Don't get me wrong, Ghent is a wonderfully vibrant city during the day. But I like it most at dusk, when the sun has disappeared behind the Belfry and the light begins to fade. Then, in Ghent and its districts, the mood and monument lighting comes on. At midnight, the functional lighting takes over. Your guide through the semi-darkness? The light walk, which takes you past the most beautiful squares and buildings.
I find Ghent most beautiful when the sun has disappeared behind the Belfry and the mood lighting comes on. You then discover things you might not even notice during the day.
The basic walk starts at Handelsbeurs. You walk in a loop, so you can start anywhere you like, but the choice of the Kouter as the starting point is deliberate as it has traditionally been the must-see location in Ghent. In 1827, you would have found impressive, ornamental street lamps here. These were lit one at a time by a lamplighter (or tinder) using a torch. On some old civic houses, such as those in Hoogpoort, you can still see the inverted horn in which the torch was extinguished.
One of my favourite stops on the walk is Mageleinstraat. This spot offers a fabulous view of the Belfry tower. During the day, you'd walk right past it, but in the atmospheric light the tower comes into its own.
Another hidden gem is the Achtersikkel, in the corner of Sint-Baafsplein. The illuminated tower and courtyard of the Ghent Conservatory of Music are well worth the detour. With any luck, your walk will be graced by the delicate tinkling of piano keys or the blast of a bassoon.
In the ambient light, you can see details you might miss during the day. Just take a look at St Nicholas' Church, the City Pavilion, The Belfry and St Bavo's Cathedral. You can immediately see the variations in building style. Note the battlements of the Belfry. Or peek inside the Town Hall from Hoogpoort. When there is something going on in the Pacificatiezaal, the warm interior lighting adds another layer to the façade lighting.
The fact that the Ghent light plan is about much more than simply highlighting the classic monuments is proven by Werregarenstraat - the graffiti street for friends. The work of the street artists changes constantly but the view of the illuminated courtyard of the Hof van Ryhove always remains. A delightful surprise in the middle of the colourful backstreet.
A little further along, you will come across the stately St James' Church. The craziest stories may be told about this landmark but there is now no trace of the witches who flew around the burning tower on their brooms. At the Friday Market further on, you'll be spoilt for choice; there will be something worth stopping for across the entire area. Looking past the ‘Little Tower’ or Toreken toward Kammerstraat, you can see the façade of the Academy of Dutch Language and Literature in the distance. I bet you would not have noticed that during the day!
The Castle of the Counts is not to be missed. My top tip? Cross the water and turn right into the Gewad, then walk past the Arca Theater to Sint-Widostraat. There, by the water, you'll find a spectacular view of the Castle of the Counts, made even more beautiful by the mood lighting and water reflections.
Of course, there is no shortage of water in Ghent and it is my second great love. Just see how beautifully the houses mirror the water of the Lys on Kraanlei, for example. And then, of course, there is Korenlei and Graslei, perhaps the most famous views of Ghent. This view won the 2004 City People Light Award from LUCI, the international network of cities of light. And rightly so! Just stand on St Michael's Bridge at five to midnight and watch the atmospheric lights go out and the functional lights come on at the stroke of 12. You feel the atmosphere change immediately and it's time to dive into Ghent's nightlife.
The basic walk is about five kilometres long. If you walk slowly and take your time to enjoy the views, it will take you one and a half to two hours. But you can always expand the route and discover even more illuminated highlights.
Why not stroll through the Arts Quarter after a candlelight dinner, for example? From the old Law Courts, walk down Coupure to STAM. While doing so, be sure to catch a glimpse of the Bijloke site's beautiful courtyard. Stroll past the unusual circular façade of the KASK and cycle or take the tram to Sint-Pieters Station. From there, it's a short walk to the Museum of Fine Arts and the illuminated art deco façades on Kunstlaan. Finish on the monumental Sint-Pietersplein with the beautifully lit St Peter's Church and Abbey.
Ghent, of course, is more than just the historical centre. Monuments and squares are beautifully illuminated at night outside "de Kuip," in the districts and even in some neighbouring municipalities. Plenty of light to fill many dark evenings. Fortunately, there are also plenty of accommodation options in Ghent so you can relax and recharge your batteries after a long walk.
Explore the basic 3.2 km (4,300 steps) route and supplement with additional walking loops as desired.
Lieve Staes handles the communication of complex spatial projects at the Project Office for Space of the City of Ghent. Her favourite subjects are the Light Plan and water. Professionally, she shares all the details through the website and walks, among other things. But even in her spare time, she can't resist taking family and friends around fairy-tale Ghent at dusk.
