Host city: Ghent
Quirky Ghent offers a fascinating cultural cocktail brimming with trendy, modern urban life. Ghent is a city where people enjoy life: a chilled-out place where anything goes and a city that feels human. Its friendly, welcoming people love the good life.
Lonely Planet describes the city as "Despite being one of Belgium's oldest cities, Ghent remains small enough to feel cozy but big enough to be a vibrant, relevant center for trade and culture. There's a wealth of medieval and classical architecture here, contrasted by large post-industrial areas undergoing urban renewal that give Ghent a gritty-but-good industrial feel."
Below you will find all the info you need for your stay in Ghent:
- Sightseeing
- Shopping
- Restaurants
- Print shops
- Travel to Ghent
- Accommodation
- Taxis
- Weather
Sightseeing in Ghent
Ghent has to be not just seen but experienced.
Below are 10 tips on what to do during your visit to Ghent.
- The Castle of the Counts, visit the knights at the castle.
- The Ghent Altarpiece: supreme divine art, world-famous painting.
- Vegetarian restaurants, Ghent is a paradise for veggie lovers.
- History on the Graslei and Korenlei, Ghent's beauty mirrored in the Lys.
- Old St Elizabeth Beguinage, is an oasis of calm and stillness.
- Ghent Belfry - The dragon, world heritage, and Ghent's proud symbol and mascot.
- St Michael's Bridge, romantic Ghent with a fairy-tale view.
- St Bavo's Cathedral: majestic tower, powerful Ghent church, and home of the Mystic Lamb.
- Magical Ghent in the evening, see Ghent in a whole different light.
- Ghent - City of Art, from medieval paintings to hip street art.
Shopping in Ghent
Shop in a car free-city centre
Here you can find a short summary of the large variety of stores Ghent offers. In Ghent, there is something for everyone.
- Fashion boutiques, Belgian designer fashion.
- Local products, like RoomeR or Gentse Neuzen.
- Gifts & souvenirs, unique gifts for yourself and others.
- Markets, for bookworms and foodies.
- Second-hand, give old things a new life.
Travel to Ghent
The main airport of Belgium is located in Zaventem and is called Brussels airport. At Brussels Airport, you can catch the train at
level -1. There are several direct trains to Ghent every hour. The ride takes about an hour. A short film on how to take the train from the airport to Ghent can be found here.
You can learn more about train traffic in Belgium and buy tickets on the Belgian Rail website.
There are numerous parking lots in Ghent, both outside the city and inside the city center. More info about them and pricing can be found on the Visit Ghent website.
For more detailed info on the different modes of transportation check out the Visit Ghent practical information website.
Taxi service in Ghent
The Ghent city center is quite small but if you're in need of a taxi you can try the following options:
- Taxi Gent: +32 (0)9 333 33 33
- ABC Taxi: +32 (0)489 399 224
- Taxi VM2 Ghent: +32 (0)495 220 221
Accommodation
The Visit Ghent website has an extensive list and map of hotels, hostels, and B&Bs in the city. You can find the link on their website.
You can also check out the Airbnb listings for Ghent.
Weather
Ghent, and Belgium for that matter, has a mild climate. You can find the current weather situation on the meteo.be website.
