I recently had the pleasure of spending 2 days and nights in Ghent, Belgium. I was very excited to visit the city, and did not have a particular itinerary planned for my stay. The hosts at Hostel 47 were very accommodating, and provided an excellent map that listed things to do, see, and eat.
Soon after we checked into our room, we started walking to the city center to explore. I really liked the location of our hostel, because it was only about a 4-5 minute walk to the center of the city. As we were exploring the streets, one thing that immediately caught my eye was Gravensteen castle.
I immediately knew I that wanted to go inside, so we purchased tickets and began our self guided tour.
The views from the top of the castle are incredible.
Soon after, I saw a waffle stand and knew that I needed to try a Belgian waffle. They are just as good, if not better, than you have heard.
We walked around the city some more that day and just admired the architecture.
Since we arrived later in the day via a train from Paris, we decided to grab dinner and then head back to our hostel for the night. We stopped by the Holy Food Market, which had a variety of restaurants to choose from.
The next morning we set out to explore the streets some more. Due to the time of year, they had their Christmas Market and food trucks set up, which was wonderful.
This day, I opted for a chocolate covered waffle on a stick. I also tried this awesome spiral potato on a stick with paprika.
There was a sale set up at a church with local people selling their belongings. Even though I did have an occasional run in with someone where we could not find a common language, everyone I came into contact with was very friendly and helpful!
This is such a fun place where I felt truly happy and at ease. I would love to visit again soon one day and spend a much longer time there.
What’s your favorite city in Belgium?
-Haley
