Ghent is a vibrant university town located to the north west of Brussels and home to a quarter of a million people. The town is famous for being a cosmopolitan destination with a small town atmosphere and is a popular destination for both locals and visitors. Upon arrival, stroll around the Medieval streets lined with cafes and stop for some Flemish cuisine and beer as you enjoy Ghent's vibrant atmosphere.
Visiting Ghent
Ghent is a popular university city in Flanders, Northern Belgium and a perennial favourite of those who enjoy a cosmopolitan atmosphere without the stress of larger destinations. Ghent is home to a fantastic range of attractions. Spend your mornings discovering the Medieval architecture of Ghent and your afternoons watching the locals go about their business enjoying a beer in the historic market square. Ghent has two main stations: Gent-Dampoort and Gent-Sint-Pieters. The former is the smaller of the two and serves a select number of trains from Antwerp, Bruges and other smaller towns located in the Flemish countryside. Gent-Sint-Pieters is Belgium's third-largest train station and is a mix of architectural styles with a classical facade and modern glass canopy. The station provides services to cities including Brussels, Leuven, Antwerp and Bruges. Travel from Brussels to Ghent in just 30 minutes on one of the 82 trains to Ghent which connect the two cities each day. The travel time between Ghent and Antwerp is between 35 and 55 minutes depending on the service selected.
Places to visit in Ghent
- St. Bavo's Cathedral: is an impressive mixture of Roman, Baroque and Gothic architecture and its famous altarpiece, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, makes it one of the city's most important attractions.
- Canal Network: Like Amsterdam, Ghent is blessed with an extensive canal network which makes for a picturesque place to enjoy a coffee or bite to eat. A boat tour around the canals is also an excellent way to see the city from a different perspective.
- Flemish Restaurants: Ghent has a number of Flemish restaurants where you can enjoy local delicacies such as Oliebollen and the always delicious Belgian chips. The cuisine here is also influenced by French cooking with many fine restaurants to choose from.
- Belfort en Lakenhalle: Also known as the Belfry, Belfort en Lakenhalle is a historic building constructed in the 14th century which once rang the bells which echoed across the city. Today you can take a lift to the 66m high upper gallery and enjoy sweeping views across the whole of Ghent.T
- SMAK: The City Museum for Contemporary Art, known as SMAK, hosts work by some of the world's most esteemed artists including Francis Bacon, Karel Appel and the incomparable Andy Warhol. It is located opposite the Museum of Fine Arts so keen museum-goers can easily visit both.
Ghent train stations
Gent-Sint-Pieters is the largest of the major train stations in Ghent and it dates back to 1881 when it was known as Ghent South. The station is the third busiest in Belgium after Brussels and Antwerp and over 17 million passengers pass through it annually. The station has undergone extensive renovation and boasts a classical architectural style with the addition of a glass canopy at the front. The station is connected to all major cities in the country including Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges. Dampoort is the city's second station and is located in the neighbourhood of the same name. There are semi-regular services to both Antwerp and Bruges but for trains to Belgium, passengers must depart from Gent-Sint-Pieters.
Discover more about the Belgian train network by visiting our trains in Belgium page.