We were wondering in which city we could spend a weekend in February, not far from Paris, not very expensive and worth visiting. We chose the small town of Ghent in Belgium. Why Ghent and not Brussels or Bruges? Simply because we have already seen them and we wanted to discover a slightly different city, less touristic.

Belgium is only a few hours away from Paris by train, so this destination seemed perfect for us to spend two days there.

Getting to Ghent?

How easy it is to get to Ghent from Paris. Just take the Thalys from Gare du Nord station in the direction of Brussels and take a regional train to Ghent. The journey takes about 2 hours and costs between €60 and €100 per trip, depending on the timetable. The more flexible you are, the cheaper your ticket will be.

Ghent does not have an airport, so the only way to get there is by train from Brussels or by bus from your city if you live in Europe.

The magic happens as soon as you arrive at the station. This station is incredible; it looks like a castle. The interior is beautifully decorated with frescoes and badges. Raise your eyes before you leave.

The train station is not close to the historical center where you certainly took your accommodation, which was our case. So we took a taxi, the fastest alternative.

You can take a bus or walk, but count about thirty minutes on foot.

Exploring the Ghent Marriott Hotel

How could we not choose the best located 4-star hotel in the whole city? As you will have understood, the Ghent Marriott has an exceptional location overlooking the river Lys and close to all the historical monuments.

The part overlooking the river is the oldest. The hotel has annexed two old period houses to accommodate the prestigious rooms and restaurants. The back part is much more modern. That's where the reception and the bar are.

Upon our arrival, we had the pleasant surprise to be upgraded to a suite located on the 3rd floor, on the attic level with visible wooden beams.

The original element, the bed, is positioned in the center facing the large windows overlooking the Graslei, where the magnificent old houses of various styles are aligned. The real asset of this room is that it is spacious and has everything necessary to enjoy an excellent stay.

Breakfasts are excellent and served in the main restaurant, with its cozy charm. The buffet is very generous and offers a wide range of products, from waffles, granola, dried fruits, pastries, to a wide choice of cold meats and cheeses.

Honestly, being located in the heart of the historic city center has allowed us to visit the city quietly on foot on a weekend. Everything was within walking distance.

Things to do in Ghent

First of all, we loved this small medieval and romantic city, less touristic and visited than Brussels or Bruges. Ghent is worth the detour. Two or three days is enough to explore the city and its monuments.

We dedicated the two days of our trip to walk around without any particular goal enjoying its Flemish style bourgeois houses, its cobbled streets, its squares full of cafés and restaurants. Moreover, the city has the largest pedestrian area in Belgium. We were lucky because the weather was beautiful, and the temperatures were between 10 to 13°C (50-55°F). Usually, in February, it is colder and rainier.

The city is cross by the Lys river, which gives it all its charm. We played the tourists by taking a boat trip to know a little more about its history, admire the beautiful houses along its banks and the Castle of the Counts of Flanders. The cruise costs about 7 euros.

Ghent is also famous for its Street Art. We went to the renowned street Werregarenstraat, which we didn't particularly appreciate. The walls are cover with tags and graffiti rather than beautiful frescoes. Many of the works are actually outside the city center. We suggest you book a bike tour if you are a fan of Street Art. You can download the map that locates all the artworks on the Tourism Board website.

One of the promenades starts on the Saint Michel bridge and its beautiful church on the side. From there, you can either stroll along the Grasslei (grass bank) and the Korenlei (wheat bank) or head towards St. Nicholas Church. St. Bavo's Cathedral, houses some of the masterpieces among St. Bavo Enters the Convent, one of the masterpieces of Rubens, The Mystic Lamb by Hubrecht and Jan van Eyck and the Calvary triptych by Justus van Gent. Between St. Nicholas Cathedral and St. Bavo's Cathedral is the Belfry of Ghent, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took the opportunity to climb to the top to enjoy the view of Ghent. Afterward, we walked through the surrounding streets, each one as beautiful as the next.

A visit to the Castle of the Counts is a must. Allow one or two hours, and don't forget to take the audio guide because the comments are amusing and offbeat. Afterward, get lost around the castle, have a drink on the terrace or eat chips and taste the cuberdons, the traditional Belgian sweets.

This small town where it is good to live is also known for its many markets open on weekends. Among the must-see attractions are the flea, book and flower markets. Among the must-see attractions are the flea, book and flower markets. We had decided to go to the book market along the banks of the Lys in the early afternoon, but bad luck it only takes place in the morning.

You can find a complete list of all the markets on the Tourism Board website.

As you know, I usually take the time to do a photo walk alone or with Daisy at sunrise. Strolling around a city in the early morning is always a bit magical, and Ghent is not an exception to this rule.

Castle of the Counts

St. Bavo's Cathedral

St. Nicolas Church

Belfry of Ghent

How we can manage to be Vegan in Ghent

Another reason for our visit to Ghent is a large number of vegetarian restaurants. In proportion to the size of the city, there are more vegetarian restaurants than in Paris! To go even further in the concept, every Thursday for the past ten years, all restaurants in the city offer vegetarian options. Before coming to Ghent, we checked all the recommended addresses and chose to have dinner at the restaurant Le Botaniste. It is a chain of vegan restaurants in Belgium and New York whose concept is to offer organic and plant-based cuisine in the atmosphere of a former 19th-century pharmacy. The food is fresh, healthy, and excellent. Be careful, however, to book a table in advance.

We stumbled upon MiE ViE during one of our walks. It is an organic vegetarian/vegan restaurant where you can quickly eat in or take away. We ordered sandwiches and fresh juices. As everything is prepared on-site, you will have to be patient as the wait can be a bit long. Nevertheless, the sandwiches we tasted were fresh and delicious.

Being in Belgium and not eating French fries is unthinkable. We stopped at Frites Atelier, a Dutch chain that offers perfect chips with many homemade sauces. Good to know, they use vegetable oils for cooking, but many of the sauces are not vegetarian, so be sure to ask first.

We would have loved to try other addresses, but in two days, it's quite challenging. So if you are passing through Ghent, you can try them for us and leave a comment below.

Mrs. Bakster, for an excellent coffee and 100% vegan pastries
Volta for a gourmet dinner. It is not a 100% vegan restaurant, but they offer two menus, one vegetarian, the other vegan in 5 courses.
Be O Versbar for lunch. The restaurant is part of a grocery store. Convenient if you also want to go shopping.

You will have understood that we will be coming back to Ghent to discover new restaurants.