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Ghent & Antwerp

Posted by (Madison, WI, USA) on

Does anyone know if it's possible to see Ghent & Antwerp in the same day?

Below is a "one day" itinerary I found on the internet. It seems like I would miss a lot if I tried to see the two in one day. Any thoughts or opinions on this?

When you arrive in Ghent, head to its
central district and up to the top of the 14th-century Belfry for beautiful
city views. In nearby Sint-Baafskathedraal, you can lay eyes on a medieval
masterpiece: Jan van Eyck's The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (1432). From
the cathedral, stroll to the medieval inner harbor along Korenlei and
Graslei. Next, it's onto Antwerp. Here you can visit the Grote Markt and
view its dramatic Brabo sculpture-fountain. For an insight into the artist
Rubens, visit his home, the Rubenshuis.

Posted by
4555 posts

If you plan to spend the night in one of those two cities, then yes, it's do-able. But if you're overnighting much farther away, it makes it a lot tougher. Gent and Antwerp are only about 60 kilometers (40 miles) apart. There are a couple of train departures/hour between the two cities, and it takes 45-50 minutes, so it's not long.

Posted by
12040 posts

I would say you could see either in one day (although preferably more for Antwerp), but not both. And certainly not both as a daytrip from somewhere else.

The itinerary you quoted doesn't mention visiting the Gravensteen in Ghent, which is probably the most popular attraction. You can also get a pretty good view of city from the tower, avoiding the need to climb the Belfry. Also, unless you arrive at Sint Baaf's early in the morning, expect a long wait to see the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. It sits in a very small room in the corner of the cathedral, and has controlled access. By mid-morning, there's a considerable line of tour groups.

For Antwerp...well, there's SO MUCH more to see than the Grote Markt and the Rubenshuis.

To make either visit more effecient, learn to use the bus/tram systems of each city (www.delijn.be). The historical center of Ghent, for example, is a far walk from the train station.

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