Good Times in Gent

To celebrate Jon's return at the end of September and the un-seasonably beautiful weather we were experiencing, we embarked on an overnight trip to Gent, Belgium. Other than seeing this city on signposts in Belgium, we really didn't know much about this capital and largest city of the East Flanders province.

Gent is often compared to with Bruges, with its many canals, bridges and gabled buildings. However, whereas Bruges is storybook charming and thronging with tourists, Gent has more of a city feel with a vibrant university population. We had been looking forward to a trip to Gent since June when we met a fun couple in Lisbon from this city. We were sat next to them at dinner and struck up a conversation which resulted in spending the rest of the night exploring Lisbon's nightlife together. They explained that Gent is a favorite city among Belgians, who feel that Bruges is too touristy. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet up with them on our visit, but we managed to have an incredible time exploring Gent's charms.

The Graslei

The must-see sights are few in Gent, and could easily be covered in a day. There are several churches in the old town and we visited St. Bavo to see the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb Altarpiece. We also climbed to the top of the Belfry, a belltower, to see commanding views of Gent. 

St. Nicholas Church viewed from the Belfry

View of Gent from the Belfry

But mostly, our sight-seeing consisted of meandering along the Graslei and viewing the gorgeous architecture of the old town, and stopping at cafes to experience local brews. We also managed to find a great place for dinner with all-you-can-eat ribs. It. Was. Awesome.

After a night to ourselves in Gent, we were joined the next day by great friends, the Grimms and Moones. They decided to make a day trip to Gent and we had a blast exploring shops together, eating lunch and cruising the old town streets. 

Sipping Klokke Rollands at the famous Waterhuis aan de Bierkant

The Graslei at Night

Enjoying a Night with Belgian Beers

Our trip was short and sweet, but we couldn't have asked for a better time in Gent complete with gorgeous weather, stunning architecture, a laid-back ambiance, good friends and delicious food and brews. We definitely hope to get back to Gent!