Places to Visit in Ghent - Christmas Route

We've come to the 5th city of our long winter trip. As someone who'd never been to Ghent before, after Amsterdam's Fairy-Tale Towns this was the place that impressed us most. Bruges has its own unique beauty too, but we think Ghent is a notch ahead! 🤩👍 Bruges is overrated.

Even though we arrived late in the evening, we wanted to explore this lovely city right away. The evening stroll wasn't enough, so we walked the same places again by day. Our suggestion is to explore it both ways! Both its days and its nights have their own beauty. 💫 Now to the buildings you should visit and see in this lovely city..

Castle of the Counts - Gravensteen Castle

We think Ghent's most breathtaking sight is Gravensteen, a 12th-century castle built for the Count of Flanders**. After briefly running as a cotton factory in the recent past, the castle was sensationally restored to its former glory.

Looking inside the castle, although there isn't much furniture, it's full of guillotines and suits of armour. If you want to see what the castle looked like all those years ago, there's a somewhat silly costume situation set up in most of the castle and its battlements.

For a good photo, try shooting the castle from a distance, and if possible from Sint-Widostraat. 📷🎥

** The historic region made up of the lands of the former County of Flanders on the North Sea coast.

Cathedral of St. Nicholas

This Gothic-style church, built in the first century, is high on the list of Ghent's must-see places. One of the highlights of this church is seeing the instrument made by the famous French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. You're free to go inside and spend a few minutes to experience the church's beauty and peace.

Cathedral of St. Bavo

For anyone with a bit of interest in art history, looking inside St. Bavo, a Gothic cathedral that has turned, though not officially, into a museum of religious art, will be very impressive.

Great Market - Groentenmarkt

This square, Ghent's old executive centre, has a much more active function today; on Fridays, at stalls hosting small rectangular square markets, only organic fruit and vegetables are sold. At weekends the traders take their fees here. Ghent's most famous traditional sweet, cuberdon or neuzeken , is sold in little pyramids on cute-looking carts. And Tierenteyn-Verlent's lovely old shop has been selling spicy herbs and mustard since 1862. For lovely shots, this address is the right place!

Friday Market - Vrijdagmarkt

The market square, which takes its name from the market set up every Friday, was once used for executions and important city meetings in the city. The cafés surrounding the square are perfectly placed to admire the statue of Artevelde, Ghent's famous leader, who was anti-French and pro-English in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Near the statue, one of the largest siege cannons of the Middle Ages, weighing 250 kilograms, is on display.

Wheat Market - Korenmarkt

The square's name comes from Ghent being the centre of the grain trade, and from the grain trade going back to the 10th and 11th centuries. The grain brought into the city by the Leie (Lys) River via the nearby Graslei and Korenlei was sold at the market place.

Korenmarkt connects Veldstraat and Kortemunt, Ghent's two busiest shopping streets, from south to north. From west to east, it connects St. Nicholas' Church with St. Michael's Bridge over the Leie (Lys) River.

Ghent City Hall

When you look at Ghent City Hall, you'll see it has a structure resembling half an Italian palace and half an ornate Gothic palace. To be honest, it's actually a confusing public building. The most beautiful part of the building is its stained-glass windows, which it's right to be proud of!🖼

Dragon Bell Tower - Dragon Belfort

Ghent has its own dragon, even if not in the Game of Thrones novels. The Bell Tower, with a history going back to the 14th century, has a dragon sitting on top, dominating with its wings.

If you want to climb up to the highest point, you'll see two more dragons on the way. There's also a bell exhibition. But the real aim of those visiting the tower is to look down on the city from the top! Isn't that the best thing?!

STAM Ghent City Museum

First, let's explain where the word 'STAM' comes from. Ghent City Museum appears as the abbreviated form of Stadsmuseum Gent in Dutch.

If you want to learn more about Ghent, then a visit to STAM is definitely a must. STAM has researched the past of Ghent's past, winding back 70,000 years from today. The museum is an old building once used by nuns. Interactive exhibitions and presentations show what Ghent looked like in various periods and how the city developed. As if 70,000 years of past weren't enough, the STAM Museum also gives you the chance to look at the city's future.

Note: The museum, open every day, can be visited between 10.30 - 16.00. Entry is 8€, 6€ for ages 18-26, and free for those under 18.

See exhibits showing every area of life from birth to death, including a child's room, a wedding service and a typical funeral service. You can join a self-guided tour where you can look at a digital photo album, listen to sound recordings and explore with film clips.

Alijn House - House of Alijn

Visit the museum at the House of Alijn, which displays objects of daily life in the first century. As well as taking you to the past, the museum brings your memories to life.

Afterwards, in its little garden, you can taste the local cheese and beers unique to Belgium that the museum offers. Taking photos in the museum is allowed, so you can catch lovely shots.

Note: You can visit the museum every day except Wednesday between 09.00 - 18.00. Entry is 6€, 2€ for ages 19-26, and free for those under 19.

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is seen as one of the oldest oil paintings in the world. Its history goes back to the 15th century.

There are big queues to see this marvellous painting, and like the Mona Lisa in France, the painting's history is more fascinating than the painting itself. The painting's history includes, as well as the Austrian Emperor dressing the Naked Adam and Eve, a period when it was stolen and hidden in a salt mine. The painting is open to visitors all year round.

Note: As I mentioned above, the building, open to visitors every day, can be visited between 10.30 - 16.00. If you have a GentCityCard, entry is free; if you buy a ticket, entry is 4€.

Veld Street - Veldstraat

Veldstraat is a pedestrian-only shopping street in the centre of Ghent, with a tram running down the middle. Here you can find shops of every chain store you can think of. You can reach the street with a short walk after arriving at the Korenmarkt.