Ghent tours and tickets
Ghent is easy to plan. The Ghent Altarpiece is the one sight worth booking a few days ahead, and the Gravensteen and the Belfry can be bought at the door outside the Gentse Feesten in July. Canal boats leave all day from the quays. Beer and chocolate tastings take small groups, so book those. Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp are each about half an hour away by train.
Book these first
- The Ghent Altarpiece
- a few days ahead. Entry is by timed slot, and summer and weekend slots go first.
- Gentse Feesten rooms
- 3 to 6 months ahead. The city's ten-day street festival in July fills hotels across the center.
- Weekend hotels
- 1 to 2 months ahead. Friday and Saturday nights fill first, and there are fewer rooms in the old center than the size of the city suggests.
- A table in Patershol
- 1 to 2 weeks ahead. The small rooms on the cobbled lanes are full at weekends.
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Monuments and landmarks
Gravensteen
A twelfth-century castle of the counts of Flanders, with a moat, a keep, and a collection of torture instruments. Entry is by ticket with an audio guide included, and visits take about ninety minutes. A visit with a view over the roofs is the draw.
Which to pick. Buy online for the weekend or the school holidays. Go at opening and use the audio guide.
A few days ahead in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorThe Belfry
A medieval tower with a lift to the top, a carillon and the dragon on the spire. Tickets include the lift and a small exhibition. It stands beside the cloth hall and the cathedral.
Which to pick. Go in the late afternoon for the light on the roofs. Buy at the door, and combine it with the cathedral.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorSt Bavo's Cathedral and the Ghent Altarpiece
A cathedral with the Ghent Altarpiece, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by the van Eyck brothers. The panels are displayed in a dedicated chapel with an audio or visitor guide. Entry to the church is free, and the altarpiece has its own ticket.
Which to pick. Buy the altarpiece ticket a few days ahead for a timed slot. Go early in the day, since groups arrive later.
A few days ahead, more in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Museums and galleries
Museum of Fine Arts (MSK)
A museum of Flemish and Belgian art from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, with works by Bosch and Rubens, in a park on the south side of town. Tickets are sold at the door and online.
Which to pick. Buy at the door. It suits a wet afternoon and has few crowds, so a guided tour is optional.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorSTAM, the city museum
A museum in a former abbey that tells the story of Ghent from the Middle Ages to now, with a model of the city and changing displays. Visits take about ninety minutes.
Which to pick. Go on a rainy day or before your walk through the old town. Buy at the door, and skip any guided visit.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Guided walks and tours
Canal boat tour
Open boats run along the Graslei, Korenlei and the medieval waterways, with commentary in several languages. Trips last about 40 minutes and leave from the quays.
Which to pick. Take one in the afternoon, when the light is on the guildhalls. Pay at the quay in most cases.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorOld town walking tour
A two-hour walk through Patershol, the medieval quays and the old merchants' streets, with the story of the city's weavers and rebellions.
Which to pick. Choose a small group in the morning. It is a good first activity if you have only one day.
A day or two aheadOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Food tours and classes
Belgian beer tasting
A guided tasting of four to six beers in a bar or a small brewery, with snacks and explanations of styles such as Tripel, Dubbel and sour red. Sessions last about two hours.
Which to pick. Join on your first night. Book a day or two ahead for weekends, when places are full.
1 to 3 days aheadTours and tickets on ViatorChocolate workshop
A hands-on workshop in a chocolatier's kitchen, making pralines or a bar to take home. Classes last about two hours and run in small groups.
Which to pick. Choose it for a wet afternoon or for children. Book a week ahead in busy months.
A week aheadTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Bruges
A medieval canal city 25 minutes away by train, with a market square, a belfry and boat rides. It is crowded in the day, so go early or stay for the evening.
Which to pick. Go by train and book a canal boat on the spot. A guided day is not needed.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorBrussels
The capital is 35 minutes by train, with the Grand-Place, the Atomium and the comic-strip walls. Tours cover the main square and the chocolate shops.
Which to pick. Go alone by train and pick two or three sights. Book the Atomium slot a day ahead.
A day ahead for the AtomiumTours and tickets on ViatorAntwerp
A port city about 50 minutes away, with a cathedral, the Rubens House, a diamond district and a grand station. Tours often cover fashion and food.
Which to pick. Go alone by train and focus on the old center. Book Rubens House only on a busy weekend.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
City and museum passes in Ghent
- CityCard GentA pass with free or discounted entry to the main museums, the Gravensteen, the Belfry and the boat tours, plus public transport, over a set number of days. It suits people who plan four or more paid sights. Official page
Booking tours and tickets in Ghent
Do I need to book the Ghent Altarpiece?
It is wise. The altarpiece has a timed ticket that can sell out in summer. Buy a few days ahead and go early, when the chapel is calm.
Is the Gravensteen worth the ticket?
Yes, for the keep, the roof view and the audio guide. Allow ninety minutes. Go at opening on weekends and in July, when the Gentse Feesten fills the town.
Is the CityCard Gent worth it?
It is worth it if you plan the altarpiece, the Gravensteen, the Belfry and a museum, plus a boat. For two or three paid sights, single tickets are simpler.
Is Ghent better as a day trip from Brussels?
It works, but you miss the evenings along the canals. Ghent is a better base for Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels, since each is a short train ride.
Are canal boats worth it?
Yes, for a first look at the guildhalls and quays. An hour is enough. Walk the Graslei afterwards, and take the boat late in the day for the light.
What can wait until I arrive?
The Belfry, museums, boat tours and walks can all be bought the same day. Book the altarpiece, beer or chocolate tastings and any weekend dinner a few days ahead.