St. Bavo's Cathedral was the must stop for me in Ghent to see the Adoration of the Lamb altarpiece…read morepainted by Jan Van Eck. The only way to view it required a 12.5E admission which gained entrance to the rear of the cathedral. The altarpiece was located behind a glass enclosure not only to protect it from the environment but also prevent any more thefts. Most of the altarpiece appeared in vivid colors and in great detail from the recently completed restoration of the lower panels. The top panels were high resolution copies (you can see the originals still being restored at the Museum of Fine Arts - MSK). Don't just look at the front but also circle around to the sides to see more paintings. Those would be shown in front when the altarpiece sides were swung shut. Another masterpiece located in the rear was the Conversion of St. Bavo by another great artist, Peter Paul Ruebens. St. Bavo is the patron saint of Ghent. The rest of the cathedral was admission free to wander and other items of interest were the statue of Father Damiaan and the very detailed carved pulpit.

I've done a lot of church "tours" in my travels. It is always nice to see their art, explore their…read morealtars, and in general experience the culture. However, I've never seen one have an immersive, holographic experience... until now. Rather than just walk around and stare, or even try to partially follow an audio tour, you are provided with a headset which syncs to the various areas of the church to provide a deep historical overview. I loved how the graphics made it clear how the church grew (no more wondering if 'that' was the area they meant). The detail was amazing, even down to the noise from the virtual crowds which got louder or softer as you moved towards or away from them. The Lamb of God painting was not one I was familiar with and getting the details on not just its production but movements over time helped me appreciate it even more! I wouldn't usually say you need to prioritize a church when exploring a European city but in this case I would highly recommend you not only visit but opt for the immersive tour!

Okay, it may not be St Bartholomews, complete with an awesome altarpiece, however it still has its…read moreown character, namely because it is basically the oldest church in Ghent. In fact I suspect it is the oldest church in Belgium or even beyond namely because it dates back to the middle ages. Like a lot of the churches on the continent (and elsewhere), you can wonder inside and have a look around, but only at certain times because it is still a functioning church and they still perform mass here (though I suspect that is the case with most of the churches around here). It particularly liked it, especially the history, but also because the guy standing at the front kindly explained a few things to me, such as why the pulpit is in the middle of the church as opposed to the front.

Absolutely stunning. By far, one of the most beautiful churches that I've toured in Europe. Well…read moreworth a visit!

This is another one of the many gorgeous churches that you tend to find all over Europe, though…read morelike some of them there doesn't seem to be all that much to look at on the outside, expect for may a door stuck in the wall, and the building that from the outside looks like, well, just a plain old church that is in need of repair. However everything changes once you step in through the door and discover an interior that has been intrically decorated. Yep, this is another one of those gorgeous churches, and it is also open so that public can wander inside and have a look around, though I suspect that the actual purpose is so that people have a quiet place to pray.

A solid option to visit and certainly worth a sight-seeing stop. We always enjoy being able to look…read morearound at a town and the architectural wonders of the past. You wont need long to appreciate this stop, a feast for the eyes on entry!

This beautiful structure graces the skyline of Ghent. Dating from the 1300s, it was an important…read moremonument housing the documents that set out the freedoms enjoyed by Ghent's residents. (Which even today reside in locked chests in the belfry basement.) The tower is connected to the hall of the cloth merchants. The spire is capped with a golden dragon, which has been adopted as the symbol of the city. The original dragon statue can be seen inside the tower museum. The Gulden Draak legend holds that it was brought from the Viking realm in the north, to Constantinople before finally being brought to the Low Countries The bell tower has amazing views, don't miss the chance to go up it and see the old town from above. Legend

Gent (or Ghent) is an absolutely lovely city about an hour out of Brussels and a great place to try…read moreto get a taste of the Flemish culture in Belgium. Admittedly, we only had a few hours here and our tour was focused on going through the historical and/or touristy parts of the city, so we really only saw some of the older, interesting shops (ex. Tierenteyn-Verlent mustard shop) and the remaining medieval architecture. One such spot was the 13th century Gothic Saint Bavo's Cathedral. This place is a must-visit as it is home to a lot of major art pieces, including the Ghent Altarpiece aka. The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a majorly influential painting (or a series of paintings for a multi-panel altarpiece). If you're part of a tour group though, you're probably only going to get so much free time. For us, we had the option of visiting Saint Bavo's as part of our free time on top of trying to explore or return to the other places that were recommended. So for a quick place to pick up some souvenirs? Belgian Treasures is conveniently close one-stop souvenir shop a stone's throw from the cathedral (about 100 meters? It's right THERE). Belgium Treasures itself is larger than you would think at first glance. While it initially seems like a single, narrow room, it's actually L-shaped with two entrances and really is a treasure trove. The more you dig, the more interesting things you'll find. From what I could tell, their wide variety encompasses most kinds of souvenirs you'll see in stores both here in Gent as well as in Brugge. And in doing price comparison, it's either better or more or less the same compared to other places. My mom bought a butterfly-flower print canvas bag that we later realized was for a VERY good price. She had also noted that there were a few women who absolutely stocked up on the smaller canvas bags (buying 4 to 7 in one go), which we realized was because that was probably the cheapest you could get. Everywhere else we went, the same bags were sold for much higher. Now really regrets not getting a few herself. The lady who runs the place is super nice and speaks fluent English. As a result, we chatted with her about the area and local culture. For example, I asked her why cats are so prevalent among the souvenir items generally being sold in the area. This included this wooden ornament that caught my eye that I had a cat silhouette filled in with amber bits. Well, for one, apparently cats are just really that popular (she lived upstairs with her own cat). More interestingly though, she told us how there's this belief that, since cats are nocturnal, they protect the city during the nighttime. Hence, why the ornament consisted of a cat walking over the city while being surrounded by stars. For those that are interested, they also have a selection of other amber bits and wood ornaments in a variety of shapes, including angels, the city and canal scenery, and Saint Bavo's Cathedral. But after hearing that story, I was pretty stuck on the cat one. The one I got has "Gent" cut into it, but you can also find the exact same ornament but with "Brugge" cut into it in Brugge. Admittedly, I wasn't initially very interested in souvenir shopping in Belgium. Besides chocolate, our tour guides said Belgium was very famous for their textiles and many shops reflected that. Additionally, a lot of the aesthetic, patterns, styles, and designs to be a bit grandmotherly to me. Don't tell my mother, because in addition to the canvas bag, she also got a silk toilet roll holder (you hang it near the toilet and it holds extra toilet rolls), cloth kitchen baskets (the kind you can tie into shape), and another item that I'm not actually sure about. However, while I was leaving, one of the lace items on display outside (a fan) caught my eye and I found I really liked the pattern. So going back, I actually started digging around the shop and WOW. There are just so many small things tucked away here and there, I almost didn't find the fans at all. And then as I was browsing, I only found the fire-colored fan because I knocked over a few of the others, it was just that deeply buried. Oops. Great prices, a friendly storeowner who's willing to chat or explain, and a wonderful selection. Overall, the Belgian Treasure is a great place for a quick souvenir stop. Unless it's one of the more unique places, they have pretty much all the things you'll find in other shops. Being my first time in Gent, I will keep remembering this place as the shop that surprisingly had EXACTLY what I wanted.

Nice little bar right across the street from the church in the center of old Ghent. Not a ton of…read morecharacter to the bar like some other places, but the bartender was kind us tourists. Doesn't look like there was much in the way of table service though, so make your way up to the bar, order (and pay) for your round and then find an available seat and sit down. Filled with locals, not to many tourists at this one. Has nice selection of beers and wines, and harder stuff for those inclined.

Great art & architecture school, great historical building (a must see, this renovated abbey of the…read more17th century in the center of Ghent), very arty and inspiring atmosphere with lots of continuously present designers! Nice variety of annual arty farty exhibitions (architecture, art, design, etc.) in the magnificent church (°1854) and abbey garden on the domain. http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_vla016200301_01/_vla016200301_01_0062.php