Ghent Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Ghent tours, medieval old town and Gravensteen castle walks, canal boat trips, Belgian chocolate and beer experiences, food tours, and easy day trips to Bruges and Ypres. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Ghent itinerary.
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Explore Ghent by interest
Whatever brings you to Ghent — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Old Town
Gravensteen castle and St Bavo’s.
ExploreCanal boat trips
The Graslei from the water.
ExploreChocolate
Belgian pralines and workshops.
ExploreBelgian beer
Flemish and Trappist brews.
ExploreFood tours
Cuberdons, waterzooi and cheese.
ExploreBruges
The fairy-tale city nearby.
ExploreGhent Altarpiece
Van Eyck’s masterpiece.
ExploreDay trips
Bruges, Ypres and Brussels.
ExploreTop attractions in Ghent
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Gravensteen castle
The moated medieval fortress.
Graslei & Korenlei
The guild-house waterfronts.
Canal boat trips
The river Leie from the water.
Belgian chocolate
Pralines and workshops.
Belgian beer
Flemish and Trappist brews.
St Bavo’s & Altarpiece
Van Eyck’s masterpiece.
Bruges
The fairy-tale city nearby.
Flanders Fields
The moving WWI battlefields.
Ghent in 1 day
- 1Gravensteen castle
- 2St Bavo’s & Altarpiece
- 3Canal boat trip
- 4Chocolate & Graslei
Ghent in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & canals
- 2Chocolate & beer
- 3Day 2: Bruges
- 4Flemish evenings
Ghent in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & canals
- 2Day 2: Bruges
- 3Day 3: Ypres & Flanders Fields
- 4Belgian evenings
Ghent with kids
- 1Gravensteen castle
- 2Canal boat ride
- 3Chocolate-making
- 4Frites & cuberdons
30 min awayBruges
The fairy-tale Venice of the North.
1 hr awayYpres & Flanders Fields
The moving WWI battlefields.
40 min awayBrussels
The capital and Grand Place.
1 hr awayOstend
The North Sea seaside town.
1 hr awayAntwerp
The diamond and fashion city.
40 min awayBrussels chocolate
Capital chocolate and waffles.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Ghent visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (April–June) and early autumn (September) bring mild weather and thinner crowds — the best times to enjoy the canals and old town.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Mild, blossoming days ideal for boat trips and walking, before the summer peak.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and lively with festivals like the Gentse Feesten; busy but full of energy.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Crisp, golden days with fewer crowds — an atmospheric time for the old town.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cold but cosy, especially with the Christmas market and the Ghent Light Festival in some years.
Gentse Feesten
In July the city hosts the Gentse Feesten, one of Europe’s biggest cultural street festivals, with ten days of music and celebration.
One day
Enough for the old town, the castle and a canal trip.
Two days
Add tastings and a day trip to Bruges.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, Bruges, and the Flanders Fields battlefields.
Four to five days
Add Brussels, Antwerp and the coast.
A long weekend
Ghent is perfect for a relaxed, lively city weekend break.
Travelling with kids
Mix the castle, boat rides and chocolate-making at a gentle pace.
On foot
Ghent’s old town is compact and largely car-free, best explored on foot with the main sights close together.
Canal boats
Boat trips on the river Leie offer the classic way to see the guild houses and castle from the water.
By bike
Ghent is flat and very bike-friendly, with rentals and guided bike tours a fun way to explore the city.
Trams
Ghent’s trams link the station to the centre, useful as the old town is a little way from the main station.
Trains
Frequent direct trains link Ghent to Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp, making car-free day trips easy.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for the Flanders Fields battlefields and other day trips.
Book workshops & tours ahead
Popular chocolate workshops and small-group food and beer tours sell out — book ahead, especially at weekends and in summer.
See the Ghent Altarpiece
Don’t miss the restored Van Eyck Altarpiece in St Bavo’s Cathedral; book the visitor experience ahead in busy periods.
Currency & cards
Belgium uses the euro and cards are widely accepted, though carry some cash for small shops and markets.
Taste the classics
Don’t miss cuberdons (“little noses”), waterzooi stew, Belgian chocolate, waffles and a local beer.
Less crowded than Bruges
Ghent has the medieval beauty of Bruges with fewer crowds and more local life — a great base for Flanders.
Climb the Belfry
Climb or take the lift up Ghent’s UNESCO Belfry for sweeping views over the medieval rooftops.
Chocolate workshops
Hands-on chocolate-making classes fill up — book ahead.
Beer & food tours
Small-group beer and food tours sell out — reserve early.
Ghent Altarpiece visit
Pre-book the St Bavo’s Altarpiece experience in busy periods.
Bruges day trips
Guided Bruges tours have limited places — reserve early.
Flanders Fields tours
WWI battlefield day trips fill up — book ahead.
Festivals & summer
The July Gentse Feesten and summer weekends are busy — plan ahead.
Old Town walks
Around €12–30 for a guided Ghent walking tour.
Canal boat trips
About €9–15 for a 40-minute canal boat trip.
Chocolate workshops
Roughly €25–45 for a hands-on chocolate-making class.
Beer & food tours
Around €40–75 for a guided beer or food tour.
Bruges day trips
About €40–70 for a guided Bruges tour, or cheaper by train.
How to save
Walk the compact centre, take cheap trains to Bruges, and visit early or in shoulder season.
Ghent through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild, blossoming days for the canals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A lovely time before the summer crowds.
- Best for
- Warm days and lively festivals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The July Gentse Feesten fills the city.
- Best for
- Crisp, golden days with fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- An atmospheric time for the old town.
- Best for
- Cosy days and the Christmas market.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold and damp; wrap up and enjoy the lights.