Best Things To Do in Ghent, Belgium

Tourist Attractions in Ghent

Here is the list of things to do in Ghent and tourist attractions in city.

1. Gravensteen Castle

   4.5 (2260 Votes)
   

   Castle, Historical Site, Architecture , Heritage Building

   Indomitable. That’s the first word in my head when I look at Gravensteen. With two metre thick walls, a medieval moat, a time worn look and a prominent position on the Ghent skyline, the castle of the counts overlooks the city like a stolid watcher. Philip of Alsace built the castle of stone in 1180 when he was between Crusades (there used to be three wooden fortifications on the spot bef...Read more

2. St. Bavo's Cathedral

   4.6 (1839 Votes)
   

   Church, Religious Site, Landmark, Historical Site

   In the crypt of this classic Gothic church you’ll find the Romanesque remains of the chapel around which the cathedral was built. Most of what you see was built through the 14th–16th centuries, including the choir, the radiating chapels, transepts and the tower. The main draw of the church however is the magnificent altarpiece The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. The painting has it&rs...Read more

3. Graslei And Korenlei

   

   River, Boating

   Running along the two sides of the River Leie, these two sister streets are the heart and soul of Ghent. Ever since the Middle Ages, the quays on this street have been the main port in the area. The pretty buildings that line the sides have been with the streets for almost as long there’s a step gable house here, No. 10, that’s the oldest of it’s kind in the world. Every build...Read more

4. Het Design Museum

   4.1 (1998 Votes)
   

   Art And Culture, Art Museum, Museum, Exhibition

   Set inside a Flemish Bourgeois building, this museum was opened in 1992. The inner courtyard of the building faces an 18th century facade. The oldest collections comprise of 17th and 18th century interior decorations and furnishings including chandeliers and murals; there’s an extensive collection of Art Noveau items as well as Art Deco. The furniture and sculptures are startlingly cheery...Read more

5. Belfort Van Gent

   4.5 (2164 Votes)
   

   Landmark, Tower, Specialty Museum, Heritage Building

   Look up at the very top of this bell tower and you’ll see a dragon. That dragon keeps watch over Ghent and guards the municipal privileges of Ghent that are kept in the secrecy room. As far as the city’s identity goes, the 91 metre tall Belfry is probably the most important building in the city. From 1442 to 1869, the men of Ghent kept a shapr look out from the top for invaders and ...Read more

6. Patershol

   

   Art And Culture, Religious Site, Walking Area, Historical Site

   Another historical neighbourhood, Patershol has been around for a while. It was a major cultural and religious centre in the Middle Ages, becoming a fashionable hangout during the modern era and then a slum in the 19th century. In the 20th century it was renovated and is now one of the chicest and most charming neighbourhoods in the city. The houses here dater from the 12th century; and you&rsq...Read more

7. Museum Dr Guislain

   4.2 (746 Votes)
   

   Art Gallery, Museum, History Museum, Photo Gallery

   This is not the most standard of visits Belgium’s oldest psychiatric hospital. And while you might be thinking of creepy hauntings or stuff, the museum’s actually got decent exhibits on: a comprehensive history of psychiatry, acatalogue of photographs of the mentally-ill dating dating back to 1860, and a collection of outsider and brut art including works by the mentally disabled. T...Read more

8. Huis Van Alijn

   4.2 (1300 Votes)
   

   Art And Culture, Museum, Off Beaten Path, Specialty Museum

   This is one of the weirdest museum’s you’ll ever visit. It’s basically a house an almshouse that’s supposed to send you back in time. What it actually looks like is as if the many-Earths theory was true and the inhabitants of the people from different versions of the same house are represented here. There are vintage TVs, wedding gowns, old cashier boxes, antique furnitu...Read more

9. Museum Of Fine Arts

   

   Art And Culture, Art Museum, Heritage Building

   While the museum focuses on Flemish Art, there is quite a bit of extra regional artistic representation here too. There are a large number of sculptures; an extensive Medieval Ages collection; artwork from the Renaissance; the Netherland Baroque and Realism; and neo-classism, romanticism, expressionism and surrealism. Of course, there’s a smattering of contemporary art too. This variety n...Read more

10. St. Nicholas Church

    4.5 (1352 Votes)
    

    Church, Religious Site, Architecture

    This church practically hits you with its domineering presence. It’s bold, big, solemn and impossible to miss. It was built over an earlier Romanesque church that stood in the same spot. Until the belfry of Gent was built, the church tower, unusual for having been built over the nave rather than the front, used the be the city’s watchtower. Together with the belfry and St. Bavo&rsqu...Read more

11. Museum Over Industrie, Arbeid En Textiel

    4.2 (688 Votes)
    

    Museum, Specialty Museum, Heritage Building

    Gent built its fortune on textiles in the medieval ages; t might be the only reason that the city prospered and survivied. In tribute to that legacy, they’ve built this museum on Gent’s primary industry and labour in the remains of an old and abandoned cotton mill. On;y 3% of the museums entire collection is on display. It focuses on both antique and modern gadgets that are in anywa...Read more

12. Stedelijk Museum Vooractuelekunst

    4.1 (316 Votes)
    

    Art And Culture, Art Museum, Museum

    A new contemporary arts museum that hosts both national and international exhibits, the museum is quickly becoming a favourite of a the city. It’s exhibits are nown for being unexpected and daring. Most of its collections date after 1945.

13. Stam Gent City Museum

    4.3 (424 Votes)
    

    Art And Culture, Museum, History Museum, Architecture

    There is no single historical factor that influenced Gent more than others. The city has many layers to it’s identity it’s a cultural hotspot, a seaport, a student town and a historical destination. This city museum unveils these layers for the visitor. Over six rooms, the Story of Gent traces the medieval beginnings, the orthodox Early Modern Era, the Industrial Revolution to the p...Read more

14. Bij Den Wizjen En Den Zot

    

    Built in a 16th century guild hall, you can enjoy great French and Flemish specialities here.Bij den Wijzen en den Zot is a small restaurant in a very authentic, old building.The owner who serves the food, is very friendly.

15. Stam Ghent City Museum

    

    It's a really new museum and everything is organized and working. There's a lot of interactive stuff and you'll not get bored at all. The museum explains the history of the city, and it's a great introduction to Ghent.

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