Hi all:
We will only have a few hours in Ghent on our way back from Brugge to Brussels, maybe around 3pm until whenever.... I know we can't see much but I wanted to just hop off the train and see some of the sights from the outside. Looks like maybe a boat tour could give some highlights. Has anyone done a boat tour in Ghent? And maybe somewhere good for beer/dinner?
Thanks for any ideas!
Kim
When are you going Kim? We are flying in this Thursday and using Ghent as our base. Should be able to provide good intel by the weekend.
Scott
I'm bookmarking this. I'll be in Ghent in Sept. and might want to do a bout tour too.
Hmm…well I’ve done a boat tour of Ghent as well as one of Bruges. To me the one in Bruges was better but also neither really are able to get to highlights.
In Ghent you may start in the Korenlei area which is interesting but you can see it as easily on foot. The boats seem to take similar routes as I was staying at the Ghent River Hotel and they all seemed to turn around under my window, lol!! They usually show you the exterior of the Gravenstein Castle. The big cathedral, Sint Baafs is not on a canal nor is the City Hall.
As I understood it the canals were used to ship goods so were not necessarily in the main square areas.
I’m not saying not to take a canal boat ride, just saying the things I would consider highlights in Ghent couldn’t be seen by canal. To me the most fabulous thing is the Ghent Altarpiece, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb located in Sint Baafs. It does need a timed entry and has an Alternate Reality program that I enjoyed.
I’ll also admit to having been on a canal cruise in Amsterdam and Haarlem, lol.
Definitely agree with Pam! If you can only do one thing, go to the cathedral to see the altarpiece. If you have more time, we also found the interior of the Gravensteen Castle quite interesting. If you are going to be in Bruges, do your boat tour there.
I found a street walk more enjoyable than the (perfectly "satisfactory") boat ride. I think we had to duck our heads under bridges.
I enjoyed the canal ride but do walk around as well.
OK sounds good, maybe we will just walk around then. And I will check into the altarpiece! And Scott would love to hear about your trip!
Thanks all!
Kim
I’d skip the boat tour. The main sites in the city are very walkable once you get to the historic center. Believe it was Tram #1 we took from the St. Peter train station and got off at Gravenstein castle.
Tram 1 with direction Evergem or Wondelgem (clearly visible above the driver seat) goes indeed from Sint-Pieters to Korenmarkt or Gravensteen in the historic centre of G(h)ent. For going back you have to take tram 1 with direction Flanders Expo. Every stop is announced, so easy to know where you can get off.
Korenmarkt is the best stop if you want to go directly to the Altarpiece in Sint Bavo's Cathedral.
