2 days In Ghent – A Ghent City Break Guide For Foodies & Culture Lovers

Easily reached by train from Brussels, a Ghent city break is both accessible and rewarding. Steeped in history, this atmospheric, canal-filled university city is also home to a plethora of top quality restaurants. Through this guide, discover how to make the most of 2 days in Ghent. 

Our trip to Ghent was almost chosen on a whim. In preceding years, my annual pilgrimage to a European Christmas market had brought me to Germany and this time, I wanted to branch out a little.

Belgium was the country of choice and having visited both Bruges and Brussels before, the pin found itself being stuck firmly in the map over the enchanting city of Ghent.

A highly aesthetic city interwoven with canals, its beautiful, chocolate-box buildings and cobbled streets were the initial draw.

Once flights were booked and the research started in earnest, however, I was – quite literally – salivating at our impending visit, as rather unknowingly I discovered that Ghent is bursting at the seams with talented chefs and copious amounts of drool-worthy establishments, many offering modern takes on Belgian food. 

Ghent is the ideal spot for a relaxed weekend escape. It’s compact, so it’s easy to get around.

It also contains just the right balance of having enough to see to keep you entertained for a couple of days, without you feeling like you’ve missed out on some key highlights by the time that you leave, a problem faced when visiting some of its larger counterparts around Europe.

A great place to visit in winter too, the city is home to a magical market during Yuletide season and offers cool, crisp weather that would coax even the hardest of hearts into embracing Ghent’s cosy bars and cafes.  

Outside of its Christmassy offerings, however, Ghent is hugely worthy of a visit at any time of the year. The city was once a major port city, and its location at the confluence of two rivers made it a strategic point during the Middle Ages.

In turn, Ghent became very wealthy and as a result, is home to beautifully distinct architecture in the form of former mansions, a medieval castle, Gothic churches and one of the world’s most important pieces of art, the Ghent Altarpiece. 

Have I caught your attention yet? Good, because here is a complete guide to Ghent for foodies and culture lovers.

The burning question – should you visit Bruges or Ghent?

Since visiting briefly as a teenager, I have since, on several occasions, bypassed Ghent in favour of neighbouring Bruges.

There is a lot of hype around Bruges and yes, this fabulously romantic and slightly ethereal town and its medieval buildings does live up to the hype, but Bruges, whilst undeniably beautiful, can also get a bit over-crowded and is rather expensive to boot.

Whether you should choose Ghent or Bruges will come down to your personal preferences. While I still 100% recommend a stay in Bruges, if you are after a more relaxed trip and slightly hipper vibes, you cannot go wrong visiting Ghent. 

We visited in December to attend the festive market, but in fact, it was not the highlight of our trip. We discovered a captivating, old world city, that is also a buzzing university town with a very hip edge and an absolute plethora of excellent dining options.

I couldn’t recommend Ghent enough for a getaway. It makes a fantastic alternative to Bruges and is, in my opinion, one of the best destinations in Belgium.

How to get to Ghent

One of Ghent’s most compelling propositions is simply how easy it is to reach through Belgium’s train network. The most likely destinations you’ll be travelling from are going to be Brussels or Bruges—I go through both options below.

Travelling from Brussels to Ghent by train.

Getting to Ghent from Brussels Airport

Getting to the city from Brussels airport is very straightforward. There are two separate train journeys involved, but the connection is not a complex one. Tickets cost around €36 return.

Step one is getting the train from Brussels Zaventem Airport into Brussels city centre. The train station is quite literally in the basement of the airport and there are lots of regular trains that take you into Brussels and beyond.

Take the lifts or escalator from the arrivals hall in order to get to the train station. Then, you’re going to take a train from the airport to Brussels Midi. At Brussels Midi, you will change train for the one to Ghent (going in Bruges/Brugge direction). From the airport, the train journey to Midi is around 15/20 mins.

When you reach Midi, you’ll then have around 10-20 minutes to find your platform for the train to Ghent (all times I’ve been it has been the adjacent platform—if you’re confused, just ask someone). Once you’re onboard, the train from Brussels Midi shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes.

Top tip | While you can purchase train tickets at Brussels airport, I find the ticket machines at the station somewhat confusing to use and understand, so my advice is to buy your ticket online in advance to minimise the stress that purchasing at the station has caused me in the past. 

You can search schedules and book tickets online here.   

Getting to Ghent from Brussels City Centre

There are a number of train stations in Brussels from which you can take the connecting train to Ghent (Central, Sud, Nord & Midi), depending on where you are travelling from within Brussels city. However if you’re travelling to Ghent from Brussels city centre, then you’ll likely be coming from one of either:  

• Midi – approx. 30 minutes journey time to Ghent
• Central – approx. 35 minutes journey time to Ghent

Tickets cost around €23 return from both and the trains running to Ghent from these stations are direct. 

Search schedules and book tickets for Brussels city centre to Ghent here.

Getting from Bruges to Ghent by train

It is so very easy to skip between Ghent and Bruges via train. The Ghent Bruges train runs extremely frequently throughout the day and the journey time is less than 30 minutes between the two. The round trip costs €18 for a return ticket. 

Search schedules and book tickets for the Bruges to Ghent train here. 

Getting from Ghent train station to city centre

Once you arrive in Ghent, the train station is a little outside the old city centre so factor this into your plans, as you may not fancy doing the trip on foot. There is a tram stop and buses outside the station, but it was late when we arrived and there were very few of these running.

If there are trams, buy your ticket from the machines directly outside the train station – if you walk a little further there are none to be found on the street, and you can’t board the tram without a ticket.

We also couldn’t find or order a taxi (apps like FREE NOW and Uber are banned in Ghent) so you may need to walk (like us – around a 25 minute walk to city centre, with bags), or arrange your taxi transfer in advance. My go-to for taxi transfers is always GetTransfer. 

✨Looking for ideas beyond the usual winter hotspots?

In my guide to the best European cities for a winter break, I share why travelling off-season makes even the most famous places feel unexpected – and far more rewarding.

👉 See the full list → Best European Cities to Visit in Winter You Haven’t Considered

Getting around Ghent city

We stayed in the old town near the Gravensteen and found we could walk everywhere we needed to go. There is however a comprehensive tram service and also buses around the city if your mobility is limited.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see that most people in Ghent cycle – there are thousands of bikes and very few cars in the city!

Maximising your visit – 2 days in Ghent

Gluttony formed the basis of most of our activities during our 48 hours in Ghent, but when we weren’t eating we found that there were plenty of exciting activities to keep us busy.

Below are my top recommendations to make the most of your time in Ghent. There is a wonderful atmosphere around the old town, so move slowly, take it all in and stop off wherever takes your fancy.

Discover the historic centre of Ghent

With streets so picture-perfect that they could have been etched by the hand of a Flemish Master, we spent plenty of time ambling around the old town taking in its charms.

In the Middle Ages, Ghent was an extremely important and prominent trading town in Europe and was larger at one point than London was at the time and was second only to Paris in its size.

Its architecture and design is a relic from that time and its wealth and prestige from that era is clearly evidenced by the imposing Gravensteen Castle, its beautifully ornate traders’ houses and its impressive churches and cathedrals.

If you want to learn some more about Ghent’s deep, rich history, then I would suggest taking a tour. Particularly fun, well-reviewed, and in keeping with the city’s substantial bike population, is this bike tour.

Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral & its famous Ghent alter piece 

Saint Bavo’s Cathedral is an imposing Gothic construct that is home to the famous Ghent Altarpiece by Jan Van Eyck – ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb‘. One of the most important pieces of artwork ever to have been produced, it was painted in the 15th century and is composed of 18 separate panels.

While the altarpiece is an absolute must-see, don’t come merely to see this masterpiece; the whole cathedral is very impressive. They also had a rather large construction of the entire story of the nativity in place of a crib on display when we visited at Christmas-time.

Climb the Belfry Tower for beautiful views of the city

A tradition of mine when visiting somewhere new is to climb to its highest point for panoramic views – which is usually attached to a church!

The Belfry, one of the most iconic things to see in the city, was unfortunately closed during our visit, but I’d recommend making the climb if it is open when you go for a good aerial view during your two days in Ghent.

This also isn’t just any old Belfry – you’ll notice that this medieval tower is particularly striking and it is, in fact, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Standing at 91 metres tall and sporting a guilded copper dragon at its pinnacle, the Ghent Belfry keeps a watchful eye over the historic city centre, just as it always has done throughout the centuries.

Discover the sheer delight that is Belgian chocolate through a Ghent chocolate tour

When you visit, you’ll notice as you make your way around that the city is dotted with chocolate shops, selling the most delectable looking wares.

Top of your trip with some of these chocolate shops, as this isn’t just any old chocolate, but amongst some of the best in the world and the chocolate on offer is a tourist attraction in itself.

Just as wine has sommeliers, chocolate has its chocolatiers and what better place to learn about the craft than in one of the best chocolate making countries on the globe!

The best way to discover the city’s chocolate is to undertake a tour with an expert.

On this tour, you’ll be pointed towards the best chocolate shops (where you can sample a sweet treat or two for yourself) along with getting an overview of the city too – sounds like a win-win to me!

Learn about the gruesome history of the Graventseen, one of the best places to visit in Ghent

I’m going to go as far as saying that our tour of the Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, was the best audio tour that I’ve ever done. As museums go, this is an extremely interesting one and it is by far one of the best things to do in Ghent!

Built originally as a defensive fortress, it grew into something far more sinister and became synonymous with torture and abuse of power in Ghent, so much so that by the end of the 19th century, the people of Ghent actually wanted to tear it down due to all that it represented.

Thankfully, they didn’t, and it is now the most popular of Ghent most visiting sites. 

Admission includes the fantastic, aforementioned audio guide which is narrated by a local comedian, and through humorous anecdotes the guide walks through some of the castle’s dark history.

I thought it was a really novel but simple way to deliver a tour with facts that you actually remember, and found it very amusing to watch people walking around the castle sniggering!

Take a Ghent canal tour

While you can’t beat a city walk, Ghent is a city of waterways, so what better way to explore than to undertake one of its canal tours? It’s a must-do experience, and you will become acquainted with the city through its series of beautiful canals right from the water.

Jump on a canal cruise, and learn about Ghent’s history and how it rose to prominence as one of the most important trading towns in Europe.

Most boat tours in the city, like this one, will take you through its medieval core and past some of its major sights, including the Gravensteen Castle.

If you’re planning your visit in winter, make sure to wrap up warm!

 Visit the Graslei and the Korenlei

Translating to “Grass Quay” and “Corn Quay”, these quays run through Ghent’s old, medieval town. It’s a beautiful spot to stroll by the historical buildings along the water’s edge, or to sit out and grab a coffee outdoors and watch the world go by.

Many of these cafe’s cater well for outdoor visitors during winter too, offering heaters and blankets so you don’t need to compromise on the view!

St. Michael’s Bridge

This beautiful, romantic bridge is the perfect backdrop to any photograph you might want to take as a memento from your weekend in Ghent.

It’s one of those places to see in Ghent that is pretty hard to miss, as it’s slap bang in the middle of its old city centre. When we visited there was a soft, misty rain that gave the bridge a magical glow.

From this city centre perch, you will not only get the perfect view of Ghent’s three famous medieval towers, but a wonderful view from all angles of the city’s old world charms.

In the centre is also an eye-catching bronze lantern, so this spot definitely tops the list as Ghent’s most aesthetically pleasing location.

Eat, drink and be merry – discover the best Ghent restaurants and bars!

Ghent is positively teeming with amazing dining options (detailed further below in this post), cool bars and quirky cafes.

Whether you want to grab a beer or a coffee, or eat traditional Belgian or Michelin starred meals, you have it all at your disposal – and all within a couple of kilometres’ radius!

Go on a Ghent beer tour

In years gone by, the city centre of Ghent boasted many breweries. Over time, these sadly fell by the wayside but today, there has been a resurgence of microbreweries and larger city breweries in the centre.

Belgium is renowned for its beer and Ghent is no stranger to this. The best way to discover the beer is to visit with a local guide, who is passionate about beer and the brewing process and who will take you to the best breweries and bars.

On this great Ghent beer experience, you will visit the guide’s favourite beer shop, where your perception of Belgian beers will be challenged.

You’ll then visit three very different bars in Ghent, where you will sample a selection of high quality beers, sampling every variety of Belgian beer and discovering why it became so famous. I don’t even think you’d need to be a beer lover to enjoy this one! 

You’ll also visit a local food market, for a pairing with cheese, artisan chocolate and other local delicacies. There is also an original beer game involved in proceedings, along with a brief stop at an up and coming Ghent brewery – this truly is a great Belgian beer experience. 

Walk through the Great Butcher’s Hall (Het Groot Vleeshuis)

Walk through the Great Butcher’s Hall (Het Groot Vleeshuis) One of the more unique spots to incorporate into your sightseeing, pop your head into the market hall, which is an old Guild Hall where you will see hams hanging from the rafters of the roof!

It operated as Ghent’s main meat market from medieval times to the late 19th century. Nowadays, however, the hall contains a cafe and some craft shops.

Get lost in the Patershol

This charming area located close to the Gravensteen Castle is a throwback to the city’s medieval origins and is the perfect place to explore the narrow streets, grab a beer or a meal in a cosy restaurant and imagine what life was like in ages past.

Home now to independent stores, eateries and cafes, discover how this old part of Ghent has been repurposed for modern day living, whilst maintaining its old character.

Delight in the Ghent Christmas Market

I’ve noticed that each Christmas Market that I’ve gone to has its own distinct feature. Ghent’s is its rather eye-catching ferris wheel and the imposing backdrop of St. Bavo’s Cathedral.

If you’re in the city at Christmas time, then this is one of the most popular tourist attractions, so make sure to designate a couple of hours to the Christmas Markets.

The market weaves its way around the Cathedral and the adjoining surroundings of the Korenmarkt. Like any good Christmas Market, there are copious amounts of food stalls and bars, but it took a while before we managed to track down some gluhwein.

When we did, it was served in polystyrene cups, so rather disappointingly, we couldn’t add to our mug collection from last year’s trip to Cologne. But that’s a minor complaint!

Where to eat and drink in Ghent

Where to eat and drink When researching restaurants, I discovered that it has not one, not two, but SIX Michelin starred restaurants (one of them with two stars). I should have anticipated what this would mean in terms of the wider context of gastronomy, but the city is quite literally a foodie’s paradise!

You could actually spend a week tasting food in Ghent and still not have sampled all worthwhile restaurants. Below are the places to eat where we ate, along with some further choices that we didn’t get to this time round. Happy eating!

Where to eat in Ghent – the best restaurants in Ghent

Publiek – this neighbourhood restaurant has very laid back vibes and delivered exceptional food in a very non-stuffy atmosphere. Great wine, fabulous service and most deserving of its Michelin star.

Very reasonably priced too considering the quality. We ordered a la carte but the tasting menu was around €70.

Taxi’s Fine Dining Garage – you will say ‘wow’ a few times during a visit to Taxi’s and at least two of those will happen when you first enter the building, and then again when you enter the restaurant.

This is fine dining for seafood lovers in an amazing setting (a converted taxi garage) with an exquisitely decorated bar. Definitely a place to dress up for and an experience you won’t forget.

t’Koningshuis – sometimes, only a burger will do! We ate here when we arrived late in the evening and boy were the burgers good! They have a large range of different burgers and vegetarian burgers too.

In a lovely cosy setting in an old building beside a canal – we sat in the window and watched the world go by. Apparently the best burgers in Ghent, and I wouldn’t dispute this claim!

Labath – a cool little spot for breakfast/brunch serving great coffee, we found this cafe to be the perfect place to start off the day.

Frites Atelier – a complete tourist trap, but if you like frites then look no further!

Where to drink in Ghent –  the best bars

De Alchemist – located just across from the Gravensteen this is a cosy little spot with quirky interiors and a wide range of gin for all my fellow G&T lovers out there.

Bar Win – a buzzing place for wine drinkers that was always full. Tasty bites also served onsite.

Additional restaurants in Ghent

As I’ve already mentioned, you are really spoiled for choice, so I’d feel remiss not to mention some other restaurants in this itinerary guide that I would have eaten at had we had more time there.

Restaurants in Ghent that also made my shortlist are:

OAK Restaurant – a fine dining, Michelin star restaurant in Ghent serving up contemporary dishes created using seasonal produce, on a fixed menu basis.

On the higher end of the price scale, OAK services 7 or 8 course dinner menus, starting at €99. If you would prefer, lunch offers a more affordable proposition, with more of a choice in respect to the number of courses, starting at €42 for 3 courses.

Souvenir – serving up a creative menu that is built around vegetables and sea produce, where meat is only served as an accent to the dishes. Make sure to book well in advance!

Meme Gusta – come here to try Belgian/Flemish cuisine. Always buzzing when we walked by and located in a handy spot close to the old town centre and within a few minutes walk of the Gravensteen Castle.

Epiphany’s Kitchen – If you are on the hunt for a vegan or vegetarian restaurant in Ghent, then this is your answer! A healthy restaurant with exquisite interiors where the menu focuses on vegetables. Meat, however, is also on the menu.

LOF Restaurant – an exceptionally elegant restaurant in the old city centre of Ghent. Local ingredients used with a modern twist after the ‘gastro-bar’ concept, with extremely stylish decor.

Where to have brunch in Ghent

Luv L’oeuf – Where to go for breakfast all day (and also, a boozy brunch in Ghent!). The giveaway is in the name – like all good brunch menus, eggs feature heavily in its dishes.

Cocotine Coffee – girly, flowery, pink, pastel creations form the core of this brunch spot in Ghent! An extremely aesthetically pleasing decor (for those with feminine taste), which prides itself on its coffee.

Only have one day in Ghent?

It’s very doable to see a lot of the city in a day. With frequent trains running and the journey taking less than an hour, it is very straightforward to undertake a day trip from Brussels.

If you are really tight for time you can even do Brussels to Bruges very easily in one day, with a few hours spent in each.

To get the most out of a day, remember to arrive early and use the morning to stroll the streets around the Patershol, the Graslei and Korenlei, and the Korenmarkt.

Pop your head into St Bavo’s Cathedral and climb the Belfry if it is open. Make sure to also take your photo on St. Michael’s Bridge as part of your one-day visit!

One of the top experiences in Ghent is to indulge in the city’s gastronomic delights and stop off in one of the restaurants I have recommended above for lunch. When you have had your fill, hop on a boat for a Ghent canal cruise to admire this beautiful city from the water.

Once you are done, round off your day trip with a tour of the fascinating Gravensteen castle. This is definitely a highlight of the city, so I would not leave it off your itinerary!

Pop into one of Ghent’s many cafes for a quick pick me up after your visit, before making your way back to the train station to catch your return train from Ghent to Brussels.

It’s a pretty jam-packed itinerary, but due to the city’s relatively compact nature you’ll both see a lot of, and really get a feel for, Ghent’s unique atmosphere during a day trip.