Here’s how to spend a day in Ghent if you are visiting Belgium.
I suggest stopping there for at least a day because there are a lot of things to see, but you can totally go for more time there.
Plus, the train network serves very well all the towns to visit so you can add Bruges, Brussels or Antwerp to your itinerary !
Ghent is a port city in the north-west of Belgium and the third largest city in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp.
I’ll list here all the things to do when spending a day in Ghent.
Ghent circuit : 45 minutes, 13 stops
Start your day at St Bavo’s abbey. This Benedictine monastery existed from the middle of the 7th century to 1539. Today you can observe a faithful reproduction of the Romanesque church.
10 minutes from the abbey is the Castle of Gerard the Devil, a 13th century gothic building that served many purposes throughout the centuries : a knights’ residence, an arsenal, a monastery, a school, a bishop’s seminary, a madhouse, and even a prison.
After a 3 minute walk, you will arrive to St Bavo’s Cathedral. Its construction began in the 13th century, but it was built on the site of a 10th-century church.
Fee : entrance is free, the ticket to the Altarpiece however costs 12,5€.
Opening hours : From 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday, and from 1pm to 5:30pm on Sundays.
A 2 minute walk from the cathedral will take you to the Belfry of Ghent. It is one of three medieval towers that overlook the old city center (the other two belonging to Saint Bavo’s Cathedral and Saint Nicholas church). With its 91 meters high, this 14th century belfry is the tallest in Belgium.
Take a look at the surrounding monuments, there are also worth a look !
Fee : 11€
Opening hours : Everyday from 10am to 5pm
Another 2 minutes and you’ll see Saint Nicholas Church. This Scheldt Gothic church was built in the early 13th century and underwent major restoration during the 20th century.
Fee : Free
Opening hours : Everyday from 10am to 4pm
2 minutes from the church is Korenmarkt, another square that doubles as a huge terrace.
The lovely St Michael’s bridge is located 2 minutes away from the church and is definitely worth seeing. Look up, because on one of the lampposts sits a bronze statue of Archangel Michael.
A 3 minute walk will take you to Korenlei, a splendid quay located on the left bank of the Leie river. The quay on the opposite side of the river is Graslei, equally beautiful.
5 minutes from the quay is Gravensteen, a medieval castle dating back from 1180 which was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353.
After that, is has been used as a court, a prison or a cotton factory at some point, and now it is a museum.
Fee : 12€
Opening hours : Everyday from 10am to 6pm
4 minutes from the castle is Patershol, a lively residential district, with many restaurants in every one of these narrow medieval streets.
Head to Vrijdagmarkt, literally meaning Friday Market, which is 6 minutes away from Patershol. This square, which has been filled with market stalls every Friday morning since 1199, is one of Ghent’s largest and oldest squares.
4 minutes from the square is Werregarenstraatje, a pedestrian street and graffiti-free zone. This zone was created in 1995 for a graffiti project and has since been renamed “the graffiti street”.
Final stop of the day ! After discovering the graffiti street, a 3 minute walk will lead you to Groetenmarkt (meaning vegetables market). This square hence hosts a Friday vegetable market.
The Groot Vleeshuis (or La Grande Boucherie in French) is the butcher’s hall, a Gothic medieval covered market which exists since the 13th century.
Make sure to also explore all the little streets around this place that are just so charming !
Searching for more places to visit in Ghent ? If you fancy a stroll in a green park, head to Citadel park which is 30 minutes by foot from the last stop (you can also take a bus or the tram to get there). I cannot recommend enough to stroll in Ghent at night near the canals, it’s a lovely atmosphere :
If you are interested in tasting great chocolates you try either Neuhaus or Chocolaterie Luc Van Hoorebeke.
For a good liege waffle head to In Choc (Sint-Veerleplein). This is a café but they also have a little corner for take away, trust me and take the takeaway liege waffle with homemade chocolate, it’s delicious and costs 4,5€.
For a traditional restaurant try De Bompa, otherwise give a go at Barouche for amazing and affordable pitas and bowls.
That’s it for my Ghent recommendations !
I hope this article gave you a better idea of what to expect from a day in Ghent, it’s nice to stop by if you are coming to Belgium !
If you plan on coming to Belgium soon you can check out my other articles such as a day in Bruges, a day in Ghent or a day in Antwerp.
If you need more information about what to know before going to Belgium, you can check out this article.
I have also made a post about restaurant and food recommendations, click here to check it out !
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
