Ghent city guide

Belgium’s third-largest city, Ghent (Gent), stands out for how seriously it takes sustainability. The centre is largely car-free, cycling is the norm, and the city pushed renewable energy and meat-free initiatives long before most places were talking about them. That progressive streak sits alongside a distinctive historic setting: canals cutting through former industrial districts, medieval towers above the water, and new cultural spaces in old factories and mills. Ambitious exhibitions, busy local venues and everyday places sit close together, so you’re never travelling far on foot, or bike, for something worth doing. If you prefer a city with an independent edge and a fresh, unpolished energy to one built around big shiny sights, Ghent is hard to beat.

Den Harrson

Between mills and museums

De Krook, Ghent’s city library, offers a contemporary cultural experience and a taste of everyday life. Sitting by the river, the wood-and-glass design stands in clear contrast to the medieval centre opposite, and from the upper floors you can look across to the three towers. Inside, open staircases and long sightlines give the place a clear flow, leading into quiet reading rooms where locals study, read and meet over coffee. The café opens onto the water, making it easy to linger for longer than expected.

Next door sits the Winter Circus, a former 19th-century circus building that was later used as a garage, and is now a venue for events, exhibitions, music and tech projects. You can wander into the central ring and up through the refurbished structure whether anything is on or not, giving you a look at one of the city’s biggest regeneration projects.

Paul Hermans/CC BY-SA 4.0

De Krook.

Werregarenstraatje is the city’s unofficial graffiti gallery, and a quick look here gives you a feel for how vibrant Ghent’s street-art scene is. Across the city, you’ll spot work by local artists such as ROA, whose monochrome animal murals crop up all over the world, and Bué the Warrior, known for bold, bright, cartoon-like characters. Renting a bike later in the day opens up more murals hidden in quieter neighbourhoods.

Giannis Skarlatos

Street art in Ghent.

Set in a former cotton mill, the Industriemuseum looks at how work and technology shaped daily life in Ghent, from textile production to printing, design and labour movements. The exhibitions are hands-on and well put together, giving you a real sense of how the city grew beyond its medieval postcard image. You can see original machinery running, watch textiles being made, and then head up to the top floor for a view across the rooftops.

Jürgen Partenheimer/CC BY-SA 3.0

Jürgen Partenheimer, La robe des choses, S.M.A.K, 2002.

If you’re choosing one art museum, make it S.M.A.K. It has a strong reputation for contemporary work that isn’t afraid to be awkward or political. The museum has shown artists such as Panamarenko, Marcel Broodthaers, Francis Bacon and recent international names alongside Belgian artists. Exhibitions tend to be confident and challenging enough to spark discussion later. A walk through Citadelpark afterwards works well and gives you some time to reset. 

Kyle Arcilla

Eating and drinking, Ghent-style

If waterzooi is on the menu, don’t miss it. It’s Ghent’s classic comfort dish, a creamy stew originally made with fish, but now more often with chicken. It's the sort of meal that makes you want to order it again the next night. For sweets, look out for cuberdons, also called neuzekes (little noses). They’re cone-shaped, purple raspberry sweets with a firm shell and soft, syrupy centre, created in the city in the 19th-century and best eaten fresh from a market stall. Tierenteyn mustard is a local favourite and a taste of Ghent to take home. 

Phoenixxl/CC BY-SA 3.0

Cuberdons.

Ghent has a robust vegetarian and vegan scene, helped by years of city-backed initiatives and a weekly ‘veggie day' that has normalised plant-based food across schools and public canteens. One top pick is Madam Bakster, a vegan café with a cosy, local vibe that’s known for baking, and is just as popular with omnivores as with plant-based eaters. The pancakes are the main draw, made with spelt or buckwheat and served with clotted cream and baked apples, while the all-day brunch menu runs from toast topped with homemade vegan ricotta and marinated tomatoes to coconut yoghurt with raspberry coulis, red fruit and chocolate sea-salt granola.

For a thoughtful evening meal, book Roots. It’s a Michelin-recommended spot in the trendy Patershol district, where the menu is built around seasonal vegetables and carefully sourced produce, with meat and fish used sparingly rather than as the headline. 

@VisitGent

't Dreupelkot.

Brewed with a mix of medieval herbs instead of hops, Gruut is a local beer with a soft, rounded flavour that sets it apart from the usual Belgian styles. It’s best sampled on a tour of the Stadsbrouwerij Gruut. For something stronger, ’t Dreupelkot is a small jenever bar. Jenever is a juniper-based spirit, often described as gin’s predecessor, and the bar focuses on both traditional styles and flavoured versions. The menu is extensive, but the atmosphere is relaxed, and staff are happy to suggest something based on what you like.

1898 The Post

1898 The Post.

To stay

Housed in Ghent’s former neo-Gothic post office, with a clock tower by architect Louis Cloquet, 1898 The Post is a luxurious boutique hotel that feels closely tied to the city. A stone staircase leads to the bar, where windows look out towards St Michael’s Church, and the rooms have an old-world style with antique furniture and portraits. Its central location makes it easy to walk everywhere and dip back in during the day.

Yalo Urban Boutique

Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel.

Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel is popular with a younger crowd, with a rooftop bar and DJ nights. The rooms aren’t huge, but the layout makes them feel bigger than they are, with built-in storage, proper desks and seating. The hotel feels social, so you can have a drink before heading out, or come back late without feeling out of place. It works best if nightlife is part of the plan.

Bruges.

Where next

Ghent is well placed for onward travel by train, which makes it easy to build a longer, slower trip. Bruges is around 25 minutes away and pairs naturally with Ghent. It's smaller and more focused on canals, museums and evening walks once the day-trippers thin out. Antwerp is about an hour by rail and feels busier. It’s good for fashion, contemporary galleries and neighbourhoods that reward a bit of time, with more nightlife and shopping than Ghent.

Lille, just over an hour away, offers a shift in mood. The food scene is a highlight, from bakeries to brasseries, moules to the Welsh. The city has a mix of French and Flemish influence, and it’s a nice next step if you want a change of language, menus and architecture without a long journey.

Take a trip to Ghent and Bruges by train, or check out our other slow travel holidays to Belgium. 

Read about the art of slow travel, or why we love to take the local train. 

For exclusive insights into slow travel journeys, overland travel inspiration and insider tips, subscribe to our newsletter.