Ghent

Urban Riverfront

Population: 262k

Best Season to Visit:

Best Off-Peak Month to Visit: February

Famous For: Medieval architecture and canals, Saint Bavo's Cathedral and the Ghent Altarpiece, Graslei waterfront, Flemish art and design culture, Vegetarian food scene, Student-friendly atmosphere and nightlife

Train Access: Yes (Belgian Railways (SNCB/NMBS))

Bus Access: Yes (De Lijn)

Walk across Sint-Michielsbrug at dusk and you'll see why locals never tire of this view—the illuminated facades of Sint-Baafskathedraal, Sint-Niklaaskerk, and Sint-Jacobskerk reflected in the Graslei waterfront. The medieval core around Graffiti Street (Werregarstraatje) and Vrijdagmarkt pulses with independent galleries, vintage shops, and cafés where people actually linger. Start at Sint-Baafskathedraal to see the Van Eyck Altarpiece, then wander the narrow lanes toward Citadelpark, where the Museum of Fine Arts and Design Museum sit side by side. The student population keeps things loose—you'll find experimental theater at Handelsbeurs, live jazz tucked into basement bars on Onderbergen, and Sunday flea markets at Graffiti Street that feel genuinely local, not staged. Gravensteen (the medieval castle) dominates the skyline but the real texture comes from sitting on a bench at Citadelpark watching people move between centuries.

VRBO Vacation Rentals
Learn More

With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, Vrbo connects homeowners with families and vacationers looking for something more than a hotel for their trip. The Vrbo community offers families an array of rental property types such as condos, cabins, lake rentals, beach houses, and more. Discover properties in destinations that everyone dreams of visiting.

VRBO Vacation Rentals

Planning Your Trip to Ghent

Weather: Ghent has a temperate maritime climate with cool, often gray winters and mild summers; expect frequent rain year-round and occasional fog rolling off the canals.

Festivals: Gentse Feesten (July), Gent Jazz Festival (July), Wintergloed (December–January), Gent Filmfestival (October)

Best Things for Kids to Do: Citadelpark has a dedicated playground and the Design Museum includes interactive exhibits that don't feel patronizing. Sint-Baafskathedraal's tower climb rewards kids with a 360-degree view and the effort of 91 steps. Blaarmeersen lake, a 15-minute tram ride south, has a sandy beach, paddleboats, and a water park that runs summer weekends. The Graslei waterfront itself functions as a de facto play zone—kids chase pigeons, watch boats, and the ice cream shops never close.

Hidden Gem: Sint-Jacobs is a 15th-century church most tourists skip because it sits one block off the main drag, but the interior has an almost austere beauty—soaring wooden vaults, minimal decoration, and a quiet that feels earned rather than curated. The attached cemetery holds graves dating to the 1600s and the whole complex sits in a pocket of the city where foot traffic drops to almost nothing.

Accessibility: The medieval core has uneven cobblestones and narrow passages that challenge wheelchairs; Sint-Michielsbrug and Graslei are accessible but require planning around the layout. Sint-Baafskathedraal has a ramp entrance and accessible interior. Trams are equipped with lifts and the main transit hub at Gent Sint-Pieters station has elevators. Citadelpark and the museums there are fully accessible. Call ahead for specific accommodations—Ghent is improving but remains a city where accessibility varies block to block.

For the Runner: The Citadelpark loop (approximately 2.5 km) circles the park and museum district on flat, paved paths with minimal traffic. Blaarmeersen lake has a 5 km perimeter trail that's popular for longer runs and includes water views. The Grasbrug to Sint-Martens-Latem route (roughly 8 km one-way) follows the Leie River south through quieter neighborhoods and is mostly flat with some tree cover.

Restaurants in Ghent

Ghent's dining scene centers on Flemish cuisine, with waterfront restaurants along the Graslei serving traditional dishes like waterzooi and Belgian beer pairings. The city has expanded beyond regional fare to include contemporary European and international options, though fine dining establishments remain concentrated in specific neighborhoods rather than distributed throughout the city.

Where to Stay

Ghent's accommodation spreads across three tiers without much middle ground. Budget options cluster around the train station and student quarters; mid-range hotels concentrate in the Citadelpark area and along the canals near Sint-Michielsbrug; luxury properties occupy converted merchant houses in the Graslei district. Most places are within walking distance of the center, though canal-side locations command premium rates.

Best Hotels: Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof sits on Graslei with direct water views and a restored 18th-century facade; the rooms feel lived-in rather than st

Dog-Friendly Hotels: The Student Hotel Ghent welcomes dogs in private rooms and has a ground-floor courtyard where dogs can move around; staff are genuinely dog-positive. Champlain Hotel allows dogs in select rooms and sits near Sint-Jacobs, which has a small green space where dogs can stretch.

Ghent

Planning Your Trip to Ghent

Restaurants in Ghent

Where to Stay

Recommended Reading