Best Sights in Ghent Away From the Tourist Traps
Words by
Nathalie Dubois
Best Sights in Ghent Away From the Tourist Traps
I have lived in Ghent for over a decade now, and I still find corners of this city that surprise me. Most visitors cluster around the Graslei and Korenmarkt, and while those are lovely, the real soul of Ghent lives in its quieter streets, its working-class neighborhoods, and its overlooked viewpoints. If you want to see the best sights in Ghent that locals actually care about, this guide is for you. I have walked every street mentioned here, and I can tell you that each one rewards the curious traveler who wanders just a few blocks off the beaten path.
1. The View From the Muinkkaai Bridge at Dusk
The Muinkkaai bridge, just south of the old city center, gives you one of the top viewpoints Ghent that almost no tourist guide mentions. Stand on this small pedestrian bridge around 8:30 PM in summer, and you will see the reflection of the illuminated towers of the city center shimmering across the water. The Leie River bends here in a way that frames the skyline perfectly, and the light hits the medieval facades in a way that feels almost staged.
What makes this spot special is its proximity to the working docks and the old industrial warehouses that have been converted into artist studios. You are not looking at a postcard. You are looking at a living, breathing part of the city that still functions as a waterway. The best time to visit is between 8 and 9 PM from June through August, when the light lingers longest.
Most tourists would not know that the small café just east of the bridge, De Walplein, serves a local lambic beer that you will not find anywhere else in the city. Order a glass of Oud Bruin and sit on the terrace while you wait for the light to change.
The Vibe? Quiet, reflective, almost meditative once the tour groups have gone home.
The Bill? A beer runs about 3.50 to 5 euros.
The Standout? The reflection of the three towers across the Leie at golden hour.
The Catch? Mosquitoes can be aggressive near the water in July, so bring repellent.
2. The Street Art of the Brugse Poort Neighborhood
If you want to understand what to see Ghent beyond the medieval core, walk through Brugse Poort. This neighborhood, just west of the main train station, has become an open-air gallery of murals and stencil work. Local artists have transformed the concrete facades of social housing blocks into something that feels alive and defiant. The best stretch runs along the streets parallel to the canal, particularly on the blocks between Brugse Poortstraat and the smaller side streets that branch off toward the water.
I first discovered this area five years ago when a friend who works at a community center there took me on an informal walking tour. The murals change regularly, so even if you visited two years ago, you will find new work. The best time to go is on a Saturday morning, when the light is soft and the streets are calm. You might run into the artists themselves, as some of them maintain small studios in the ground floors of these buildings.
One detail most tourists would not know is that the community center at Brugse Poort 47 hosts a small exhibition space inside that features rotating shows by the same artists whose work covers the outside walls. It is free to enter on weekends.
The Vibe? Raw, authentic, a little gritty, but deeply human.
The Bill? Free to walk around. The community center exhibition is free.
The Standout? The massive mural of a woman's face on the corner building near the canal, which changes expression depending on the light.
The Catch? Some streets feel a bit desolate after dark, so stick to the main roads if you are walking at night.
3. The Herb Garden at the Bijloke Site
The Bijloke site, located on the Bijlokekaai, houses one of Ghent highlights that even many locals overlook. This former medieval hospital complex now serves as a cultural center, but the real treasure is the small herb garden tucked behind the main building. It is a walled garden that dates back to the original hospital's medicinal plant collection, and it has been maintained by a small group of volunteers who are passionate about historical botany.
I stumbled upon this garden during a open-house event about eight years ago, and I have returned at least a dozen times since. The garden is open to the public on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings, and the volunteers will walk you through the plants if you ask. You will find species that were used in medieval medicine, including wormwood, feverfew, and a variety of sage that is not sold commercially.
The best time to visit is on a Wednesday around 2 PM, when the light filters through the old stone walls and the garden feels almost timeless. Most tourists would not know that the small wooden bench near the back wall was carved by a local woodworker in 2014, and it has become a quiet reading spot for neighborhood residents.
The Vibe? Peaceful, scholarly, like stepping into a monastery garden.
The Bill? Free, though donations are welcome.
The Standout? The feverfew patch near the entrance, which the volunteers say has been growing in that exact spot since the 1990s.
The Catch? The garden is small, and if a tour group arrives, it can feel crowded quickly.
4. The Viewpoint From the Blandijnberg Tower Roof
The Blandijnberg tower, part of the Ghent University library complex on the Blandijnberg, offers one of the top viewpoints Ghent has, yet it is almost never mentioned in tourist materials. The tower is accessible via a narrow staircase inside the library building, and from the top, you get a 360-degree panorama that stretches from the Flanders Fields in the west to the industrial port area in the north.
I first climbed this tower during my second year living in Ghent, when a university student friend snuck me in through the side entrance. The official access hours are limited, but the university occasionally opens the tower for public events, and you can check their calendar online. The best time to go is late afternoon in autumn, when the low sun casts long shadows across the rooftops and the city looks almost Dutch in its geometry.
What makes this viewpoint special is that you are looking at Ghent from the same vantage point that 19th-century surveyors used when they mapped the city. The stone markers they placed are still visible on the roof. Most tourists would not know that the small brass plaque near the top step commemorates a student protest in 1969, and that the tower was briefly occupied during that event.
The Vibe? Academic, slightly secretive, with a view that rewards the climb.
The Bill? Free during public events. Otherwise, you need a university connection.
The Standout? The brass plaque and the surveyor's markers, which give the roof a layered history.
The Catch? The staircase is narrow and steep, and it is not accessible for anyone with mobility issues.
5. The Patershol Back Alleys at Night
The Patershol neighborhood is famous for its restaurants, but the real magic happens in the back alleys behind the main street. These narrow passages, particularly the ones running parallel to the Hoogpoort side, are lit by old gas-style lanterns that cast a warm, amber glow after dark. I have walked these alleys hundreds of times, and they still feel like a different city from the one tourists see during the day.
The best time to visit is between 10 PM and midnight on a Friday or Saturday, when the restaurant crowds have thinned but the bars are still open. You will find small wine bars and jazz spots that do not appear on any map. One of my favorites is a tiny place on the corner of a side street that serves natural wine and has live music on Thursdays. The owner, a woman named Katrien, has been running it for over fifteen years, and she knows half the neighborhood by name.
Most tourists would not know that the small fountain at the end of one alley, near the old meat market, still runs with fresh water from a spring that predates the medieval city. It is one of the oldest functioning water sources in Ghent.
The Vibe? Intimate, slightly mysterious, with a soundtrack of distant music.
The Bill? A glass of natural wine runs about 6 to 8 euros.
The Standout? The old fountain, which you can still drink from if you are brave enough.
The Catch? The alleys are poorly lit in spots, and the cobblestones can be slippery when wet.
6. The Rabot Castle and Its Surrounding Park
Rabot Castle, located on the Rabotstraat in the northern part of the city, is one of the best sights in Ghent that almost no visitor seeks out. This small, fortified tower dates to the 15th century, and it sits in a public park that locals use for morning runs and weekend picnics. The castle itself is not always open to the public, but the park surrounding it is accessible at all hours, and the tower's exterior is worth the walk.
I discovered Rabot during a winter walk about six years ago, when the bare trees around the moat created a stark, almost Japanese aesthetic. The best time to visit is early morning in winter, when the frost on the stone walls catches the first light and the park is empty except for a few joggers. The castle was originally built as a defensive outpost for the city's northern approach, and the moat was fed by a branch of the Leie that has since been diverted.
Most tourists would not know that the small stone bench near the moat's edge was placed there in 1998 by a local historian who wanted visitors to sit and contemplate the view toward the old city walls. It is one of the quietest spots in Ghent.
The Vibe? Solitary, contemplative, with a sense of deep time.
The Bill? Free.
The Standout? The frost-covered moat in winter, which turns the castle into something out of a Bruegel painting.
The Catch? The park can be muddy after rain, and the castle interior is rarely open, so do not expect to go inside.
7. The Design Museum Gent's Back Garden
The Design Museum Gent, located on the Jan Breydelstraat, is known for its exhibitions, but the real hidden gem is the back garden, which most visitors never see. This small, walled garden behind the museum features a collection of outdoor sculptures and a seating area that feels like a private courtyard. I first found this garden during a museum event about seven years ago, and I have returned many times since, even when the museum itself is closed, because the garden gate is often unlocked on weekdays.
The best time to visit is on a weekday afternoon, when the museum is less crowded and the garden is almost empty. The sculptures in the garden are by local designers, and one piece, a steel bench by a Ghent-born artist, is meant to be sat on. Most tourists would not know that the garden's old stone wall incorporates fragments from a demolished 18th-century building, and that the museum's curator occasionally gives informal tours of the garden's history if you ask at the front desk.
The Vibe? Quiet, design-forward, with a sense of curated calm.
The Bill? The museum entry is about 10 euros, but the garden is sometimes accessible for free on certain days.
The Standout? The steel bench, which is both art and function.
The Catch? The garden is small, and if the museum is busy, the space can feel less private.
8. The Portus Ganda and Its Canal-Side Walks
Portus Ganda, located along the Ghent-Terneuzen canal in the eastern part of the city, is one of the top viewpoints Ghent offers for those who want to see the working port area. This is not the romantic, postcard Ghent of the Graslei. This is the industrial Ghent, the one that still moves goods and employs thousands. The canal-side walk runs for several kilometers, and you will pass old cranes, shipping containers, and the occasional barge captain who will wave from the deck.
I first walked this route about four years ago, when a friend who works in logistics took me along to see the port at dawn. The best time to go is early morning, around 6 AM, when the cranes are moving and the light is flat and gray, giving the scene an almost documentary quality. The walk ends at a small café near the lock, where dockworkers stop for coffee and where you can sit and watch the barges pass through.
Most tourists would not know that the lock keeper's house near the café has a small window display about the history of the canal, and that the lock itself was built in the 19th century and is still operated by hand in some cases.
The Vibe? Industrial, functional, with a beauty that comes from purpose rather than decoration.
The Bill? A coffee at the lock-side café is about 2.50 euros.
The Standout? The hand-operated lock, which is a living piece of engineering history.
The Catch? The walk is long and exposed, and there is little shade, so bring water in summer.
When to Go and What to Know
Ghent is a city that rewards slow exploration. The best sights in Ghent are not always the ones with the longest lines. If you want to avoid crowds, visit on weekdays between October and March, when the city is quieter and the light is dramatic. Summer is beautiful but packed, and the tourist-heavy areas around the Graslei can feel overwhelming by mid-morning.
For the top viewpoints Ghent has to offer, aim for early morning or late evening, when the light is soft and the streets are calm. The canal-side walks and the back alleys of Patershol are best after dark, when the city reveals a different character. If you want to see what to see Ghent locals actually care about, head to the Brugse Poort murals, the Bijloke herb garden, and the Blandijnberg tower, all of which are free or nearly free.
One final local tip: the best time to experience Ghent highlights is during the Gentse Feesten in July, but if you want to avoid the festival crowds, the week before or after is ideal. The city is still lively, but the streets are navigable, and you can actually sit down in a café without waiting thirty minutes.
Enjoyed this guide? Support the work
