quiet around dinner time, but nightlife starts up again later.
Love #4: Day Trips from Ghent
Ghent is a relatively small city that can easily be explored in a couple of days, but it’s also a great base for exploring the rest of Belgium. Brussels to Ghent is only 30 minutes by train, and Bruges is just 30 minutes in the other direction. The Belgian cities of Antwerp and Leuven are other easy day trips from Ghent.
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Hate #5: Eating Out in Ghent
If you are eating out on the weekend or during the busy season, it can be hard to get a table outside at a restaurant. There aren’t a ton of restaurants in Ghent and even fewer with nice outdoor seating. The few that have a patio end up with patrons who like to linger at the tables a long time. Try to go out for dinner a bit early so you can snag a table because people-watching and beer-drinking outdoors in Ghent is a great way to pass the evening.
Love #5: Ghent Vibe
With the university and loads of tourists, there’s a really fun vibe in Ghent. It’s just a fun city to hang out in. As many times as I’ve been to Ghent, there are always more things I want to see one more time. Some of the other cities in Belgium can be a bit boring, but I always love the energy in Ghent.
As you can tell, I had a hard time finding anything to hate about Ghent. I much prefer it over Brussels and I highly recommend spending time in Ghent when you are traveling in Belgium. Want more travel tips for planning a trip to Europe? Check out these other blog posts: