The factor that stunned me most about visiting Ghent was that extra households haven’t found it already – as a result of from its fortress to its canals, chocolate, avenue artwork and historical past, there are such a lot of issues to do in Ghent with children.
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Round half an hour from Brussels by practice, Ghent – or Gent to make use of the Flemish spelling – can be simply over half an hour from Bruges, so it’s not solely a unbelievable place for a metropolis break in Belgium with children, it’s an awesome base to discover the nation extra extensively.
And whereas I’ve been to each Brussels and Bruges earlier than, Ghent completely received me over: should you’re attempting to resolve whether or not to go to Bruges or Ghent with children, nonetheless fairly the previous, I’d decide the latter. Though see should you can slot in a day journey to Bruges as properly, as we did.
Gravensteen fortress
Simply one my daughter’s favorite issues to do in Ghent, the Citadel of the Counts is simply on the sting of the historic coronary heart of town – head round to see it mirrored within the water earlier than you cross by the stone arch to get in.
There are shows in a number of the rooms as you wander round, together with just a few probabilities to get arms on, however what actually made the go to was the audio information, narrated by a neighborhood comic, Wouter Deprez.
As we wandered by draughty stone chambers and out onto the roof of 1 tower, earlier than strolling across the partitions, he advised tales of the fortress’s inhabitants, from the realm’s first notable knights to the person behind the Gravensteen.
Alongside the best way, we found a sword larger than my daughter (in all probability larger than me – how may anybody raise that?!), the invention of the chimney, views down onto Ghent itself, and a harp begging to be strummed.
However the spotlight for my daughter was the most recent in twelfth century open air bathrooms: two holes dropping into the moat and an image painted by the audioguide of the assembled peasantry applauding from the opposite facet of the water when their lord wanted to make use of them.
When you’re visiting with youthful children, there are one or two moments in a while within the audio information with extra grotesque tales and one or two ‘naughty phrases’ as I advised my intrigued seven-year-old as we skipped one small part of commentary.
There’s additionally a torture chamber, though it’s straightforward to bypass that room, and it’s dealt with very properly – one of many rooms earlier than, with a very nasty medieval interrogation machine was extra express however children who can deal with Horrible Histories usually tend to lap it up than get nightmares.
We got a Gent Metropolis Card for our go to, which included free entry into the fortress – entry can be free for youngsters below 12, and is just a few euros for teenagers, together with the audioguide. You can also purchase tickets on-line prematurely
MSK Gent – Museum of Positive Arts
Even when your children don’t usually take pleasure in visiting artwork galleries, I’d make an exception for MSK Gent, which has some impressively family-friendly actions to assist take pleasure in its 40 galleries.
Residence to huge names together with Outdated Masters from Hieronymus Bosch and Rubens to van Dijk, plus extra fashionable artists together with Rodin and Magritte – to call just a few – there are work from the 14th to twentieth centuries, in addition to different artworks, together with sculpture.
After we visited, Ghent was celebrating Jan Van Eyck, whose well-known Ghent Altarpiece – in any other case generally known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb – has been on show within the cathedral for hundreds of years with a particular exhibition, together with a booklet for youths with a stamp path, concepts for them to attract, gadgets to identify and extra.
My daughter had taken pens and paper to hone her personal inventive abilities… with workers solely asking very politely that she didn’t level her felt suggestions AT the artwork work. As my blood ran chilly on the very thought, I promised faithfully that she wouldn’t.
Together with an audio information for adults, there’s a model for youths – each simply have to be pointed on the symbols on the wall to activate every part.
The children’ model is marked by a pigeon image: it was solely about two days later than my daughter corrected my assumption {that a} pigeon narrated it – apparently Van Eyck himself was doing her commentary.
So whereas we moved by the rooms barely sooner than I might have performed alone, it was at the very least partly as a result of my daughter was eager to see what was subsequent fairly than bored and longing to flee.
It’s an introduction too to simply how vital Flanders was within the Center Ages, particularly Ghent, when the Dukes of Burgundy dominated.
All in all, a go to to MSK with children is a stunning mixture of getting them to work together with the artworks and different items on show, inspiring them to get inventive.
Entry to the everlasting assortment is free for below 18s and included within the CityCard Gent for adults.
Comply with the road artwork path
Inform my daughter we’re going for a stroll round a metropolis and the boredom units in earlier than she places her sneakers on. Inform her we’ve bought a path to comply with and she or he’s first out of the door – and when it’s quirky avenue artwork, that’s a lot the higher.
Go to Gent has put collectively a collection of avenue artwork trails – in addition to the Sorry Not Sorry competition – which takes you throughout town recognizing items by completely different artists. There’s a child-friendly avenue artwork stroll, a metropolis stroll and Van Eyck avenue artwork stroll amongst others.
On a distinctly windy gray February day, we caught to recognizing round half a dozen of them not removed from the fortress and the Design Museum, strolling across the Patershol space and again into the centre.
It’s a good way to see greater than the picturesque historic coronary heart, and it’s straightforward to wander alongside the canalside for a part of it too – a few of our favourites have been by Cee Pil, a mix of two animals collectively together with one which was half bear, half lion.
However the place else may you uncover a melting rhino, ROA’s big black rabbits and Bart Smeets’ graffiti mural of the Ghent altarpiece, trying as if the facet of the constructing is being peeled away to disclose the secrets and techniques inside – and that was solely a small style.
One factor you received’t discover a lot of is graffiti, versus avenue artwork. And that’s as a result of it’s all tucked away in Graffiti Road – Werregarenstraat, or the ‘tolerance zone’ of the map.
Right here, something goes so you possibly can discover an sudden treasure, or a string of brightly colored tags: now and again, it’s painted over to offer a clean canvas.
Take a ship tour
While you’re visiting a metropolis set on canals, a ship tour must be on the listing – we’ve performed them in Amsterdam and Copenhagen and had it on our listing for our day journey to Bruges.
Not simply a great way to relaxation any drained legs, I really like sitting again and watching the previous buildings from the water and in Ghent, you’ll be able to comply with a loop which takes you across the metropolis, previous Graslei and across the Gravensteen fortress.
There are hop on, hop off variations (together with a water taxi through the summer season months) though as Ghent isn’t large, many of the boat excursions solely final round 40-50 minutes.
In February, once we visited, a number of the coated boats have been nonetheless operating – however as considered one of this spring’s storms approached, we determined to postpone our personal deliberate boat journey to a different time.
You can even purchase tickets for the completely different boat journeys on websites like Viator whereas Get Your Information features a 40-minute journey in addition to a 50-minute cruise, each with commentary. A ship journey can be included within the Gent CityCard.
Stroll across the previous city
Ghent is the type of metropolis the place you need to make time to walk round. It’s very walkable – we have been staying barely exterior the centre, so the buses got here in very useful to get there and to MSK, in addition to to and from the practice station, however in any other case we simply wandered wherever we wished to go.
As a result of it’s very very fairly: within the centre, you’ll be able to spot the tall medieval buildings from town’s heyday however it’s nonetheless a dwelling metropolis fairly than frozen in a bubble.
Bikes whizz alongside the cobbled streets (so be careful!) and that avenue artwork provides it a little bit of an edge, whilst you’re as prone to see college students hanging out as vacationers.
We ambled up the canalside from MSK and town museum in the direction of Graslei in addition to wandering by the previous streets, however frankly you possibly can simply decide a route and stroll.
One factor to not miss is a stroll throughout St Michael’s Bridge, the place you’ll be able to see the three towers of St Nicholas’ church, the Belfry and the cathedral in a line, earlier than heading alongside Graslei and into the Korenmarkt.
We noticed a person blowing big bubbles right here, which entertained my daughter as I gazed on the structure, and you may simply decide up a waffle to go to maintain you fuelled up as you wander.
Climb the belfry
You’ll spot the Belfry of Ghent – or Het Belfort – reverse the cathedral, and even should you resolve to not climb up, look out for the dragon on the very high.
A whopping 91m tall, it was town watchtower from the fifteenth century and guarded a few of Ghent’s treasures as properly, though the large alarm bell which it as soon as housed is now on Emile Braunplein.
Wander previous on a Sunday morning, between 11am and midday and you may nonetheless hear the carillion ringing out. There’s a Little Information for youths below eight in case you are going inside too.
When you don’t fancy climbing over 350 steps to see the view, there’s a raise from the primary flooring as properly.
You may purchase skip-the-line tickets on-line prematurely, and it’s free for under-12s, solely a few Euros for under-18s. Included within the CityCard for Ghent.
Go to St Bavo’s cathedral
Residence to the well-known Ghent Altarpiece, the cathedral itself is astonishing – large hovering arched ceiling, stunning adorned facet chapels and a really intricately adorned pulpit.
I used to be a bit unhappy to find that the whale which was as soon as in show in the cathedral appears to have moved on, however it’s a wonderful constructing to stroll round.
It’s free to enter, and other than Sunday morning when it’s closed aside from worship, you’ll be able to wander in at any level throughout opening hours.
There’s an additional charge to see the Van Eyck panels, and a Ghent altarpiece AR tour on supply, however in any other case it’s free.
Wander alongside the canals
Ghent’s canals date again to its medieval heyday when a water route from town’s river to the ocean was important for the commerce between Flanders and the remainder of Europe.
Nowadays, there are extra pleasure boats cruising alongside the waterways however it’s one of many issues which makes town such a stunning place to wander round.
Whether or not you’re taking one of many metropolis boat journeys, following the road artwork path or simply fancy ambling round within the sunshine, take a while to comply with the water, cross over little bridges and be careful for the sudden canal-front buildings and quirky particulars.
Stadsmuseum – STAM Ghent metropolis museum
To get a way of Ghent’s lengthy historical past, pay a go to to the metropolis museum within the south of town, not removed from the MSK artwork gallery.
Set within the buildings of a 14th century abbey and seventeenth century convent, in addition to a contemporary extension, it’s a wander by time as properly.
As we didn’t have lengthy to spend, we turned down the audio information – there’s no particular one geared toward children right here – however this might need been a mistake as there are restricted indicators in English.
EDIT: There’s now a kids’s path obtainable, designed to be extra interactive for youthful guests
There have been few notable youngster pleasant facets although: there’s a Lego desk on the finish to create your individual buildings and some extra interactive sections.
However because it’s free with the Gent card, it’s price a fast go searching – for adults, it provides you a very good background in regards to the metropolis from its early days on.
For teenagers, there are sufficient highlights to be price a wander too particularly on a wet day in Ghent, beginning with an enormous aerial map of town on the ground, which you’ll stroll on whereas sporting protecting overshoes.
There’s some royal historical past, in addition to a historic tomb moved to the previous refectory, and varied shows of things starting from merchandise made in Ghent to royal portraits, and a copy of the Ghent Altarpiece too, for an opportunity to see the entire thing shut up.
Probably the greatest rooms was the deal with the work’s lacking panel: stolen within the 30s (together with one other which was recovered) it has by no means been discovered.
The room has headphones to take heed to the story and is ready up nearly like a recreation of the police investigation – one part the place I might have fortunately hung round for longer if we’d had probability.
Entry is free for under-18s, and included within the Ghent Metropolis Card
Design museum
You don’t should be a design aficionado to take pleasure in wandering across the Design Museum in Ghent.
And whereas the momentary exhibitions and primary assortment are prone to enchantment extra to teenagers and adults than youthful children, they’ve provide you with a intelligent option to make it child-friendly: a Playmobil path across the museum.
Just a few of the rooms have been closed whereas we visited, however armed together with her booklet and a pencil, my daughter scampered by the three completely different flooring (and a few different rooms) looking down the little collectible figurines to win her prize of a badge.
My husband, in the meantime, bought to walk extra slowly, absorbing a number of the unbelievable items on show – and a number of the ornate ornament and vibrant colors of the retro 50s items enchantment to all ages.
One other nice choice should you’re visiting Ghent with children in winter: it labored properly as a cease as we adopted a part of the road artwork path.
Free for under-18s and with the Ghent CityCard.
Eat cuberdons
Tasting this conventional Ghent candy – also called ‘little noses’ was on my listing earlier than we left, however whereas we managed various different candy treats within the metropolis, we missed our probability to attempt these first time spherical. I made up for it on our second go to and wasn’t disenchanted.
The triangular purple sweets have a tough outer shell and are gooey inside. The unique candy raspberry flavour has been joined with a string of different fruity variations (plus chocolate ones).
They don’t final lengthy as soon as they’re made, so seize a bag and scoff them fairly than taking them house to eat weeks later.
We did spy one or two stalls on the road, however having left it to a cold February Sunday, we rapidly realised that we’d missed our probability as most have been closed up – in summer season, I believe you’d don’t have any probability shopping for a bag, and we discovered a lot on supply across the Christmas market in December.
You can even take a look at a few of Ghent’s candy retailers, together with The Sweet Nook close to the Vleeshuisbrug – the bridge that leads from the streets close to the Korenmarkt to the fortress.
Or a bit additional alongside the water, one other conventional sweetshop, Confiserie Temmerman is on Kraanlei.
Have some chocolate
Whilst you shouldn’t miss attempting cuberdons, it’s chocolate that most individuals consider after they consider Belgium – and for good cause. Melted on waffles or crammed with praline, you received’t be in need of choices.
Wander across the previous centre and also you’ll discover limitless cafes serving waffles in addition to chocolate retailers a truffle’s throw away from you, wherever you’re standing.
If you’d like much more, Mayana Chocoladebar is a restaurant centered completely round chocolate, whereas Huize Colette is a chocolate bar and e-book cafe – two of my favorite issues in a single.
You may even take a guided chocolate tour stopping at eight completely different chocolatiers as you discover.
St Peter’s abbey and winery
An ideal place for sunny days with children in Ghent, this historic abbey – which dates again to the seventh century – has attractive gardens to wander round in addition to its personal winery.
You can even wander by a number of the previous abbey buildings, together with the medieval eating corridor and church, plus the cloisters, and there’s a everlasting exhibition known as ‘Between Heaven and Earth’.
If that every one sounds a bit uninteresting with children, there’s a digital homicide thriller to entertain with a 90-minute information geared toward kids aged 10 and up.
Led by digital monk Jean-François Alison who’s trying to find the killer of his younger buddy, the 17 episodes lead you from one a part of the abbey to a different.
Entry to the abbey is free with a Gent CityCard (and for under-13s), however doesn’t embody the film information which prices 4 Euros. The abbey is closed on Mondays.
Ghent Botanic Gardens
One other pretty place to get outside in Ghent with children, the Botanic Gardens are hooked up to the College of Gent and so they’re free to go to so it’s straightforward to wander by and eye up the completely different crops.
It’s near the MSK superb artwork museum – and there’s the Citadelpark reverse too – in case you want someplace to burn off vitality after wandering round Outdated Masters.
The gardens additionally embody a tropical and subtropical greenhouse, with over 10,000 completely different forms of crops to take a look at. Open every day however solely within the morning at weekends.
Home of Alijn
The Home of Alijn is one other uncommon spot with a deal with life because it was in Ghent through the twentieth century – a museum of on a regular basis life.
The little museum was as soon as the ‘Kids of Alijn hospice’, the one almshouse that’s been preserved within the metropolis. Now it’s an opportunity to step again into the previous, with a lot of interactive touches, proper all the way down to smelling previous washing detergent.
For many who grew up in Belgium, it’s a visit down reminiscence lane – I can think about this being highly regarded with grandparents visiting with their grandchildren.
However even should you didn’t, there are many enjoyable conventional touches like the prospect to dip right into a dressing up field or look by previous photographs, in addition to basic video games like hopscotch.
Free for youngsters, however in any other case that is one museum which isn’t included within the Gent CityCard.
For extra concepts of issues to do in Ghent with children, take a look at the vacationer board’s web site with suggestions for ‘little dragons’, together with the enjoyable digital path, Discover Fosfor the Dragon’s Glasses, geared toward 5 to 12-year-olds
The place to eat with children in Ghent
When you’re searching for locations to eat in Ghent with children, you received’t be in need of choices, whether or not you fancy extra conventional Flemish meals or if – like me – you’re travelling with a fairly fussier small companion.
Meme Gusta is an efficient choice for conventional native dishes or should you’re searching for a child-friendly various (even when it’s not desperately Flemish), Eat Love Pizza close to the canal was nice – there’s a children menu (and so they fortunately tailored the essential margherita with some extras for my daughter) plus the included basket of waffles for dessert was so huge that I used to be pressured to assist.
The identical goes for Manhattn’s Burgers on Graslei – very pleasant workers, who fortunately took all of the extras off to provide my daughter a really plain rooster burger, and whipped up a scrumptious one with a lot of trimmings for me in its brioche bun. Get the truffle mayo along with your fries too.
Not precisely historically Flemish however after a chilly Sunday exploring within the wind, they’d blond beer, fast, pleasant service, and though it was proper on Graslei, it didn’t really feel massively touristy.
When you have time, you may also uncover extra about Belgian beer than simply ordering the odd glass with a go to to the Ghent Gruut Brewery – or Gentse Gruut Stadsbrouwerij. There’s a children’ play space and you may pattern beer flights in addition to taking a tour.
It’s price understanding that the Holy Meals Market, with varied stalls serving completely different meals, and which appeared like an awesome choice with children, has now closed.
The place to remain in Ghent with children
We stayed at Aparthotel Castelnou which is a brief stroll from the historic centre – ideally suited for households as there’s a small kitchen with fridge and hobs to self-cater, in addition to a eating desk and dwelling area.
Breakfast is included and there’s a restaurant within the lodge in order for you lunch/dinner too, though we tended to eat out at lunchtime and have one thing in our room within the night.
Don’t anticipate quirky trendy decor however we had every thing we wanted: the beds have been very cozy after days strolling round Ghent, and we discovered all of the necessities within the lavatory – there was even a shower, which appears rarer and rarer in lodges nowadays.
With separate dwelling area, there’s a lot of room to unfold out – that is the place further beds are put as properly however even with my daughter’s mattress added, it wasn’t cramped.
The aparthotel is barely exterior the centre however it’s very straightforward to get round. A number of bus routes run from Gent Sint-Pieters stations (the principle practice station in Ghent, the place can join utilizing Eurostar tickets) in addition to into the centre, down in the direction of MSK and over to Graffiti Road.
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When you’re staying in summer season, it could be a stunning stroll alongside the canal to get to most locations you’d need to go to. In February, once we didn’t fancy an excessive amount of hanging round within the chilly, there have been half a dozen bus routes whisking us wherever we’d need to go.
Obtain the DeLijn app which has a route planner and offers correct occasions of when the subsequent buses or trams will arrive. You can even purchase tickets utilizing the app for much less, should you don’t have a Gent CityCard. Ghent has a low emission zone, so should you do need to drive, you’ll pay a charge to take action.
If you wish to be within the coronary heart of town, you may also discover a number of chains within the metropolis centre, together with the Novotel Gent Centrum which has rooms with area for households, in addition to the quirky Comedian Artwork Resort not removed from Gravensteen Citadel.
For extra Belgium household journey inspiration take a look at my decide of the most effective issues to do in Bruges with children, the highest issues to do in Brussels with children and issues to do in Antwerp with children
PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN GHENT WITH KIDS
Disclosure: We have been supplied with free Go to Gent playing cards and lodging at Aparthotel Castelnou by Go to Gent and Go to Flanders throughout our first go to. I paid for our Eurostar tickets and all meals and beloved it a lot we got here again at our personal expense. Our alternative of issues to do in Ghent was my very own – though my daughter insisted on there being waffles. Comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee.
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