Things to Do in Ghent

Ghent's three towers—St. Bavo's Cathedral, St. Michael's Church, and the Belfry—dominate the skyline and have guided travellers for over 600 years.

The city was once as powerful as Venice during the Middle Ages, with its own merchant guilds and trade routes controlling Flanders' economy.

Ghent became the world's first major city to declare itself vegetarian-friendly, with 'Donderdag Veggiedag' (Veggie Thursday) encouraging plant-based eating since 2009.

Saint Bavo's Cathedral houses the Van Eyck brothers' famous 'Ghent Altarpiece' (1432), one of the most important paintings in Northern European art.

The city's picturesque canals and medieval architecture remained largely intact because Ghent was never heavily bombed during World War II.

Ghent's student population is so large that bikes outnumber cars by roughly 5 to 1, making it one of Europe's most cycle-friendly cities.