Hidden Ghent Walking Tour: A Guide to the Authentic Flemish City No One Knows

Ghent has been described as both “a curiosity shop” and “a city of 26 slumbering islands filled with fantasies”. On this walking tour through some of its oldest neighbourhoods, you‘ll get to know one of Europe‘s most captivating cities and see the forgotten monuments that most tourists never find.

Starting outside the former post office-turned-shopping centre, De Post, you‘ll wander through the city‘s historical heart, along cobbled streets and down hidden alleys. You‘ll stroll along the picturesque Korenlei waterfront, where medieval merchants used to trade, and walk around the massive stone walls of ancient Gravensteen Castle near the old fish market, Oude Vismijn. Along the way, you‘ll come across some of the city‘s unique shops including Dune Records, the quirky antique shop, the Fallen Angels, and Priem, where you’ll find vintage wallpaper. I‘ll introduce you to some of the characters who‘ve walked the city‘s streets, from Emperor Charles V to folk singer Walter De Buck. And I‘ll show you a few authentic bars where you can go for a unique Belgian beer after taking in the Gouden Zuil (Golden Column) sculpture by Ayse Erkmen at the end of the walk.

Among the highlights of this 120-minute tour, you‘ll find out about:

• The forgotten relics of a World Fair
• Dulle Griet, the fearsome cannon that turned out to be a flop
• Prinsenhof, the now vanished palace where an emperor was born
• Chocolaterie Luc Van Hoorebeke, started by a passionate local chocolate maker of the same name
• Dulle Griet Cafe, the bar where you hand over a shoe before you get a beer
• Rozanetuin, the hidden garden named after a local actress who is also Ghent folk singer Wim De Craene’s ex-lover

You‘ll also have an opportunity to:

• Hear about the secret of the mysterious gold coins embedded in the city‘s paving
• Cross over numerous bridges with gorgeous city vistas, including Saint Michael‘s Bridge, Lievebrug, Sint Antoniusbrug, and Zuivelbrug
• Take in Patershol, one of the city‘s oldest neighbourhoods which was first settled by leather workers in the 10th century
• Find out how the Bridge of the Emperor‘s Pleasures (De Keizer Karelbrug of Brug der Keizerlijke Geneugten) got its unusual name
• Visit Hof van Rijhove, a 14th-century fortified house with a secret medieval-style garden
• Pass by a few of the city‘s churches including St Stefanus, Saint Michael‘s Church, Sint Jorishof, Saint Bavo‘s Cathedral, and the former Augustine Monastery, now the Royal Academy for Fine Arts
• Feel the atmosphere of 14th-century Ghent as you walk down Biezekapelstraat
• Enjoy a refreshing beer or a tasty treat at the Alchemist bar, Café den Turk, Cafe ‘t Kanon, or Mokabon, Ghent‘s oldest coffee bar

If this sounds like your sort of place, let me be your guide. You‘ll finish this walk with a better understanding of this ancient city‘s fascinating history and a greater appreciation for its quirky treasures.