One of the best things about Ghent? The delightfully weird and wonderful names — Vrijdagmarkt, Korenmarkt, Dulle Griete… it feels like the city was named by a medieval poet with a sense of humor!
While we were based in Lille in January, we couldn’t resist hopping on a FlixBus and dashing across the border for a whirlwind day in Ghent.
This underrated Belgian gem was once the powerful capital of Flanders and one of the largest cities in medieval Northern Europe. Its trade guilds grew fabulously wealthy weaving top-quality wool — until English competition wrecked the industry in the 15th century.
The city fought back in the 18th century by modernizing its port for big ships, sparking a fresh boom in cotton and textiles.
Today Ghent charms visitors with its fairy-tale medieval streets, castles, and fantastic museums. Every five years it explodes with color during the massive Gentse Floraliën flower show (peek at the stunning photos on FLICKR!)
And just like that — we were off on the FlixBus!
Castle Gravensteen was the first monument to greet us.
After hopping off the FlixBus, we had a brisk walk into town — and the very first sight that greeted us was the imposing Gravensteen Castle.
This dramatic fortress (now a museum) rises straight out of the Middle Ages. The original motte-and-bailey burned down in 1176, so the current stone castle dates from 1180 and served as the official residence of the Counts of Flanders until the mid-1300s.
Even better? In 1949 students staged a hilarious rebellion here over a beer tax — they literally called it the « Battle of Gravensteen Castle ».
We continued walking to reach the heart of the city and we arrived at the « Vrijdagmarkt » the Friday Market Square.
It was cold in the open square of the Vrijdagmarkt, about 26 degrees farenheit! We weren’t surprised when snowflakes fell off and on throughout the day.
So much architecture around the Vrijdagmarkt! The two pictured below, built in 1899, are the « Bond Moyson » building, and the current site of the ‘Socialist Workers of Belgium’.
Dominating the center of the Vrijdagmarkt square is the statue of wealthy weaving merchant Jacob van Artevelde. He boldly sided with England during the Hundred Years’ War. Under Edward III, Ghent prospered like never before. But when rumors spread that he wanted the “Black Prince” crowned Count of Flanders, the furious mob rose up and killed him right here in this very square.
Cuberdon – local treat!
A “don’t miss!” in Ghent is the famous candy: Cuberdon, cheekily nicknamed “Ghent Noses”. This quirky raspberry jelly treat hides a sweet liquid center and has mysterious origins. Just look at the colorful cart in the photo – they’ve gone wild with new flavors!
We kept wandering, completely enchanted by the stunning architecture around the square. Here are a few photos of us soaking it all in!
Just steps from Vrijdagmarkt, we stumbled upon this monstrous bombard beside the canal — basically the medieval version of a rocket launcher!
Meet Dulle Griete, Ghent’s legendary giant cannon. Built in 1382, it boasted a terrifying 25-inch caliber and hurled 700-pound granite balls, according to Albert Manucy in Artillery Through the Ages, (available to read online at the NPS History website).
Being a little peckish and certainly cold, we found a tiny café (advertised as the smallest pub in Ghent) serving “Glühwein” – a hot, winter drink of spices and sugar mulled with red wine.
Warmed up with a cup of “Glühwein”, we continued our stroll through Ghent. Here’s the magnificent Town Hall — I love how those statues seem to be watching over us! In fact, they were actually carved to be peering down on the townsfolk to intimidate them into good behavior!
Next we peeked into the historical part of the Town Hall. Since it’s still the actual administrative seat of the city, there are no regular tours. There is a virtual tour online.
Here are a few of the bits we were able to see from inside the entrance.
On our way to the next historic sights, we wandered along the River Leie’s canal under moody gray skies, snapping photos of the beautiful scenery as we went.
Above: St. Michael’s Bridge with its charming canal-side homes and me playfully peering through a spyglass on that gray afternoon. The elegant Church of Saint Nicholas, the towering Belfry, and majestic Saint Bavo’s Cathedral are all lined up in one stunning frame.
Saint Nicholas Church (below right) dates from the 13th century and stands on the Korenmarkt — Ghent’s original wheat market and bustling medieval trade center.
Pressed for time, we skipped the inside of Saint Nicholas Church and hurried over to Saint Bavo’s Cathedral to see the world-famous Van Eyck altarpiece, The Mystic Lamb. It was pay-to-view and they were about to close, so we quickly snapped tons of photos inside the cathedral. Later I discovered the full altarpiece beautifully displayed on their website! Van Eyck Alterpiece
Along with the fabulous stained glass of medieval churches and a mysterious crypt door hiding the Van Eyck, we discovered a stunning painting of the Nativity – ‘Ode to Rubens’ – in glorious primary colors! In my opinion, it was the most beautiful piece of art in the building. Painting by Annie Gansbeke
Ghent showed us its playful modern side too. We wandered past quirky shop windows filled with tempting Belgian desserts, waffles, and the gloriously named BOOKZ & BOOZE store — because nothing says “perfect afternoon” like books and booze in one spot!
Proof that Belgium takes its waffles seriously.
After the grueling self-tour, we stopped for a delicious ‘make your own’ Poke bowl (courtesy of “Hawai’ian Poke Bowl”), followed by a coffee at the famous Scottish restaurant “Mac” Donald’s.
We were then fortified to stroll down the famous graffiti street, where the walls burst with colorful street art. Proof that this medieval city knows how to keep things fresh and fun!
Of course, we couldn’t leave Belgium without a proper chocolate haul! Here I am proudly posing in the shop window with my well-earned box of Belgian chocolates — mission accomplished. 😋
We loved our beautiful day in this exciting and historic city, As we headed back to Lille, exhausted and falling asleep on the Flixbus, we dreamed about our future adventure in the Northwestern French city of Rouen.
Mont Saint-Aignan, Rouen