How to See Ghent in One Day | Itinerary | Travel Guide

Ghent is my favorite place in Belgium (2^nd only to Brussels), and I’m here to show you how to enjoy very best of it in just a single day. You may not have a lot of time, but the good news is, you don’t need it! One day in Ghent is enough to see all its top spots. It could be a day trip, but booking a hotel will allow you to get to know it a tad bit better, even though it will probably be a one-night stand.

Ghent is a university town, which adds a bit of youthfulness (and parties, if that’s your jam) to the otherwise historic city center. After all, combining the old with the new is what Ghent does best! It’s a lively, charming city with a fun riverside promenade lined by beautifully preserved buildings. It even includes a man-tastic 10^th century castle (it’s really not a place for princesses!). Just don’t forget to buy tickets in advance or be left outside weeping as I was. Hey, we all make mistakes, no matter how much travel experience we have.

In this article, I’ll give you tips on visiting Ghent, write out a full 1-day Ghent trip plan while recommending hotels and restaurants, and answer your FAQs. Ready?

A few tips for visiting Ghent:

• Some places require advance ticket purchase because they simply sell out in advance. I missed out on not one but two great spots in Ghent because of this, so I’m here to help you not make the same mistake I did. Book tickets to the Belfry and tickets to the Gravesteen several days in advance to be certain you’ll get in.
• The city center is completely pedestrianized. You’ll only ever need to get in a taxi if you’re visiting the STAM, though even that is in walking distance.
• If you are bringing a car, note that the city center is a a low emission zone. Also, make sure to book a hotel with parking available, like the cool Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel, the classy Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof, or, for something a tad more budget-friendly (Belgium ain’t cheap!), take a look at The Hide aparthotel.
• Then again, I’m here to say that you don’t need a car in Belgium (I know, wild coming from me!). The trains in Blegium are the best—clean, fast, and frequent, connected to every single place you’d consider going. From Brussels, Ghent is a half-hour train ride, and trains leave up to 6x per hour.
• I don’t think you need the Ghent CityCard, because you’re only staying for a day and not going to any museums except for the STAM. See FAQs at the end of this article for more info.

Ghent orientation + map

A map of the locations of all the places you’ll see during your day in Ghent (get the full list in Google Maps)
 

If you look at all the places on this itinerary, you’ll see they’re all located within 1 km² (0.6 sq. mi). See? That’s the reason you only need a day in Ghent. Plus, since the center is pedestrians only, exploring is easy peasy and comfortable

Life in the city center is centered around Graslei, a sort of promenade by the river lined by gorgeous former port houses and even more gorgeous restaurants. It’s by far the prettiest place in Ghent and t reminds me of Copenhagen’s Nyhavn. 

To the north, passing by the epic Gravensteen Castle, there’s Portshol, a particularly picturesque part of the old town and the culinary heart of Ghent. Everything else worth seeing in Ghent is located a close walk away from either of these spots.

The only thing slightly further away is STAM - Ghent City Museum and the train station.

Here's the plan of your one day in Ghent in order of how you’ll be visiting them:

1. STAM Ghent City Museum
2. St. Bavo’s Cathedral
3. Belfry of Ghent
4. Ghent Town Hall
5. St. Nicholas’ Church
6. Graslei
7. St. Michael’s Bridge and Church
8. Gravensteen
9. Patershol, Vrijdagmarkt

Ghent itinerary for one day: Full trip plan

Let’s walk around Ghent’s city center, where the new merges with the old
 

Restaurant tips: 't Koningshuis | Bridge | De Graslei | Manhattn's Burgers
Hotel recommendations: Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel | Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof |The Hide
Further reading: Best Things to do in Ghent | Bruges 1-Day Itinerary | Best restaurants in Belgium

Ghent itinerary, stop 1: Arriving in Ghent

If you’re coming to Ghent by train, plan your arrival for slightly before 9 am (because that’s when your next stop opens). Travel time from Brussels Central Station to Gent-Sint-Pieters is 30–40 minutes and standard ticket fare is EUR 10.80. Check train times and book tickets on SNBC (Belgium railways) website.

The train station in Ghent is about 2 km (1.2 mi) to the southwest of the city center, so it’s not hard to walk, but you can also call a taxi (Bolt and Uber both work in Belgium) or take tram no. 1. Today though, I suggest doing neither—instead, you’ll stop at the contemporary Ghent City Museum (STAM) before heading to the city center.

Ghent itinerary, stop 2: STAM Ghent City Museum

STAM Ghent City Museum is a must!
 

Distance from last stop: 1 km (0.6 mi), a 15-minute walk or short taxi
Time spent here: 1–2 hours
Price: EUR 11
Opening hours: Closed Wednesdays, Mon+Tue+Thu+Fri 9 am–5 pm, weekends  10 am–6 pm
Official website: STAM

I don’t know about you, but visiting a place is much more enjoyable for me if I know at least some of it’s historical significance and what makes it tick. Luckily, Ghent makes that super easy—they put their city museum right smack in the middle of the way between the train station and the city center. Perfect. Head there first thing after you arrive in Ghent.

From the train station, either walk the 15 minutes or call a taxi to STAM. It opens at 9 am during the week and at 10 am on weekend (closed Wednesdays), so plan your train times accordingly. There are lockers where you can leave your things next to the ticket area.

STAM tells the story of Ghent through a chronological trail of objects and a lot of things you can touch and interact with, making it fun and not just educational. Temporary exhibits dive into urban themes from various angles, and it’s all really well done in true Belgian fashion. Belgium is a master at museums, after all.

STAM Museum after-hour viewings
 

The buildings of STAM are contemporary and cool, but also historical, because it's housed in a former hospital, so you get something old and something new… beware if you’re wearing something borrowed and something blue!

No need to buy tickets in advance. An hour should do it unless you're a history buff (in that case you’ll need 2 hours) or get sidetracked at the on-site café. Remember, you only have a day in Ghent, so no slacking! It’s time to head to town!

Ghent itinerary, stop 3: St. Bavo’s Cathedral

What’s next? The massive St. Bavo’s Cathedral
 

Distance from last stop: 1.8 km (1 mi), a 10-minute taxi
Time spent here: 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending if you go on the augmented reality tour
Price: EUR 11 + EUR 16 for augmented reality tour (worth every cent!)
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am–5 pm, Sundays  1 pm–5 pm
Official website: St. Bavo's Cathedral website

Given you’ve just arrived in Ghent, you may be lugging around your bags, which is annoying and not very practical. So now, head to your hotel and drop those babies off. For this itinerary, Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel works best just because it’s the perfect starting point for your exploration of Old Town, but it’s not a big deal if you choose a different spot.

Then, you’ll make your way to the massive St. Bavo’s Cathedral. What you probably aren’t expecting in a church is a VR experience, but St. Bavo’s is moving with the times and offers an awesomely informative augmented reality tour dedited to its most prized possession, the alterpiece.

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, by the Van Eyck brothers, can be seen at St. Bavo’s in all of its restored glory. This 15^th-century masterpiece is like the “Avengers: Endgame” of religious art: intricate, grand, and packed with symbolism. It’s got saints, sinners, angels, and, of course, the titular lamb representing Jesus.

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, by the Van Eyck brothers in St. Bavo’s Cathedral
 

If you follow my suggestion and get the augmented reality glasses, you’ll find out from historical figures themselves (yes, they come up and talk to you!) about the tumultuous histroy of the alterpiece: how it was created, lost, stolen, found, sold, etc. Basically, it’ll leave you wondering how it managed to survive in the first place.

It helps that you’re in the crypt of the cathedral during the “show”, so it’s all sort of mystical and magical. Very much worth the extra EUR 16. I think the 40-minute version was enough, but apparently the 60-minute version costs the same, so if you like to get more bang for your buck, try that instead, but remember you only have one day in Ghent, so think twice about where you’ll linger.

Actually, the cathedral is chock full of art and it’s where art lovers will have an absolute blast. If you like the type of art that gets displayed in churches, that is. There’s even a model of St. Bavo’s inside St. Bavo’s!

Spend anywhere from 20 minutes for a regular tour to over and hour if you do the AR tour. Then, move on.

Ghent itinerary, stop 4: Belfry of Ghent

The Belfry museum and the Belfry tower
 

Distance from last stop: 150 m (0.1 mi), a 2-minute walk
Time spent here: 30 minutes
Price: EUR 11, buy your tickets in advance unless you got the Ghent CityCard (then you always get to enter)
Opening hours: Daily 10 am–6 pm
Official website: Ghent Belfry website

Just a few steps from St. Bavo’s is Ghent’s Belfry tower. It used to be the city’s watchtower—after it took over from the tower of St. Nicholas’ Church next door in 1442—where guards would look out for danger such as enemies or fire. The UNESCO Heritage List tower houses the mascot of Ghent, a dragon, and used to also hold the city’s alarm bell, nicknamed “Roland”. Since the bell cracked in 1914 it was taken down and is now on display next to St Nicholas’ Church (your next stop, how lucky!). But the dragon is still in there, and has been since 1377.

View from the Belfry Tower
 

There’s an exhibit inside that tells you all about the history of the tower and the dragon and the legend about the man who was breastfed by his daughter to cheat his way out of a starvation sentence. See the old jailor’s house on the corner with the relief above it that refers to the legend. And, when you climb all the way to the top, you get a pretty awesome view of the city.

You have to walk one floor and then can take the elevator or walk up a pretty claustrophobic spiral staircase, but the rule seems to be elevator up, stairs down. The 300 or so stairs get narrower the further up you go, and passing others on the way down is a nuisance, because traffic jams happen A LOT, with people being stuck, too afraid to continue, etc. Stop at the rooms along the way with historical information, and you can even see the carillon that plays music on some nights.

I recommend buying your tickets online in advance, not just to beat the line, but to get in at all—when they’re at capacity, they stop letting people in. In peak tourist times, this could mean you stay outside.

Ghent itinerary, stop 5: Ghent Town Hall

You can see the mix of Renaissance and Gothic and you can see my choice for a photo...
 

Distance from last stop: 150 m (0.1 mi), a 2-minute walk
Time spent here: 5 minutes
Price: You’re just walking past it, so it’s free. Guided tours are extra

A small detour before you head to St. Nicholas’ Church will take you to Ghent’s City Hall. While there are guided tours of the interior, I think all you need to do is walk past the outside and wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you or if the town hall building really is built in about 5 different styles.

There’s a Gothic side and a Renaissance side, and all this is made even more confusing by a blue and white rain pipe. You can wonder what these colors mean, but there is no explanation to it, so you’ll need to just use your imagination! Unless you are a fan of the local football (soccer) team, in which case, those colors are for you (as the fans like to believe). 

Like I said, no need to go inside unless you have a special interest in Ghent’s political buildings. Head straight over to your next church now.

Ghent itinerary, stop 6: St. Nicholas’ Church

St. Nichola’s Church won’t take you long but it’s definitely worth your 15 minutes! The best view of it is from the Belfry right next door
 

Distance from last stop: 150 m (0.1 mi), a 2-minute walk
Time spent here: 10 minutes
Price: free
Opening hours: Daily 10 am–4 pm
 

Almost time for lunch, but one more quick stop to truly earn it: St. Nicholas' Church. Compared to the Belfry and St. Bavo’s, this one’s a breeze—you’ll be in and out in 15 minutes (or if you're me, 5).

Built out of Tournai bluestone, the exterior has a slight blue tint if you squint hard enough. St. Nicholas' is smaller and more intimate than the previous stops, making it a quick visit. You can really just peak inside for a minute and be done. There are only so many churches you can stare at in the matter of one hour if you ask me!

There is art in the interiors that could hold you interest if it’s your style. But the most interesting part is the tower that serves as some sort of natural lantern of light. It’s above the nave where it’s crossed by the transept, and it shines light down into the church like God himself is holding a light to it.

Now, let’s head for some well-deserved lunch!

Ghent itinerary, stop 7: Graslei and lunch (+optional boat tour)

Graslei—the perfect lunch spot!
 

Distance from last stop: 150 m (0.1 mi), a 2-minute walk
Time spent here: 1–2 hours
Price: free (+EUR 10 for a boat tour)
 

Walk just a couple of minutes away towards the river what locals call the most beautiful place in Belgium—Graslei. I don’t know if I’m going to agree with them completely on that, but it is charming, and, being such a popular place, it’s the perfect spot for some people-watching and lunch. This spot is always bustling.

You’ll likely also see St. Michael’s Bridge at this point, but we’ll come back to it after lunch, so don’t stop and get sidetracked just yet.

Graslei is an area on both sides of the river that is lined by preserved port houses that have now been converted into eateries and cafes. That's where you and your growling stomach comes in. Of course, you'll need to choose your restaurant wisely, because this is exactly the type of place where the odd tourist trap can fly under the radar. Either hop on Google Maps and do a quick review check, or just choose one of these two places that I've vetted: De Graslei (beware they are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays), or Manhattn's Burgers. Both have outdoor seating, so you'll be eating and sightseeing at the same time—are we effective or what?! Don’t expect the culinary experience of your lifetime, but you should leave these restaurants feeling satisfied and ready to move on with your tour of Ghent.

Optional stop: Boat tour

The boat tour around Ghent’s sights was very pleasant
 

As you’re walking and eating in Graslei, you can’t not notice the many boats on the river. If you fancy a little tour, hop on one of them for a 40-minute sightseeing cruise around Ghent. The tour goes up and then back down the river, so you see the same sights twice, but when those places are as nice as Ghent's sights, it’s nothing to be mad about. 

The guides tell stories about the sites that you are seeing on the tour, usually in French, Flemish and English. It is sometimes hard to follow along due to the language switches, but if you keep your ears peeled, you’ll be ok. Just don’t get too mad if you pass whatever he or she is talking about before your language comes up.   

The average price of these boat tours is EUR 10. The tours go all day long, so you could also choose to do it later in the evening to cap off your day in Ghent. As they say, the world is your oyster! Or, in Belgium, they should change that to ‘the world is your mussel’! Because they eat a lot of those there… which I hate—abominable food if you ask me! More about food and drinks popular in Belgium.

Ghent itinerary, stop 7: Saint Michael's Bridge and Saint Michael's Church

Saint Michael’s Bridge...
 

Distance from last stop: Right at the southern end of Graslei
Time spent here: 20 minutes between both the bridge and the church
Price: free
Opening hours: the bridge is always open, the church: Tuesdays to Sundays 2 pm–5 pm (which is why you need to wait until after lunch to come here), closed Mondays

Time to start up your walking tour of Ghent once again. But no worries, Ghent is very compact, so your next stop is right under your nose if you were just in Graslei.

First, head to St. Michael’s Bridge. Interestingly, it wasn’t always the arched stone structure it is nowadays—it used to be a flat turntable bridge until the beginning of the 20th century. You can see St. Michaels’ Church on the other side of the river, but don’t charge straight there just yet.

But the best thing about St. Michael’s Bridge is the views you get all around—from it and towards it on each side. Everywhere you turn, you are treated to some fantastic views of Ghent. It’s apparently the only spot in Ghent from which you can take a photo with all three of Ghent’s towers in it. So, do that, and then move on to the church.

....and Saint Michael’s Church. And me, of course.
 

The plans for St. Michael’s Church were grand in the 11^th century—“Let’s build a super tall tower, the tallest in the city!” they said. They proceeded to draw up a 134 m (44 ft)-tall tower (compare to St. Bavo’s 89 m/290 ft). So, big plans. But, dreams were bigger than funds at the time, and, after 700 years of the tower standing there waiting, unfinished and roof-less, the inevitable happened and the “tower” was capped off at a measly 24 m (78 ft).

Just for fun: Read about another unfinished tower, this time in Spain. The “One-armed Lady” is Malaga’s Cathedral had a fate similar to St. Michael’s Church. Guess why it only has one “arm”.

Go inside St. Michael’s (beware it only opens at 2 pm), and you’ll be able to look at a bunch of art for free. It’s all very church-y. Compared to the other popular churches in Ghent, it’s less grand. Not much to do for more than a few minutes, so let’s move on. You have bigger things to tend to!

Ghent itinerary, stop 8: Gravensteen aka the Castle of the Counts

I liked the Gravensteen Castle from the outside, but next time I’d better get a ticket in advance...
 

Distance from last stop: 600 m (0.4 mi), a 10-minute walk
Time spent here: 1.5 hours
Price: EUR 13, buy your tickets in advance or you’ll end up not going in, like me
Opening hours: Daily 10 am–6 pm
Official website: Gravensteen official website

Who likes history, knights, and castles? But not the Cinderella kind, the largest-exhibit-of-torture-equipment kind.  A day in Ghent will not be complete without visiting Gravensteen, aka the Castle of the Counts. It has a moat, y’all! It’s the only intact medieval castle in Flanders, and I’m here for it!

Or, I tried to be. Not buying a ticket in advance cost me a visit of Gravensteen, which I am upset about to this day. I was left outside, wandering around the moat, taking too many photos. But you can be smarter and purchase your ticket ahead of time. The gatehouse, ramparts, keep, count’s residence and stables are open to visitors.

This isn’t a farytale castle, instead closely reflecting the turbulent political history of Ghent. This place oozes power and military vibes, with a full defense system with 24 towers, completely stone interiors where everything is functional, and… a large torture collection. Let’s just say the counts weren’t exactly known as gentle and generous, instead laughing evils laughs while abusing their power (or so I imagine). Not only was the castle meant to protect the city, but it was also supposed to intimidate the town’s own citizens in case they wanted to challenge the count’s authority. Can you imagine actually living in these times??

A view of Gravensteen from a different angle. Just from the outside. It still hurts...
 

Luckily, to lift the mood and prevent depressed tourists roaming Ghent, the Gravensteen audio guide is voiced by a comedian in an uplifting tone. You’ll still learn about Ghent’s many battles and power struggles, but the guide is also full of funny anecdotes that’ll make you focus less on the gruesome details. It’s supposed to be very entertaining, not the usual type where you’re clicking ahead to the next stop because you’ve heard enough. There is little signage inside the castle, so you really need the audio guide to fill you in.

Also, don’t expect a castle full of fancy rooms, the ones at Gravensteen are largely empty, aside from the torture equipment and some swords and such. Be ready to walk up and down stairs and stare at the stone walls. There’s a one-way system so that people aren’t always bumping into each other, which is a smart move, considering this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ghent.

You should be able to see everything inside the castle in about an hour.

Ghent itinerary, stop 9: Patershol

Take a nice walk around Patershole!
 

Distance from last stop: Right behind Gravensteen
Time spent here: An hour or two or more
 

Alright, it’s the last stop of the day! The perfect spot for dinner and drinks and an evening stroll: Patershol. It is touted as “foodie heaven” because there are restaurants for every taste here, as well as cozy bars and cafes. Whether you're into traditional Flemish dishes or international fare, you'll find something to satisfy your cravings. And hey, after all that sightseeing, you’ve earned it! It’s also where Ghent residents actually live, so it feels a less touristy and more “I’ve found the place where the locals hang out!”.

Narrow cobblestone streets and old brick houses in a completely pedestrianized area means you just walk and see which establishment sucks you in. We decided to chill out at 't Koningshuis, which ended up being one of my favorite restaurants in Belgium. This is a restaurant that has the words “beef” and “burgers” right in the logo. Add the dark red interior and bullheads on the walls and you’ve got yourself a restaurant that feels mighty and meaty. After visiting Gravensteen, you’ll feel like this is exactly what you’re supposed to be eating.

Walk along the river and onto Zuivelbruig (bridge) to get great pics of the houses lining the water. Bonus points if you manage this at sunset! If you want to venture out just a few steps more, you can also cross over and walk to Vrijdagmarkt—a square where there’s a market on Friday and Saturday each week. In the evening, you’ll find exactly what you’d expect: more restaurants and bars. You know you want to try some of those famous Belgian beers! Enjoy!

>> My hotel recommendations for Ghent: the cool Yalo Urban Boutique Hotel |the classy Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof <<

The next day: Continue to Bruges?

Ghent is almost my favorite place in Belgium (aside from Brussels), but since you’ve seen it all in a single day, it’s time to head out again. My tip? Bruges. It’s another small city that deserves exactly one day of your time. It’s an easy 30-minute train trip from Ghent.

Bruges is very heavy on the tourist traffic, which is why Ghent surpasses it in my eyes. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any locals that aren’t servers at the restaurants you’ll be eating in or selling you tickets at the spots you’ll be visiting. Still, with it’s magical canals and midieval charm, Bruges is worth a stop. For me, it’s the beer museum that stole my heart! Not kidding, it was so good it topped my list of favorite museums in Belgium!

Now, let’s look at some of your FAQs so you can really plan your day in Ghent and iron out the wrinkles:

FAQ 1: Is one day enough in Ghent?

You can see all of Ghent’s highlights in a single day. You can even see them as a day trip, but spending the night will make things less stressful. There are a few churches, a castle and a couple of lively neighborhoods where you can spend the perfect day. More than a day would be practical if you’re a slow traveler and like to spend hours just wandering. That’s not my style though, and I think Ghent really doesn’t necessitate more than a day.

FAQ 2: Is Ghent a walkable city?

Ghent’s city center is largely pedestrianized, so you can easily be your own transportation for a day exploring Ghent. We walked everywhere and only took a taxi to STAM and the train station. You can also take trams if you’re up for some public transportation in a foreign country!

Ghent is easily walkable if you stay in the city center

FAQ 3: Is Ghent nicer than Bruges?

I personally like Ghent more than Bruges, not necessarily because it’s more beautiful, but because it feels like a real place and not a tourist destination. Bruges is very pretty, it has the canals and perfect alleys… and hoards of tourists. Ghent has a mix of history and modernity and a nice local population, with a vibe that’s cool and youthful thanks to the city’s university student population.

FAQ 4: Is it worth getting the Ghent CityCard?

I don’t think you need to get the CityCard if you’re in Ghent for just one day and not going to a ton of museums. There are two CityCard durations and the shortest one is for 48 hours and costs EUR 42. It gives you discounts on museums and monuments, free public transport, a bicycle rental for free, and allows you to skip the line in some places. Try this CityCard discount calculator to try to figure out if it’s worth getting a CityCard for your Ghent visit.

A little bit about Ghent’s history

Ghent’s history dates back to the Middle Ages, when it emerged as a major trade and textile hub in Europe. It was once the capital of Flanders, a region that now spans parts of Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. During the medieval period, Ghent was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in northern Europe. Its strategic location at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys made it an economic powerhouse.
 

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