Wondering how to spend one day in Ghent? This one day in Ghent itinerary has you covered from cathedrals, waffles, beers to cosy candlelit cafes, read more to dive into this Flemish city. Everything you’ll need to plan a day trip to Ghent.
Ghent, Belgium is a quaint city with a medieval flair. It’s characterised by age-old architecture, cobblestone streets, and countless chocolate shops.
Let’s get into the best things to do in one day in Ghent Belgium. To make the most out of your Ghent day trip itinerary of sightseeing, here are all of the top places to visit, things to see, and food to eat!
1. Do A Ghent Walking Tour
One of the best things to do in Ghent Belgium is a walking tour of the historic city centre. I never visit a city without doing a walking tour and Ghent was no exception. If you’re looking to learn more about the city’s history during your day trip to Ghent? Why not let a friendly local lead you on a walking tour around the city.
Your guide will mix modern and historical facts, and provide plenty of local insight into the different Ghent attractions.
For visitors short on time, a Ghent walking tour will allow you to discover the history of the city in a short amount of time. Tours run every day and usually last around two hours.
⭐️ RATING: 4.7 out of 5 Stars (30+ reviews) | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours | 🎟️ BOOK NOW
2. Take A Ghent Canal Cruise Tour
Looking for quick Ghent tour? Why not take a 50-minute canal cruise through the beautiful medieval old town and charming canals if you want to see Ghent in one day.
Give your feet a break and enjoy almost a full hour of admiring Ghent’s iconic sites from a different perspective on this boat tour.
Pass medieval churches, the famous Gravensteen castle, the three medieval towers, and much more. A live guide will fill you in on the history of the sites you pass on the boat tour and provide entertaining anecdotes.
⭐️ RATING: 4.3 out of 5 Stars (1200+ reviews) | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 1 hours | 🎟️ BOOK NOW
3. Do a Beer and Chocolate Tour with a Local Guide
I had the pleasure of taking a 3-hour beer tour with Liselot, the fantastic founder and guide of Belgium beer days. Guys, I highly recommend this tour, because you not only drink nine different types of beer.
But Liselot also educated my tour group on Belgium’s proud brewing traditions, how and why they are so many different types of beer in Belgium.
Throughout the tour, I sampled beers from big Belgium brands and craftwork brews, tasting a mix of malty, hoppy, fruity, reddish, and herby beers to sour beers.
I learnt how to pair chocolate and beer using different flavour combinations – aka pairing Neuzeke with sour beer. This pairing is for the people with a unique pallet, like me. It’s a weird combo, but I liked it.
This tour was interactive and fun, Liselot’s passionate for Belgium beer shows in this tour, and it made me love trying the beers even more. Plus she showed us tranquil little places and shops that only the local’s know.
If you love beer, heck if you are a beer novice like myself, I highly recommend that you do this tour. You’ll not only taste lush beers, learn some cultured beer stuff to impress your friends back home but also have fun doing it.
⭐️ RATING: 4.1 out of 5 Stars (10+ reviews) | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours | 🎟️ BOOK NOW
4. See The Views From St. Michael’s Bridge (Sint-Michielsbrug and Sint-Michielshelling)
St. Michael’s Bridge offers one of the best vantage points in Ghent. It’s located right in the city centre – surrounded by 360 degrees of beautiful architecture.
Michael’s Bridge is a popular place for pictures. From the Michael’s Bridge, you’ll be able to see the three famous Medieval Towers of Ghent. These are the towers of St. Nicholas’ Church, the Ghent Belfry, and St. Bavo’s Cathedral.
5. See Saint Nicholas Church
The church of Saint Nicholas in Saint-Niklaaskerk is a few minutes walk from Ghent town center. It’s the owner of the oldest of the three great spires that dominate the pedestrianised center of Ghent.
The constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries St Nicholas church contains a mixture of Flemish Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles and was built of Tournai limestone.
The exterior is adorned with flying buttresses and spiky spires as well as a central tower. The grandeur of the church was paid for by Ghent’s wealthy medieval merchants to signal their wealth to the rival Flanders trading cities of Bruges and Antwerp should be at the top of your Ghent day trip itinerary.
6. Climb The Ghent Belfry (Belfort)
When trying to decide what to see in Ghent, Belgium in one day, the Ghent Belfry should be high on your list. The Belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that symbolises the city’s prosperity and independence.
Standing 91-metres high, it’s the tallest belfry in Belgium. It’s one of the city’s three iconic medieval towers, construction began in 1313. Inside, the bell tower there are exciting exhibits that showcase the original bells and clockwork.
You need to pay a fee to go to the top, but you’ll be greeted with rewarding views of the whole city. You can either take the elevator up or get a workout by taking the stairs. The visiting the Ghent Belfry should be at the to of your Ghent day trip itinerary.
7. Graslei and Korenlei
Graslei is a quay, which is a landing dock for ships. It’s in the historic city centre, on the banks of the Leie River.
Opposite of the Graslei is another quay called Korenlei. Both of these docks were part of Ghent’s medieval port. These two parallel pedestrian streets are a must-see when in Ghent.
Want to know what makes this place so magical? During the day, you can see the historic facade of the buildings that line the waterfront reflected on the river.
Don’t forget to pack your travel camera for your walk along the canal by Graslei and Korenlei. You’ll get some epic shots that are totally Instagram worthy.
There is also a high concentration of patio cafes along the waterfront. This is a prime position for enjoying a morning cappuccino or afternoon beer and admiring the views. These canals are easily one of the most beautiful things to see in Ghent Belgium.
8. Explore St. Bavo’s Cathedral
The Saint Bavo Cathedral is a big and beautiful Gothic architectural gem of a church. It’s also one of the oldest parish church in the city of Ghent.
The inside of the St Bavo’s Cathedralis very impressive and full of religious sculptures and paintings. The most iconic feature found inside is the Ghent Altarpiece, also referred to as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
This towering 15th-century altarpiece is a true masterpiece of European art and represents the early Northern Renaissance. It was created in 1432 by brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck.
The religious paintings are divided into several sections, which are splayed out behind the Baroque high altar. When you visit, make sure to admire the views from both sides, as there are paintings on the backside as well.
You have to pay a small fee to enter St Bavo’s Cathedral, but the extra cost of your entrance ticket includes an audio guide.
It goes into more detail about the painting so you can better appreciate its significance. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V was baptised here.
9. See St Bavo’s Abbey (Sint-Baafsabdij)
St Bavo’s Abbey a hidden oasis in the historic centre of Ghent. In the 7th century, Amand of Ghent founded St Bavo’s Abbey in an attempt to convert the inhabitants to Christianity.
In 1540, due to the Ghent uprising, Emperor Charles V ordered the demolition of the abbey. Today the shape of the original Romanesque church is marked out with green shrubs.
10. Gravensteen – Castle of the Counts
One of the top places to visit in Ghent in one day is the Gravensteen. The Gravensteen is a medieval castle that dates back to 1180. It’s well preserved and walking around will take you back to medieval times. A lot of the areas around the castle are accessible, which makes it extra enjoyable to explore.
Your entrance fee comes with an audio guide voiced by a local comedian and takes you on a self-guided tour around the castle.
This isn’t your typical flat-toned historian talking either – the guide makes learning the history of the Gravensteen, the Count that built it and his love life fun, entertaining, and educational all at the same time.
Even if you only have one day in Ghent Belgium, visiting this castle is a must! You can get some epic shots of the stunning city skyline from the Gravensteen.
11. Korenmarkt
Korenmarkt, which translates to the ”wheat market” in English, is one of Ghent’s most charming city squares and one of the places to visit in Ghent in one day. It contains many historic buildings, which have been turned into restaurants, bars, and cafes.
If you’re looking for an authentic meal during your day trip to Ghent, this is the place to visit. It’s also a lovely area to grab a coffee, or cocktail, and watch the world go by.
If your one day in Ghent itinerary happens to fall close to Christmas, you’ll be delighted to know that this is where the city’s annual Christmas market is set.
12. Werregarenstraat – Graffiti Street
What to see in Ghent in one day? The Werreganen Straat. Werreganen Straat or Graffiti Street is a sanctioned area of the city for street art.
This bright and eclectic two-block area showcases a kaleidoscope of murals. It’s ever-changing, so you could visit Ghent multiple times and see something new every time.
If you need a break from the castles, churches, and chaos of the city centre, head here to check out some unique Ghent street art. Also, if you’re looking to capture the perfect selfie during your Ghent day trip, this is the place to do it!
13. Patershol
Patershol is one of the cutest places to see in Ghent in one day it is a picturesque neighbourhood in Ghent with medieval charm.
The narrow, cobblestone streets follow their original path from the Middle Ages. These historical back streets are filled with local shops, corner cafes, and low-key restaurants.
The area is pedestrian-friendly, making it a lovely place to wander around. If you want a real, local experience, head to Rococo, this quaint cafe is lit by candlelight only and will make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. Order a coffee or a beer and enjoy the cosy ambience.
14. House of Alijn
House of Alijn, also called Huis van Alijn, is a museum that presents the history of popular culture in Belgium from the 18th to 21st century. It showcases the country’s day-to-day life and culture through different objects.
These include electric devices, toys, books, etc. There are also old photos, videos, and audio recordings. Learn about domestic daily life in Belgium and gain a glimpse into how people used to live. Another cool aspect of the museum is that it’s housed in Ghent’s only preserved Medieval house.
It also has a museum cafe. If you can’t get enough of Belgian beer, pop in before or after you visit and have a drink in the buildings intimate inner garden.
The museum ticket price is very affordable, and you’ll gain even more insight into the local culture and is one of best the things to do in Ghent Belgium.
15. Vrijdagmarkt
Vrijdagmarkt is one of Ghent’s oldest squares. It translates to “Friday market”, which stems from its tradition of holding a weekly Friday market. This tradition dates back to the 12th century and still takes place to this day.
If your Ghent itinerary lands on a Friday or a Saturday, make sure to swing by. You’ll find local vendors selling things like fish, fresh produce, baked goods, and hand-crafted souvenirs.
Outside of these days, it’s still a lovely square to check out. Swing by Dulle Griet – one of the most popular bars in Ghent, and enjoy a fresh pint of Belgian beer.