Ghent Is Challenging Antwerp as Belgium’s Capital of Cool

With much of Western Europe swarming with tourists, savvy travelers are turning to Belgium. Those who are already familiar with this unsung hero sandwiched between and heavily influenced by France, the Netherlands and Germany undoubtedly consider it a favorite destination. Brussels is impressive with its magnificent architecture and has strong influence as a financial and political center. Bruges looks like it came out of a storybook. Antwerp has fashion cachet and sparkling diamonds. Then there’s Ghent, a Flemish city in the north with medieval charm, a modern mindset, but far less recognition.

No longer second only (or, er, fourth fiddle) to decision-making Brussels, fairytale Bruges and fashionable Antwerp, Ghent has recently emerged from the shadow of its more famous neighbours. Not exactly an upstart – after all, it’s been around for centuries – this Flemish underdog founded in 630 is now forging its own, very cool path. Students make up a quarter of the population of 265,000. Fresh energy flows through the cobbled streets as the younger generation leaves its mark on this historic city.

The riverside bar was packed with undergraduates from Belgium and other countries. Perhaps the most surprising sign of its newly fashionable status – and certainly a break from Flemish tradition – is the plant-front corner of the gastronomic scene, which also includes some Michelin-starred heavyweights, cozy bistros and restaurant terraces. With its medieval architecture, rich café culture and vibrant landscape, Ghent is an emerging creative powerhouse.

Whether you’re planning a day trip, an overnight stay or a few days to wander, this guide to Ghent is packed with can’t-miss classics and fresh takes on the ever-changing scene.

Where to stay

Photo: Alex Stephen Tescher

Many of us miss the days of snail mail and cleaning the postal halls. But what have become of these former palaces of letters and packages in the age of email? Some of them, such as Ghent’s historic Post Office, have found new life as hotels. Built in 1898, the Washington Post sits in a corner of a grand neo-Gothic building, a first-rate revival that didn’t rely on fanfare. This 38-room boutique hotel trades luxury for cozy charm, focusing more on gracious hospitality than a spacious lobby. Traces of its email exchange history are everywhere. Named after stamps, postcards, envelopes, letters and carriages, the rooms feature antique writing desks, rotary phones, built-in bookcases and framed sketches of the original post office. Even the second-floor honesty bar is reminiscent of an old-school mailman’s office.

Photo: Tine de Wilde