Ghent On A Budget

Have you ever visited a city that you just fell in love with? Well, the moment I set foot in Ghent, the city stole my heart.

Often overlooked in favour of Bruges, Ghent is an enchanting university city in the Flemish region of Belgium. With a perfect combination of old and new, cosmopolitan and cosy, the city is also packed with attractions that make it well worth your time.

While I wouldn’t necessarily count Ghent as a budget destination, there are plenty of ways that you can keep costs low while enjoying everything that this vibrant city has to offer.

Getting There

Ghent is within easy reach by train, with 4 trains leaving Brussels every hour on the short 30-minute journey. Once at Gent-Sint-Pieters station, it’s just a 15-minute trip on Tram 1 into the centre of the city.

Avoid the temptation to travel by car. Inner Ghent is classed as a low-emission zone, and much of the city centre is totally car-free. Plus, as you’ll see below, it is fairly well connected by a number of nearby cities.

Travelling From Elsewhere?

Travelling From	Journey Duration	Changes	Train Frequency	Example Standard Return Price ( € )
London	2h 41m – 3h 1m	1	Every 2 hours	180
Paris	2h 8m – 2h 14m	1	Hourly	95
Bruges	22m – 41m	0	4 per hour	17
Lille	1h 25m – 1h 36m	1	Hourly	55

To check out specific train times and prices, visit thetrainline.com

Where To Stay

For my long weekend in Ghent, I opted for the charming Atlas B&B, which will set you back around £75 a night. Each room of this beautiful old building is themed according to one of the 7 continents, providing truly unique accommodation with wonderfully friendly service. I actually ended up being upgraded to the recently refurbished apartment – a great option if you prefer to cook your own food on holiday. For a cheaper alternative, Airbnb has plenty of options for under £50 a night.

As far as location goes, you don’t need to be too strategic. The city centre is pretty small, and many of the sights are grouped close together. For getting around, Ghent is a pedestrian’s paradise, and all of the main attractions are easily found on foot. If you want to see anything a little further afield, the city’s buses and trams are all very well organised and totally affordable.

Take a look at the map below to compare your accommodation options.

Booking.com

What To Do

I highly recommend getting the Ghent City Card to use during your stay. I don’t always go for city cards, as sometimes I find it would be cheaper without, but in this instance you get a lot of bang for your buck. You can pick one up for either 48 or 72 hours, and it will give you entry to all the museums, monuments and sights in the city. Not only that, but it gives you free use of all the buses and trams, access to the water tram and bike rental for one day, and includes a guided boat tour, which was probably one of my favourite parts of the trip. 

I try to do so some kind of tour in every city I go to. I always learn so much more about the place I’m visiting and discover all these different parts of the city that I might not have discovered on my own. The boat tour was not just informative and entertaining, but was also a really relaxing way to see what Ghent had to offer. Our guide truly impressed by delivering the tour in 3 different languages, all while commandeering the boat through the city’s canals and rivers! The tour lasts for about an hour and stops off right in front of the brilliant Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant, where you can pop in for a Belgian beer while you plan the rest of your day

There is no shortage of museums and attractions to choose from in Ghent, though my favourite has to be Gravensteen Castle. With an absolutely fascinating history, ‘The Castle of the Counts’ is a brilliant way to while away a couple of hours and is truly a sight to behold. If you do visit, make sure to opt for an audio tour, where a good-humoured narrator will take you on a journey through eclectic personalities that once inhabited its walls.

Where To Eat and Drink

Eating out in Ghent isn’t particularly budget-friendly, though there are plenty of informal outlets to pick up some food that won’t cost the earth. Chain chippie Frites Atelier is great for a gourmet snack, or if you fancy something a bit more traditional, the teeny tiny Himschoot bakery has a cracking selection of pastries and cakes.

For an evening treat, Sint Jorishof boasts a unique charm, with a menu of Flemish dishes in a stately and somewhat whimsical setting. If you’ve room to spare after one of their generous mains, round off the evening with a classic warm Belgian waffle.

Update April 2024: Unfortunately, St Jorshof has since closed down. On revisit to Ghent, I enjoyed a delicious meal at ‘t Oud Clooster which I can highly recommend. My family of 4 each had something different, all beautifully presented and generously portioned (I can personally vouch for the shrimp croquettes). The restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s got a great atmosphere and really friendly service. Grab a table on the terrace if you can!

Naturally, Ghent also has plenty of places to enjoy a cold beer or two. As well as the aforementioned Het Waterhuis, these are some of my favourites.

For a drink with a difference, Trollekelder is an absolute must-visit. A candlelit tavern with troll-themed decor, it has a warm and cosy atmosphere with a good selection of beers. For the real beer connoisseurs, De Dulle Griet deserves a spot on your list, with a whopping selection of more than 500 to choose from. But don’t be alarmed if the barman asks for your shoe. For certain glasses they are taken as collateral, hung from the ceiling in a basket until you’ve finished your drink.

Finally, Cafe Galgenhuis is a brilliant spot to soak up the sights. The smallest cafe in Ghent, it is smack bang in the middle of the action, making it perfect for people-watching while enjoying an ice-cold beer. The building itself is also packed with history. Once a tripe house before becoming a site for executions, it has been run exclusively as a cafe since 1776.

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