I went to Ghent this spring without any expectations, it’s not a city much talked about in Belgium’s tourist scene, being overshadowed by Bruges, Antwerp, and the capital Brussels. But after spending some time there, I’m really not sure as to why it’s not just as popular as the other cities. It has charm, elegance, and countless things to do and places to explore. Since I only spent a single day there, there wasn’t time for me to do much, still, I feel almost obligated to shed some light on this great city, so here’s a quick look at five things to do in Ghent.

Canal Boat Tour: 

When people think of canals in Belgium, they tend to think of Bruges. For me, besides being featured in movies, there’s nothing that Bruges canals have over Ghents. Just as pretty, and far less busy, experiencing the city from the water is a no brainer while in the city (as long as the weather holds up that is).

Visit Ghent’s great museums

Ghent has its fair share of captivating museums, check out the Dr Guislain Museum for the history of psychiatry, the STAM museum has exhibits on the city’s past, present, and future, the Museum of Industry is all about the industrial revolution, and the S.M.A.K houses quirky contemporary art.

Climb the Ghent Belfry

Built over 700 years ago, the Ghent Belfry is now a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site and is well worth a visit. Climb the 91 metre tower for a tantalising view of the old town, all while listening to the charming sounds of the carillon (set of bells) that have rang through the city for centuries. 

Gravesteen Castle

The main attraction, Gravesteen Castle has developed a great way to keep its tour fresh and unique. Instead of the usual informative but unimaginative tour you’d expect, at Gravesteen you’ll be given an audio device with a pre-recorded guided tour voiced by Belgian comedian Wouter Deprez. The guide is both funny and informative, and really adds some spice to a castle with an already spicy history (as you’ll find out).

Graffiti Alley 

This constantly changing street is a haven for the city’s many street artists. Ghent has much more street art spread throughout the city, and they’re walking routes and tours available to take you to all the best spots. Check out this link to a guide and map with all the best spots from Sorry Not Sorry Ghent.

Well there you have it. Hopefully in the future I’ll be able to come back and expand this list to ten or more, but for now, this’ll have to do. I haven’t put in prices because of each of the sites have many different fares depending on age, with children, youth, and students all having separate prices. However, although I only found out about it after visiting the city, I really recommend getting the CityCard Ghent, which not only covers the cost of all the above venues and more, but also includes unlimited bus and tram use in the city, as well as a day of bike rental, one day of hop on hop off water tram, and one guided boat tour. All for just 38 Euro for 48HRs!

Goodbye for now, and if you have a sixth day out for me drop it in the comments.