See what the experts are saying about Ghent. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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Introduction
Ghent (Gent), the capital town of Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders) province, is often considered a poor relation of Bruges in tourism terms, with historical monuments and townscapes that are not quite as pretty as those in its sister city to t... Continue reading »
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Best dining bets
Brasserie Pakhuis (tel. 09/223-55-55): A steady stream of locals in the know make their way to this stylish brasserie-restaurant, in a handsomely converted warehouse tucked almost out of sight down an unprepossessing side street (Pakhuis mean... Continue reading »
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The best castles, palaces & historic homes
Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts): Even more than 900 years after it was built, the castle of the Counts in Ghent can still summon up a chilly feeling of dread as you look at its gray stone walls. It's a grim reminder that castles were not a... Continue reading »
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The best historic sites
Belfort en Lakenhalle (Belfry and Cloth Hall): At the heart of Ghent, this superb Gothic monument with a soaring bell tower dates from 1425. Stadhuis (Town Hall): A complex mix of architectural styles defines the exterior of a civic buildi... Continue reading »
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The best shopping
Lace: There are two kinds of Belgian lace: exquisite handmade pieces and machine-made stuff. Machine-made lace is not necessarily bad -- indeed some of it is very good -- but this is the form used to mass produce pieces of indifferent quality... Continue reading »
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The best churches
Sint-Baafskathedraal (St. Bavo's Cathedral): Notable enough in its own right, even if its combination Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque does lack a certain fluidity of form, St. Bavo's principal glory lies inside. Jan van Eyck's 24-panel altarp... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Getting There By Plane--Brussels National Airport is the main airport for Ghent. From the airport, the best way to get to Ghent is by train, via Brussels. By Train--Trains arrive every hour or so from Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges. Jour... Continue reading »
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Fast facts
American Express-- There is no office in Ghent. The nearest is in Brussels. Area Code-- Ghent's telephone area code is 09. You need to dial 09 both inside Ghent and from elsewhere in Belgium. Dial just 9 (without the initial 0) if you're p... Continue reading »
Popular Ghent Hotels
- Holiday Inn Neu Isenburg
- Hotel Restaurant Ochsen
- Express By Holiday Inn Gent
- Erasmus Hotel
- Holiday Inn Gent Expo
- ACHAT Hotel Karlsruhe/ Bretten
- Goldman 25hours
- Ringhotel Winzerhof
- Best Western Palatin Kongress Hotel
- Gravensteen Hotel
