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The best restaurant? Ask at your local bar
How do you find your ideal place to eat in Ghent? There are plenty of lists, but how reliable are they? And who are they actually for? Tripadvisor has hundreds of entries, yet almost every spot has both lovers and haters. So who do you listen to? I've got a different suggestion: ask the locals.
Blog posts
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The beauty of small things: details of the renovated cathedral
Restorers are specialists in finding a balance between old and new, between visible and invisible, between permanent and temporary. On the one hand, they want to go back to the original as much as possible, but on the other hand, they should not fake it. Just take a look at some of the details.
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When the bones speak
A woman over a thousand years old had been recovered with no name, no headstone and no jewellery. And yet we were able to get a very close idea about her life by studying her remains. What was supposed to be a small-scale investigation grew into a full-blown detective story in St Peter's Abbey.
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Are these the bones of Judith, the first countess of Flanders?
If you visit St Peter's Abbey today, take note of the commemorative stone plaque behind the bike rack. In it are chiselled the names of the first Margraves (counts) of Flanders and all are said to be buried in the abbey church: Baldwin Iron Arm, Baldwin the Bald, Arnulf I & II... There is no mention of Judith, the first countess, even though she in particular may have lain only a few metres from that location.
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A naive teenager, a shrew or a feminist ... who was Judith of Flanders really?
The Carolingians, the Treaty of Verdun and the invasion of the Vikings: for most of us, the 9th century consists of nothing more than vague echoes from our third year in secondary school, and is therefore a period we're particularly keen to forget about. But once you realise that the people back then were also human beings made of flesh and blood, that's when history actually becomes rock-and-roll. And that's especially true in the case of Judith, the first countess of Flanders.
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Some background information about the history and ecology of the Light Plan
Back in 1999, Ghent was the first Belgian city to have an architectural light plan. And now, more than 25 years later, new locations to be illuminated continue to be added and you can go on several illuminated walks in the city centre and the city's suburbs. A lot of city councils from Belgium and abroad have already come to Ghent to seek inspiration for their own light plan. So maybe it's now time to learn more about the history of Ghent's 'enlightenment'!
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Stroll through Ghent in its most beautiful evening light
Between sunset and midnight, Ghent is bathed in the warm glow of mood lighting. It's a unique way to experience the beautiful squares, streets and monuments. The light brings out views, details and hidden gems that you might not notice during the day. Follow the light walk and see Ghent in its very best evening light.
