Citytrip: Brugge vs Ghent

Trackandtuner.com had to visit two clients of ours in Belgium. I decided to make it into a two day tourist trip to Bruges vs Ghent. Which one is better and should you visit?

Brugge / Bruges:

It feels like a fairytale little city. Thanks to the special attention devoted to its heritage, Bruges received the honorary title of UNESCO World Heritage City in 2000, and it enhanced its international profile as Cultural Capital of Europe in 2002. Six years later, the city starred in the film ‘In Bruges’, after which other international productions also recognised Bruges as an ideal film location. For example, Bruges appears in the prestigious BBC series ‘The White Queen’ (2013).

Its like stepping back in the mediaval times.

There are horse riding for tourist, boat tours and plenty of ancient history to see and feel.

So what should you do?

1. The canals of Bruges are worth a visit by boat. Like in Ghent you can do a boat tour. While we did this in Ghent I would recommend doing it in Bruges. There is more to see, little small hidden treasures are easily spotted during the boat trip and you will learn a bit of the history.
2. Market Square, the big market square with restaurants, the gothic town hall and the starting point of your trip.
3. Rozenhoedkaai (Rosary Quay) the city’s most popular spot for photography, a centuries-old Instagrammable hotspot. Once upon a time, rosaries were sold here; today it provides one of the city’s loveliest view.
4. Chocolate: There are so many chocolate stores, that you must at least visit 1 and take some great belgium chocolate with you. I would advice skipping the belgium waffles and enjoy the chocolate instead.
5.  Its a bit of a tourist thing, to walk the Belfry Tower. But for a spectacular view over the city and a workout all-in-one, you can’t miss the opportunity to ascend the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry tower. Book your tickets in advance and do go up with a heavy meal. 

You can download the city plan and organise your trip here.

As you can see we did plenty more, visiting the beer museum, walking around in the park, doing some car spotting (The electric Buzz of a local butcher with license plate Steak had me laughing).

Gent / Ghent: 

This city should be on your list, its way more pretty than Brussels and easy to reach by train. 

It is perfectly possible to visit Ghent on foot. The centre boasts an unbelievable wealth of sights, all within walking distance from one another. Incidentally, the city has the largest low-traffic pedestrian zone in Europe. 

The history of Ghent begins in the year 630 when St Amandus chose the site of the confluence (or ‘Ganda’) of the two rivers, the Lys and the Scheldt to construct an abbey. Nearly 1400 years of history are still palpable in the city today: a medieval castle surrounded by a moat, an imposing cathedral, a belfry, three beguinages... Nowhere else does one find so much history per square metre than in the historical heart of Ghent!

Ghent feels more like a city than Bruges. It has a combination of modern and medieval architecture. Like I said it feels more like a real city than an attraction park like Bruges.

What should you do:

1. St. Michael’s Bridge is a wonderful vantage point to appreciate the beauty and architectural heritage of Ghent. Take a boat trip or eat along the river. This is the center point of Ghent.
2. GRAVENSTEEN CASTLE: A REAL LIFE HARRY POTTER CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTER.THE ENTRY FEE FOR ADULTS IS AROUND €10, AND THE CASTLE IS GENERALLY OPEN FROM 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM.
3. SAINT BAVO CATHEDRAL AND SAINT NICHOLAS CHURCH: TWO STUNNING CHURCHES WITH PLENTY TO SEE
4. GRASLEI AND KORENLEI: THE CITY CENTER WITH THE REAL TOURIST VIEWS AND PITORESK SIGHTS.
5. Belgium beers, chocolade and frites: Enjoy the typical Belgium foods. Ghent is not that expensive for a city. Prices are simular to Bruges, as is the food. Plenty of great Belgium Beers, chocolade or fries. I recommend visiting friet atelier, the best fries in town. Also take a bite of Lucy's cakes and pastries, you wont regret it.

You can download a full city tour guide here.

Find the best deal down below for your Hotel. 

Conclusion:

Both cities are worth a visit. And in our 2 day trip (1 day each) its great to see and walk around both.

For me Bruges won, as this was really like stepping back in time. Every house, every street was mediaval, gothic feel. While in Ghent there is a lot more "normal" stuff also. However bruges is a lot more touristy. 

So if you only have 1 day, I would visit bruges.

BUT, If I would go back, it would be Ghent, because there plenty more to see and explore that we haven't covered in 1 day.

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