Ghent is, low-key, one of my favorite European cities. And we were totally caught off guard.
We’d been there once before — about 25 years ago — for half a day on a hop-off from our train ride between Brugge and Brussels. We should have stayed longer. Lesson learned.
The Smart Move
Our MO these days is to have a starting and ending base somewhere near a hub city or international airport. We spend a few days at our first stop shaking off the jet lag before “the main event.” In this case, the main event was Malta, followed by Istanbul as our last stop and departure point. We scored a good deal on United Polaris from Dulles to Brussels, and having NOT been impressed by Brussels the first time around, we hopped on the train from BRU Airport straight to Ghent.
Smart move.
Medieval Charm
Ghent was astoundingly charming. We stayed at the Marriott, located right downtown. Everything we needed for a few days was either walkable or a quick Uber ride. The medieval charm of this city caught us completely by surprise. The architecture, the canals, the cobblestones — it felt like stepping back in time, but with great restaurants and cold Belgian beer waiting around every corner.
Frites, Stew & Belgian Beer
January food in Ghent consisted of frites everywhere — and lots of heavy beef stew-type meals. And beer. And wine. We got some snow a couple of times when we first arrived, which only added to the atmosphere. There’s something about sitting in a cozy Belgian restaurant with a bowl of stew, a pile of frites, and a cold Hoegaarden while snow falls on medieval cobblestones outside.
Gravensteen Castle
You can’t visit Ghent without exploring Gravensteen — the Castle of the Counts. This 12th-century fortress sits right in the middle of the city, surrounded by a moat. Climb to the rooftop for panoramic views of the entire city, with the Belfry tower rising in the distance and — if you’re lucky — the moon hanging over the medieval skyline.
After Dark
Ghent at night is something else entirely. The Graslei waterfront lights up, the guild houses glow against the dark sky, and the cobblestones shimmer from the day’s rain or snow. It’s the kind of place that makes you stop walking and just take it in.
Ghent will absolutely warrant repeat visits.
