Ghent, Belgium: 4-Day Girls Trip
A four-day Ghent itinerary built for a small group of friends — the chocolate tour that's actually worth it, a canal cruise that changes how you see the city, a sunset at St. Michael's Bridge, the underrated Belgian beer culture, and a day trip to Bruges using Ghent as your home base. Based on Abby's two trips to Ghent.
Map
Itinerary
Check-in
Drop bags. Stay near the historic core — Patershol is the atmospheric pick (cobblestone alleys, candlelit bars), Korenmarkt is the walk-to-everything option. Both put you within 5 minutes of the bridge.
Walking Tour
Slow walk through the medieval center. Gravensteen castle, Korenlei + Graslei (the photogenic guild houses lining the Leie), and up to Saint Bavo's Cathedral. No agenda — give the group time to slow down after the travel day.
Landmark Visit
Ghent's most photographed view, and worth the cliche. Stand on the bridge facing east — the cathedral, the belfry, and the canal all line up in one frame. Best half hour before sunset; Harry Potter vibes legitimately kick in.
Dinner
Patershol is the neighborhood that punches above its size for restaurants. 't Klokhuys for Flemish classics, or Vrijmoed if you want the ambitious option. Book ahead for a group of 4+.
Tour
The chocolate tour Abby has done twice and still rates. ~2 hours, multiple chocolate stops, more history than you'd expect from a tasting tour. Feels less like a tourist experience, more like walking around with a knowledgeable local friend who keeps handing you chocolate. Book the morning slot — afternoon ones collide with lunch crowds.
Lunch
Quick lunch before the canal tour. Holy Food Market (an old church converted to a food hall) is the easiest group lunch in the city — everyone picks something different, you regroup at a shared table.
Tour
Seeing Ghent from the water completely changes your understanding of the city — the medieval buildings make more sense, you see how everything connected during the trading peak, and the group naturally slows down. About an hour. Boats leave from Korenlei every 30 min.
Free Time
Build in a quiet block before the evening. Veldstraat for shopping, the small bar near the port for homemade liquor (the one Abby remembered later), or back to the hotel. Whatever the group needs.
Dinner
Pick a beer-led spot for tonight. Dulle Griet (you trade a shoe for the giant Kwak glass — it's a thing). Or Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant for canal-side outdoor seating and 100+ beers. Belgian beer culture: cozy, not intense.
Transit
25-minute direct train. Buy tickets at the station, no advance booking needed. Trains run every 30 minutes. Group-friendly and cheap (~€10 each way).
Walking Tour
Bruges is more polished than Ghent — more touristy, but the medieval center is genuinely small enough to walk in a morning. Markt square, climb the Belfry if your legs can take 366 stairs, weave through the canal streets.
Lunch
Have the touristy thing — frites with mayo, Flemish carbonnade. The Markt-adjacent spots are fine; nothing world-changing, but it's the lunch the day calls for.
Activity
The Beguinage is the quiet medieval courtyard that's worth the walk south of the center. On the way back, the chocolate shops on Katelijnestraat — Dumon and The Chocolate Line are the picks. Get a small box, save the rest of the spend for Ghent beer tonight.
Transit
25-minute direct return. Same station, same frequency. Be back in Ghent before 7 for a relaxed last evening.
Dinner
Pick the spot you walked past on day 1 and wanted to come back to. Ghent rewards repeat visits — this is yours.
Activity
Lighter morning. Either the waffles + beer workshop (hands-on, ~90 min, good for groups) or the self-guided pub trail with the Ghent beer app. Both lean into the city's beer culture without it feeling like a frat outing.
Landmark Visit
Took so long to build it spans multiple architectural eras (gothic + renaissance + baroque, all on one building). Skip the interior tour if time is tight — the facade is the highlight and it's free.
Lunch
Light lunch near the hotel. Grab waffles to take on the train — Max is the local pick, on Goudenleeuwplein.
Check-out
Pick up bags. Train back to Brussels Airport (BRU) is 60 minutes from Gent-Sint-Pieters direct. Charleroi (CRL) for budget airlines is ~2 hours by bus.