This guide of what to see in Ghent in one day It will help you organize the best route through one of the best preserved medieval cities in the world and one of the places you cannot miss on a route through Belgium.
Although we know that it would take a lifetime to get to know a city, we believe that if you optimize time well, 24 hours are enough to know all the most important points of a Ghent, a city that has nothing to envy to its neighboring Bruges and that Sure, it will exceed all your expectations, moving to the Middle Ages when you travel through the canals of this jewel of Flanders, surrounded by old guild houses and cobbled alleys of the historic center.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city during our trip to Ghent, Leuven and Antwerp, we have prepared an itinerary to get to know the best of Ghent in a day so you don't miss any interesting place. We start!
How to get to Ghent
The fastest way to get to Ghent is to take the train at Zaventem airport or at the main stations in Brussels: South (Midi), Central and North.
This train in the direction of Oostende, which leaves every 20 minutes, will take you to Ghent (Gent-Sint-Pieters station) from Zaventem airport in one hour for 14 euros and from Brussels in 40 minutes for 9 euros.
If you land with a low cost company at Charleroi airport you will have to take a bus first to Brussels Midi station, which takes an hour for about 14 euros, provided you book it here in advance.
A more comfortable and interesting option when having a guide in Spanish, is to book this excursion by bus or this one that includes Ghent and Bruges, both of which are among the best excursions in Brussels.
For more detailed information on the transfer you can consult this post on how to go from Brussels to Ghent.
Recommended hotel in Ghent
Our recommended hotel to discover Ghent in a day It is the Hotel Ibis Centrum Opera, located 10 minutes from the Cathedral of San Bavón and the Korenmarkt square, in the old town. This hotel has a stop on the tram 1 line that links to the Ghent train station and in addition to its excellent location, this Ibis has a 24-hour reception, a full breakfast and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city. city.
Tips for traveling to Ghent
This list of practical tips will help you during your visit to this Belgian city:
- To save money on train tickets it is better to travel on the weekend when there is a 50% discount.
- Although it is not necessary to make train reservations in advance for its high frequency, you can check the schedules, prices and departure stations in this search engine and if you want to book it, you can also do it directly.
- If in addition to Ghent you are going to visit other Belgian cities by train, you can get profitable to buy the Rail Pass, a ticket that costs 80 euros (50 euros if you are under 26) that includes 10 free trips and can be used by several people at once.
- To learn more about the history of the city and not miss any interesting place, we recommend you book this free tour of Ghent Free! or this private tour for groups, both with a guide in Spanish.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
What to see in Ghent in one day
The route of Ghent in a day Start with a walk early in the morning along the banks of the Lys River until you reach the San Miguel Bridge, one of the most essential places to visit in Ghent. From the top of the bridge you will have magnificent views of the most beautiful area of the city, where the old guild houses and several churches are concentrated.
Ghent from the San Miguel Bridge
Continuing along the river bank you will reach the docks of Graslei and Korenlei, the most famous of the ancient medieval city of Ghent and although the union houses of Graslei are better preserved than those of Korenlei, it is worth crossing the bridge to see the docks from both sides.
Once you have taken all the photos and enjoyed the ride, you can continue along the shore until you cross the Kleine Vismarkt bridge that will take you to the spectacular Castle of the Counts of Flanders where you can see a defensive fortress of the 12th century, which is one of the best preserved from Europe, and where you can enter inside to see some of its most famous rooms such as Torture.
Castle of the Counts of Flanders
This castle is located in Patershol, one of the most charming neighborhoods in the city, which preserves its cobblestone streets and old medieval houses and where the Casa de Alijn is located, a free museum that recreates a Flemish house and where you can know the daily lifestyle of the twentieth century.
The Ghent route in one day Continue crossing the river Lys again through Zuibelbrugstraat, where the red Dulle Griet canyon of the fifteenth century is located and where a few meters from this curious monument you will find Vrijdagmarkt Square, one of the most popular in the city, surrounded by guild houses and in which is installed a street market.
Vrijdagmarkt
In this square there is also the Dulle Griet, the most famous bar in the city, where you can try a delicious Belgian craft beer and where you have to leave a shoe as a deposit. If you are fond of beer we recommend you book this tour with a guide in Spanish that includes the tasting of three Belgian beers.
After replenishing forces, you can head to the City Council of Ghent by passing through Werregarenstraat Street, full of graffiti and street art to arrive at the town hall to surprise you to see that it has a Gothic and Renaissance facade, giving the impression of being two buildings completely different.
Ghent corners
A few meters from the Town Hall is the Cathedral of San Bavón built in the fourteenth century and famous for having inside the altarpiece of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, one of the great works of art history, which we recommend not to miss. After visiting its interior, in which there is also a work by Rubens and a pristine white marble pulpit, you can climb the Belfort tower, from where at a height of more than 90 meters and crowned by a sculpture of a dragon, You will have the best visits of the whole city with the church of San Nicolás in the foreground.
St. Nicholas Church
Before continuing with the Ghent in a day This will be a good time to try Belgian food at Du Progres or Aroma, two of the most recommended restaurants in the city, located near or in Korenmarkt, a popular square full of terraces and good atmosphere and where, On one of the sides of this square is the church of St. Nicholas of the thirteenth century, which has impressive stained glass windows that illuminate all the interior details.
The route continues in the afternoon reserving a small cruise of about 40 minutes that runs through the most beautiful canals in the city after the walk and if you are still well on time, walk to Rabot, the only one of the medieval gates of Ghent that Remains are still maintained.
To finish the Ghent in a day You can go back to the Patershol neighborhood for a last walk and have dinner at a restaurant like 't Klaverblad or Roots.
Graslei at night
After dinner we advise you to return to the area of the Graslei and Korenlei docks to see them illuminated and say goodbye to the city with the best possible memory.
Ghent map in one day
Do you want to organize a trip to Ghent?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Brussels here
The best hotels at the best prices in Ghent here
Book the best tours and excursions in Ghent in Spanish here
10 amazing places to see in Belgium
Rent your car in Belgium at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
The best offers of Flights to Brussels here
The best hotels at the best prices in Ghent here
Book the best tours and excursions in Ghent in Spanish here
10 amazing places to see in Belgium
Rent your car in Belgium at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
