Ghent
A university city of canals and a medieval castle, quieter and larger than Bruges
A city of Belgium
🗓️Best time to visit
April–October is best (the Ghent Festival in July, warmth and long canal-side evenings); winter is quiet and relatively cheap.
📸Top activities & landmarks
- The medieval Gravensteen castle
- St. Bavo's Cathedral and the Mystic Lamb altarpiece
- The historic Patershol quarter
- The Belfry and Korenmarkt
- The SMAK contemporary art museum
🏨Where to stay
The historic centre around Korenmarkt or Patershol suits first-time visitors — everything is walkable from there.
⚠️Tips & warnings
Ghent is cheaper and less crowded than Bruges with similarly beautiful canals — if time is tight, favour it for a fuller, calmer day.
📍 On the ground
Getting around: De Lijn trams (lines 1, 2, 3, 4) cross the city end to end; a single ticket is €3 (free transfers within the hour), a day pass ~€7.5, a 72-hour pass ~€15. The Ghent CityCard (48h ~€42-45) bundles transit with museum entry. The historic centre is easily walkable.
Halal & prayer places: A sizeable Muslim community (Turkish and Moroccan), especially around Oostakker; several mosques (Fatih Camii, the 'Green Mosque', Selim Masjid) and Moroccan, Turkish and Lebanese halal restaurants are around — less dense than Brussels or Antwerp but adequate without extensive searching.
Local safety: Same as country →
Cost figures: 2026 prices: a tram ticket €3, a 48-hour CityCard ~€42-45 (transit + museums), the Belfry climb ~€12, a simple halal meal €8-12, a mid-range restaurant €20-30.
⏱️How many days?
1-2 days
Suggested plan:
- Gravensteen castle and the cathedral
- Patershol, the Belfry, and canals by evening
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