We had never heard of Ghent until a native Belgian whom we met in Copenhagen told us that we had to visit Ghent during our stopover in Belgium. Then when we hung out at a tourist information center in Brussels, we told another local Belgian that Ghent was our next destination, and he confirmed that it was indeed an excellent choice. Overshadowed by Brussels and Bruges, Ghent sees few tourists despite having beautiful neighborhoods and historic architecture with plenty of activities. Now after having come and gone through the lovely city, I can understand why Ghent is truly a gem to its locals.
Photos below detail our afternoon stroll through Ghent.
The 12th century Gravensteen Castle:
Perhaps the largest toilet paper roll in the world, which belongs to the Ghent Museum of Design:
The most photogenic view of Ghent, west of the Grasbrug bridge:
Post Plaza with the Church of Saint Nicholas in the distance:
The Stadshal:
The back of the Church of Saint Nicholas:
Vrijdag market, with a monument of Jacob van Artevelde, a Flemish politician native to Ghent:
There were definitely fewer waffle shops in Ghent than Brussels, but there were still plenty of chocolate and beer shops.
During the warmer days of summer, Ghent sees approximately a million partygoers during its annual summer festival in July. Outside of those parties, live music, theaters, bars, and cafés play a huge role in everyday life in Ghent. It was a chilly Tuesday afternoon when we explored the lovely streets of Ghent, and albeit a quiet day, Ghent did not disappoint. Strolling the lovely streets suited us perfectly.
Beautiful pictures! And town 🙂