Ghent is a compact medieval city of canals, guild houses and towers, and it has far fewer tourists than nearby Bruges. Most of what a first-time visitor wants is within a fifteen minute walk of the Graslei, which makes it an easy city to enjoy at an unhurried pace. It is also a real, working university town, so the cafes, bars and restaurants feel lived in rather than staged.
How many days
Two days is the sweet spot, and a long weekend lets you slow down. With one day you can see the castle, the quays, the Belfry and the cathedral and take a canal cruise. With two, add a museum, a food or beer tour and an evening in Patershol. With three or more, add MSK and S.M.A.K. in the south of the city and a leisurely day of cafes and shopping.
What to book ahead
Very little is essential. Gravensteen and the Belfry sell tickets at the door and online, and online booking is recommended for the castle in busy periods. The Ghent Altarpiece visitor centre has timed entry, and booking online is wise if you want the augmented reality tour or the CityCard discount. Food and beer tours run with small groups, so book those a few days ahead, especially for weekends. Dinner reservations are worth making on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The altarpiece in 2026
The Ghent Altarpiece, Van Eyck's Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, is in the final phase of a long restoration. The restored exterior panels and five lower panels are in the cathedral's visitor centre, while the upper panels of the open altarpiece are being restored in a glass-fronted studio at MSK, where you can watch the restorers at work from Tuesday to Friday. On weekends the panels are shown. The work is expected to finish in spring 2027, after which the altarpiece returns to the cathedral. Check both sites before you travel, and plan to see the cathedral and MSK as a pair this year.
Getting around
Walk. The old centre is small and mostly pedestrianised, the quays and the castle are a few minutes apart and the Belfry and the cathedral stand side by side. For MSK, S.M.A.K. and STAM in the south, take a tram or allow a walk of twenty to thirty minutes. Ghent-Sint-Pieters is the main station, with trains to Brussels and Bruges in under an hour, and the station is a tram ride from the centre. Most of the centre is a low emission zone, so travellers who drive should check the rules and use a car park rather than looking for street parking.
Where the headline sights fit
Start on the Graslei and Korenlei, free to visit, and take the canal boat tour from the quay for the overview. Walk to Gravensteen, which is open daily, and give it two hours. Next come the Belfry and St Bavo's Cathedral, which share a square, and the lift at the Belfry gives the best view of the three towers. A second day suits the museums: MSK for the Flemish masters and the restoration studio, STAM for the city's story and S.M.A.K. for contemporary art.
Food and beer
Try a cuberdon, the purple cone-shaped sweet, and waterzooi, the creamy stew that started here. The beer scene is excellent, and a guided tasting is the easiest way in. A guided food tour is a good first-day activity, and the lanes of Patershol, behind the castle, are the place for a longer dinner.
Seasons and events
Winter in Ghent is cold and short on daylight but atmospheric, with Christmas markets and winter festivities in December and a calm city the rest of the time. The Ghent Light Festival is held every three years, and the last edition ran from 31 January to 4 February 2024, with no new edition scheduled yet, so do not plan a trip around it without checking. Summer brings the big Ghent Festivities in July, as well as longer evenings on the quays.
Where to stay
For a first visit, a hotel near the quays or the town hall, such as the Ghent Marriott Hotel or NH Collection Gent, puts everything on your doorstep. Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof is the splurge, Monasterium PoortAckere is the characterful convent choice and ibis Gent Centrum Opera is the budget option.
