Stand on the Graslei at dusk and the city does the work for you: gabled guild houses stacked along the Leie, their reflections breaking up in the water, bells from the Belfort en Lakenhalle carrying across the rooftops. Gent rewards travellers who like their history on foot and their evenings unhurried, with medieval towers, working markets and canal-side walkways all within a short stroll of each other.
This guide suits anyone planning a city break built around architecture, art and public squares rather than a checklist of sights. It covers the monuments, churches, museums and begijnhoven named in the source material, with the practical detail you need to string them into a day.
Top things to do in Gent
1. Belfort en Lakenhalle
The belfry began in 1313 and was completed in 1380 as a symbol of the city's autonomy, and it still holds the bells that rang out Ghent's civic pride. Take the elevator to the upper gallery, 66 m up, for the bells and panoramic views over the city. The Cloth Hall beside it dates from 1425 and was the gathering place of wool and cloth merchants.
It sits on Emile Braunplein, a short walk from Sint-Baafsplein, so pair it with the cathedral next door. Free guided tours of the belfry run during Easter vacations and from May to September, Tuesday to Sunday at 14:10, 15:10 and 16:10.
2. Sint-Baafskathedraal
The exterior is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and baroque that gives little away. Inside are paintings and sculptures including the 24-panel altarpiece The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, completed by Jan van Eyck in 1432 and commissioned by a wealthy city alderman in 1420. Rubens's restored The Conversion of St. Bavo from 1623 is also here.
Since 2010 conservation work has been under way, and you can follow the activities through a glass wall. An augmented reality tour of the crypt is available in nine languages, though the kids version comes only in Dutch, French and English. Cathedral admission is free; the Mystic Lamb chapel is ticketed.
3. Het Gravensteen
Count Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders, built this castle soon after returning from the Crusades in 1180, with images of similar crusader castles in the Holy Land in mind. The walls are 2 m thick, and a small museum inside displays relics of the torture chamber. Climb to the ramparts of the donjon for views over Ghent's rooftops and towers.
It stands on Sint-Veerleplein. Note that it closes on 1 January and on 24, 25 and 31 December.
4. Graslei
This medieval harbour fronts onto the river Leie and is lined with historic buildings, among them the house of the Grain Weighers, the toll house and the Guildhall of the Free Boatmen. It is the classic view of the city, and the best time to see it is when the light drops and the facades reflect in the water.
Combine it with a walk along the Leie, where walkways follow much of the river and classic buildings line the banks near the centre.
5. Sint-Niklaaskerk
This 13th- to 15th-century church was paid for by Ghent's wealthy medieval merchants and guilds, and mixes surviving Romanesque elements with the Flemish style known as Schelde Gothic. Its tower was the first of the "three towers of Ghent" to grace the city skyline. Renovation work is still ongoing.
It stands on Korenmarkt with the entrance on Cataloniestraat, and admission is free. Visit on a Saturday if you want the longer opening window.
6. Groentenmarkt, Korenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt
These three public squares sit close together in central Gent and are lined with classic buildings, cafes and restaurants. Groentenmarkt means vegetable market, Korenmarkt corn market and Vrijdagmarkt Friday market. They are the natural place to break up a walking route between the churches, the castle and the river.
On Vrijdagmarkt you can see 'Ons Huis' (Our House), the cooperative headquarters still in use today by the trade union.
7. City Hall (Stadhuis)
The Stadhuis on Botermarkt has a Gothic facade facing Hoogpoort and a Renaissance facade facing Botermarkt, with different styles indoors as well. Its belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Botermarkt literally means butter market, and the building sits near Korenmarkt, so it fits easily into a circuit of the central squares.
8. Groot Vleeshuis
The old meat house on Groentenmarkt is worth a look for its roof, constructed without the use of nails, and for the hams hanging from the timbers. It is a quick stop rather than a long visit.
Pair it with the Groentenmarkt itself, which is right outside, and with the Graffiti alley a short walk away.
9. Graffiti alley
Werregarenstraat, between Hoogpoort and Onderstraat, is where local graffiti artists are allowed to do their work, and it is open around the clock at no cost. Note that graffiti elsewhere around town is often of better quality and artistic value.
It sits between two streets you are likely to be walking anyway, so treat it as a passage rather than a destination.
10. Vooruit
The cooperative Vooruit (Progress) once ran shops, bakeries, a newspaper, a cinema and a cultural centre for the labour movement, and some of its buildings are fine examples of late 19th- and early 20th-century art nouveau and art deco. The Kunstencentrum Vooruit on Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat was the cultural temple of the labour movement and is today used as an arts centre and concert hall.
To see more of this socialist tradition, look at the buildings around Vrijdagsmarkt as well.
11. Groot Begijnhof Sint-Elisabeth
This begijnhof was founded in 1234 and was soon named after Saint-Elisabeth, who was canonized in 1236. The last beguines departed in 1874 for the new Sint-Amandsberg begijnhof.
It sits by Begijnhofdriespark, roughly 1 km west of Gravensteen, so it works as a quieter extension of a castle visit.
12. Begijnhof Sint-Amandsberg
This begijnhof has several curved streets, with gates off Engelbert Van Arenbergstraat or Jan Roomsstraat. It is about 1¼ km east of Korenmarkt and ½ km east of Station Gent-Dampoort.
Its position near the station makes it a sensible stop if you are arriving or leaving by train.
13. Begijnhof Ter Hoye
Another begijnhof laid out over several streets, about 1¼ km south-east of Korenmarkt, on Lange Violettestraat. It suits travellers who want to see the begijnhof form without the busier routes.
14. STAM – Ghent city museum
Housed in the 14th-century Bijloke Abbey, STAM tells the story of Ghent through more than 300 historical objects and interactive multimedia, with temporary exhibitions on different aspects of urbanity. The abbey refectory shows pre-Eyckian wall paintings, and you can build Ghent in Lego bricks.
The museum is fully accessible for wheelchair users. It is on Godshuizenlaan, so plan it as a separate leg from the central squares.
15. Museum Dr. Guislain
This museum on the history of mental health was founded in 1986 and addresses the history of psychiatry through a permanent collection and half-yearly changing thematic exhibitions. The temporary shows use arts, history and science to tell a broader story about how society deals with normality, and the museum sets out to correct misunderstandings and prejudice around the treatment of mental illness.
All texts are in Dutch, French and English, and the museum is fully accessible for wheelchair users. It is on Jozef Guislainstraat.
16. SMAK (Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst)
The modern art museum sits in the north-east corner of Citadelpark and has a cafe on site. It is a straightforward pairing with the Museum of Fine Arts, which is also in Citadelpark.
17. Museum of Fine Arts (MSK)
This fine arts museum in Citadelpark holds top works of classical visual art, with names including Magritte, Jeroen Bosch, Rubens, van Dyck and James Ensor. It is a 10-minute walk from Gent Sint-Pieters Station.
Because both Citadelpark museums are close together, give them a half day rather than trying to squeeze them between stops in the centre.
18. Campo Santo Cemetery
This monumental cemetery sits on a small hill in the suburb of Sint-Amandsberg, and many famous and important Belgians who lived in Ghent are buried here. It is open daily from 07:00 to 20:00.
It is on Verkortingstraat, in the same direction as Begijnhof Sint-Amandsberg, so the two can be combined.
19. Rabot (Old Gate)
This 15th-century gate spans the canal into the city. The canal once connected the town to the North Sea but now stops at this gate, which is framed by 1960s housing blocks.
It is on Opgeëistenlaan, away from the central squares, so visit it if you are already heading north.
20. Leie walkways and Lindenlei
The Leie runs through the city like a canal, and walkways follow much of it. Near the centre you can see classic buildings along the banks. At the south end of Lindenlei, a street along the Leie south of the city centre, there is a somewhat old-fashioned drawbridge.
Use the walkways to link the Graslei with the quieter southern stretch rather than retracing your steps through the squares.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Sint-Baafsplein with Sint-Baafskathedraal, giving the Mystic Lamb chapel proper time, then walk the short distance to Belfort en Lakenhalle and take the elevator to the upper gallery for the views. Cross to Korenmarkt for Sint-Niklaaskerk, then continue to Botermarkt for City Hall and its two facades.
Afternoon. Move on to Het Gravensteen on Sint-Veerleplein and climb the donjon ramparts. From there, walk to the Graslei and follow the Leie walkways, then cut through Groentenmarkt for Groot Vleeshuis and the Graffiti alley in Werregarenstraat. If time allows, take in Vooruit on Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat.
Evening. Return to Groentenmarkt, Korenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt, where the cafes and restaurants are, and finish with the Graslei after dark when the buildings along the water are lit.
Frequently asked questions
When can I join a guided tour of the belfry?
Free guided tours of the Belfort run during Easter vacations and from May to September, Tuesday to Sunday at 14:10, 15:10 and 16:10.
Is admission to Sint-Baafskathedraal free?
The cathedral itself has free admission. The Mystic Lamb chapel is ticketed, with an additional charge for the virtual reality experience in the crypt, and reduced rates for children.
Which museums are in Citadelpark?
SMAK, the modern art museum, is in the north-east corner of Citadelpark, and the Museum of Fine Arts (MSK) is also in Citadelpark. The MSK is a 10-minute walk from Gent Sint-Pieters Station.
Where can I see art nouveau and art deco buildings?
Look at the Vooruit buildings on Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat and at Vrijdagsmarkt, where 'Ons Huis' (Our House) is still in use by the trade union.
Pick your dates, decide whether the begijnhoven and the Citadelpark museums get their own half day, and start building the route around the squares and the river.