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| Book your own trip to the heart of Europe by using the links that we recommend and provide to you to be utilized in two steps. Easy, flexible, affordable and free! | City hopping... very close to Ghent, Oudenaarde, Bruges and Brussels. In the heart of the Flemish Ardennes.www.hotelghent.be |
Welcome to our charming family hotel, which is situated close to the art and cultural cities of Ghent, Oudenaarde, Bruges and Brussels. We are situated amongst a green landscape that is better known as the Flemish Ardennes. We will indulge you with our cozy gastronomical restaurant where you can enjoy a different gastronomical menu every month. For a small lunch or diner we would like to recommend our excellent bistro. On a summer’s day, you can also enjoy our village or garden terrace.
I would love to welcome you!
Best wishes,
Luc Wachtelaer
While in Belgium, learn a bit about the beers and do some taste-testing. Visit a brewery. Try the big names: Jupiler, Leffe, Duval. Enjoy some fruit beers: Kriek (cherry), Frambroise (raspberry), and Pecheresse (peach). And finally, venture off the popular path and try different varieties... i.e. blondes and triples (9% alcohol). Even if you aren't a beer lover, you will find something that you will enjoy.
We came here to see an exhibit at the art museum and fell in love with this beautiful city. We were here in January when there were no crowds and we enjoyed watching the local children ice skate in the rink they have near the t...
We came here to see an exhibit at the art museum and fell in love with this beautiful city. We were here in January when there were no crowds and we enjoyed watching the local children ice skate in the rink they have near the town square. But the highlight was St Bavo's Cathedral and Van Eyke's The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, it is a masterpiece in a category of its own and certainly worth the time it took to listen to the headphone tour.
Quick Tips/Suggestions:
Visit St Bavo's first thing in the morning, crowds build up even in the off season to see 'The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'. If you like art the cathedral also has a Rubens. The square is also home to the Belfry and several very nice lace shops. Buy your lace here it is much less expensive than in Brugges.You can buy a nice tablecloth or even a christening gown made with beautiful Belgian Lace. We picked up quite a few small pieces to give as gifts. You can also find some wonderful Belgian Chocolate, try the local handmade ones, they are so far superior to anything we can buy in the states.
Best Way to Get Around:
Walking is best but cabs are available and inexpensive. We were amazed to see that both the cab driver who drove us to the museum and one who picked us up were both women. We found that a little unusual. In the warm weather there are horse drawn carriages available for tours but of course in January they were not out.
Parking in Ghent was a nightmare. We found a parking spot along the street near the town square eventually but the meter was only good for 2 hours so we had to run back twice to feed it. Take the train in for the day if you can.
Be sure to try to the Belgium waffles and the chocolate. This city is famous for them. You can get them pretty much anywhere and they will be absolutely delicious and live up to all of your expectations. The more to...
Be sure to try to the Belgium waffles and the chocolate. This city is famous for them. You can get them pretty much anywhere and they will be absolutely delicious and live up to all of your expectations. The more touristy the place the more expensive (and perhaps less authentic and good) they will be. Be sure to have a good map - a lot of streets have multiple names which can make it confusing when you are trying to figure out where you are going. Again, like most popular European cities, everyone here speaks English for the most part - especially in the touristy areas. But if you get off the beaten path (which I recommend you do to see some of the unique features and take in the unique ambience) you might get a little lost and find yourself in an area that speaks less English. This can make it especially confusing to ask for directions when streets have multiple names.
Best Way to Get Around:
The best way, by far, to get around is to walk. This way you get to see more of the city and experience the ambiance and local culture. It's not a terribly large city either so it's relatively easy to walk. There is also a decent public transportation system if your feet get tired.