Ghent

Medieval Canals, Art and Hip Vibes

Ghent is a city in Belgium known for its medieval architecture and vibrant cultural scene. The historic center features canals, stone bridges and well-preserved guild houses that reflect its trading past. Local markets sell fresh produce alongside artisan crafts. Bike paths wind through parks and along waterways, making it easy to explore. Museums display Flemish paintings and contemporary works, while cafes serve Belgian waffles and beer. The mix of history, green spaces and modern life creates a relaxed yet lively atmosphere for visitors seeking both quiet walks and cultural events.

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City in Belgium

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 7.7

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	8

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Most menus and signs are in English, and locals are friendly and used to international visitors, so getting around is easy.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Ghent Summary

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Great for medieval architecture and lively culture. Walk canal-lined streets, visit historic castles and churches and enjoy cafés, markets and local Belgian food.

Place score

7.2

Best at:

Walkable

Spotless

Museums

Architecture

Historic sites

Personal score

Suited for

👶 7

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

❤️ 8

Couples

Belgium – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type E Type C: Type E: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted, though some smaller establishments may prefer cash. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not mandatory but appreciated for exceptional service. Rounding up the bill is common.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed, and beer culture is an important aspect of Belgian life.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned in indoor public spaces, with designated outdoor areas.

National Day (July)	Festivities and closures occur.
Christmas (December)	Markets and festive events are held.
Easter (March/April)	Cultural celebrations and closures happen.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Bolt, Uber
Other:	Belgium is famous for its waffles, chocolates, and beer. Public transport is efficient and reliable.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Ghent, Belgium

🌦️

Jan

⛅

Feb

🌦️

Mar

⛅

Apr

🌦️

May

⛅

Jun

⛅

Jul

⛅

Aug

⛅

Sep

🌦️

Oct

🌦️

Nov

⛅

Dec

High season:	May - Sep.
Shoulder season:	March - April, Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	7 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Gentse Feesten: ten-day street festival around 21 July, mid to late July, hotels book out early

Christmas market and winter lights from late November to late December

Don't miss

🏰 Explore the medieval Gravensteen Castle and museum
⛪ Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral and view Ghent Altarpiece
🚶‍♀️ Admire the picturesque Graslei and Korenlei quays
🌆 Climb the Belfry Tower for panoramic city views
🌉 Stroll across the iconic St. Michael’s Bridge
🖼️ Discover local art at the Ghent City Museum (STAM)

You've been here?

Why travel to Ghent?

You’ll love Ghent if you crave a mix of rich history and a youthful, creative spirit. The city’s highlights include the imposing Gravensteen Castle, the mesmerizing Ghent Altarpiece in St. Bavo’s Cathedral and the lively Graslei and Korenlei riverfronts lined with medieval guild houses. Ghent is less crowded than Bruges but just as beautiful, with an urban edge and a friendly, laid-back vibe. It’s great for exploring on foot or by bike and the car-free center makes wandering a pleasure. Just be ready for unpredictable weather – rain showers are common and some cobblestone streets can be slippery. The nightlife is fun but can get rowdy on weekends and watch out for cyclists when crossing the street!

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Museum of Fine Arts
2 Design Museum Gent
3 Castle of the Counts
4 Saint Nicholas' Church
5 Stadsmuseum Gent

🎡Places for activities

1 Belfry
2 Portus Ganda
3 Sint-Pietersplein
4 Graffiti Street
5 Topsporthal Vlaanderen

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Scheldt
2 Koning Albertpark
3 Muinkpark
4 Vinderhoutse Bossen
5 Gentbrugse Meersen
6 Citadelpark
7 Keizerpark
8 Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen
9 Coupure
10 Liedermeerspark
11 De Groene Vallei

🛍️Shopping

1 Vrijdagmarkt
2 Veldstraat
3 Shopping Center Zuid
4 Langemunt
5 Brabantdam
6 Mageleinstraat
7 Dok Noord

🎈Events

Ghent Festival (Gentse Feesten)
Ghent Light Festival (every three years)
Film Fest Gent
Ghent Jazz Festival
OdeGand
Ghent Six Day (cycling event)
Floralies of Ghent (every four years)
Ghent Christmas Market
International Puppet Busker Festival
Ghent Festivities
Gentse Feesten (Ghent Festival)
Ghent Light Festival
Floraliën (Flower Show)
OdeGand music festival
Christmas Market
Patershol Festivities
Winter Wonders
Van Eyck Year celebrations

Explore on map

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Knowledge before you go

Stay central; Ghent’s medieval core is best walked.
Go at dusk for the illuminated canals; Graslei and Korenlei look magical after sunset.
Climb the Belfry for skyline views; it’s part of Ghent’s iconic “three towers”.
For a quieter classic photo angle, cross Sint-Michielsbrug early morning before day-trippers arrive.

How to travel to Ghent

Ghent is about 45 minutes by train from Brussels (including Brussels Airport). Direct trains also run from Bruges, Antwerp and other Belgian cities. International travelers can fly into Brussels Airport and connect by train. The city is well-served by highways and has a major bus station for regional and international routes.

Access summary

From Brussels Airport (BRU): Direct intercity trains to Gent-Sint-Pieters, about 1–1.5 hours.
From Brussels city: Frequent trains from Brussels-Midi/Central to Ghent, around 30–40 minutes.
From Bruges: Direct trains to Gent-Sint-Pieters, usually 30–45 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Ghent

Ghent has everything from boutique hotels in historic buildings to stylish hostels and riverside B&Bs. The Old Town is most atmospheric, but nearby neighborhoods like Patershol or Sint-Pieters offer quieter, often more affordable options. Book ahead during festivals or summer weekends.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

B&B Hotel Gent Centrum

9.1

Hotel Cour st Georges

8.3

NH Collection Gent

9.1

Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof Ghent

Ibis Gent Centrum Opera

8.5

ibis budget Gent Centrum Dampoort

8.7

Ibis Gent Centrum St Baafs Kathedraal

8.7

Novotel Gent Centrum

8.5

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Ghent

Ghent’s car-free center is perfect for walking or cycling. Trams and buses reach every part of the city quickly and easily. Bike rentals are popular and canal boat tours offer a scenic way to see the sights. The main train station (Gent-Sint-Pieters) is connected to the center by frequent trams.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

+18 %

Daily expenses in Ghent are around 18% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend considerably more on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£69	£153	£411
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£25	£59	£126
🍝 Food per day	£33	£82	£232
🚕 Transportation per day	£11	£13	£53

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£36
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£16
🍟 Fast food combo	£11.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£11
☕ Cappuccino	£3.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.70

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.60
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£32
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.40

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£23
🤧 Cold medication	£7
💇 Basic haircut	£17

Safety information overview

General safety

Ghent is very safe, but pickpocketing can occur in crowded spots, especially during festivals or on public transport. Watch for bikes when crossing streets and be cautious in nightlife areas late at night.

Health & Medical

Excellent healthcare is available, with clinics and pharmacies throughout the city. Emergency services are reliable. Bring any personal medication and note that some pharmacies close early on Sundays.

Accessibility

Most attractions, shops and public transport are accessible, but cobblestones and some historic buildings can be tricky for those with mobility issues. Trams and buses are wheelchair-friendly.

Tap water

Tap water is safe and high quality. Public fountains are available in parks and squares. Carry a reusable bottle to stay hydrated, especially when walking or cycling.