Ghent at Christmas: Why Ghent )Gent) Is the Perfect Festive Weekend Getaway

Our essential travel guide to visiting Ghent at Christmas. Where to stay in Ghent, the best things to do, food recommendation and how to enjoy the Ghent Christmas market.

Gent (Ghent) at Christmas is one of those destinations that quietly steals your heart.

Beautiful, atmospheric and wonderfully compact, Ghent offers everything you want from a festive winter getaway: a charming Christmas market, canals lit up with fairy lights, historic landmarks, cosy cafés and just enough to do for a relaxed weekend, without the crowds and overwhelm of bigger European cities.

I chose Ghent for exactly this reason.

I wanted a destination that felt as easy as a resort stay, but as real and exciting as a historic European town.

I always wanted a place I could easily reach without a car from a well served airport and Ghent turned out to be the perfect balance. The weekend here was as delicious as the first bite of a warm chocolate waffle (the one I got at the Gent Christmas market specifically!)

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to plan a visit to Ghent at Christmas: what makes it special, what to do, where to stay and why it works so well for a festive city break.

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Why Visit Ghent at Christmas

Ghent is a fantastic Christmas destination for travelers who want atmosphere without stress.

Here’s why it works so well:

• Beautiful and atmospheric: medieval buildings, canals and softly lit squares create a magical backdrop for Christmas, with the perfect ‘fairytale houses’ architecture typical of the Flanders
• Compact and walkable: the historic centre is small and easy to explore entirely on foot
• Festive but not overwhelming: lively Christmas vibes without huge crowds
• Perfect for a weekend: enough to fill two or three days at a relaxed pace
• Excellent train connections: easy to reach from Brussels and other Belgian cities

Gent feels festive, but calm, special but effortless.

Gent Christmas Market: What to Expect and how to enjoy it

The Gent Christmas Market is the heart of the city’s festive season.

Stalls stretch through the historic centre, blending seamlessly into the city’s squares and streets rather than being confined to one single area. Wooden chalets sell traditional Belgian treats, mulled wine, waffles, gifts and festive decorations.

What makes Gent’s Christmas Market special is its setting. It develops on three of the squares of the city and the pedestrian road that connects them and this means it is big enough but not overwhelming.

Medieval buildings, churches and canals form the backdrop, giving the market a romantic, old-world feel especially after dark, when all becomes atmospheric thanks to the many lights.

One of the square hosts the tall Ferris wheels while the cathedral square has smaller rides, which means you have attractions for all ages: tourists who want to see the views, and kids who want some fun!

During market hours the cathedral is open as usual so the presence of the market adds a bit of crowd, but doesn’t force you to change sightseeing plans.

You’ll also find:

• Festive lighting throughout the city
• Seasonal food and drink stalls
• Ice skating (I am told it depends on the heart but this year there was a lovely rink)
• A relaxed, local atmosphere

It’s easy to dip in and out of the market as you explore the city, which makes it ideal for slow, enjoyable wandering.

The best way too visit the market is to come twice: during the day and then again at nighttime.

During the day, the market is quiet and great for shopping: here you find stalls with food, artisan crafts, small jewelry, hats etc. At night, the offering becomes wider with even more food, bars and beer halls open, dance areas, so the vibe is a lot more buzzy and excited.

We fund both times to be pleasant and very manageable crowds wise. Lots of kids around at all hours and a feeling of the whole thing to be very safe.

If you have little ones in stroller, the day is easier as the crowds are significantly lower.

Things to Do in Gent at Christmas

One of Gent’s biggest strengths is that it offers just the right amount to do for a festive weekend.

Explore Ghent on Foot

Gent’s historic centre is wonderfully compact. From the station, the center is about 20 mins on foot or a short tram or taxi ride and, once in, you can explore everything on foot.

The heart of the city center are the ancient castle, which plunges its walls in the Gent canal, Gent Cathedral and St Nichola’s church just in front, which frame Gent’s main square. Around them, Ghent develops as a maze of pretty streets and canal side cafes.

You need no map and no itinerary for the city center of Gent: all is just there and since the city is beautiful and safe, you can explore with ease without fear of getting lost.

Strolling along the canals, crossing stone bridges and wandering through atmospheric squares is one of the best things to do in Gent at Christmas. Our favorite thing was to randomly find cute houses and hidden corners, of which Gent is generous!

Take a Winter Boat Trip

A canal boat trip is a lovely way to see Gent from a different perspective, even in winter.

Ghent has lovely canals and boat tours are one of the main activities in the city. In winter, you can choose between a glass roof bigger boat and a smaller open boat.

The advantage of the open boat is that it brings into smaller canals but of course, it comes from a downside of potentially being rather cold.

They do give you a blanket so it is not a problem but if you tend to get very cold or have issues with humidity, you may want to make sure you wrap up very well!

Wrapped up warm, you’ll glide past historic buildings and under bridges while learning about the city’s past. It’s a relaxing break from walking and a great way to appreciate how picturesque Gent really is.

Visit Gent’s Landmarks + how to get tickets

Gent is packed with impressive sights, all within easy walking distance:

Gravensteen Castle

Gravensteed castle is a fantastic, atmospheric medieval castle in Ghent City center. The castle is a very popular attraction and is ticketed: in the busy Christmas season booking is paramount as it does sell out.

Top tip: if you miss out on entering the main area of the castle, you can still get a first sense for it in the castle cafe. It is right at the entrance, it is underground with vaulted cellings, it is lit up with lovely Christmas lights and a great place for a hot chocolate, a Belgian beer or a cake. No booking needed, you just walk in: even when busy, usually there is a reasonably pick turnaround of people to get a spot.

Saint Bavo’s Cathedral

St Bavo’s Cathedral is the stunning cathedral of Gent and is home to the incredible Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, an altarpiece by Jan and Hubert van Eyck.

Entrance to the cathedral is free, but seeing the altarpiece is not: you can tickets online and I recommend you do as the line to see it is long and the demand is high, so without planning you may be out of luck. The official site is this one

The Belfry of Ghent, right in the historic heart, is the tall tower that, historically, kept Gent’s privileges , and one of the three watchtowers in Ghent city center.

The tower is UNESCO heritage site and it is worth visiting on a few accounts: the views from the top, its incredible gothic architecture and its dragon – if traveling with Ghent with kids, it is one of the many creatures they’ll spot in the city and a very cool one to see too. You can find opening hours and tickets here.

Shopping and Cosy Cafés

Gent is a pleasure for shopping, with independent boutiques, design stores and Belgian brands.

In the city center, there are a few shopping streets with anything from chocolate, local bookstores, handmade jewellery boutiques, to local and International clothing stores.

To our surprise, we noticed shops where all open on both Saturday and Sunday, which meant the city was buzzing with activity from both locals and visitors. The shopping areas are weaved into the historic part so as you explore one, you’ll also find the other.

You will notice chocolate is ubiquitous here and it is also delicious so, if you are looking for local edible souvenirs, you’ll have no issues finding them!

When you need a break, warm up in one of the city’s many cafés or restaurants. Belgian comfort food, chocolate and beer make winter indulgence easy here. Cafes we enjoyed are Et Alors and Barrazza, which is a small, cosy place with lovely canal views.

How Long to Stay in Gent at Christmas

We stayed in Ghent Friday night to Sunday afternoon and it was perfect.

We felt this time allowed us to get a feel for the city, see the market both in daylight and at night, had nice meals and a relaxed pace.

We contemplated the idea of spending one morning to get to Bruges but we made the right call not going: Ghent needed the time and especially with the shops open, we found plenty to do!

How to Get to Gent

Gent is extremely easy to reach by train.

• Direct trains from Brussels city take about 30 minutes
• Trains run frequently from Brussels Airport direct to Ghent, about one per hour until rather late in the evening.

Train tickets area easily available on the day, in the train station inside the airport. You just follow the easy directions inside the terminal: the machines accept cards and the information is in different languages including English.

Once you arrive, you won’t need a car. Gent’s centre is compact, walkable and well set up for visitors. We got a tram to get to our hotel and we were able to use our cards to tap-and-go on the tram, no paper ticket needed (one card per person)

Where to Stay in Gent at Christmas

For a special yet effortless stay, Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof is an excellent choice.

Set in a beautifully restored historic building, the hotel offers:

• A peaceful, elegant atmosphere
• Comfortable rooms perfect for winter stays
• A central location within walking distance of the Christmas market and main sights
• A feeling of retreat after busy days exploring the city

It’s the kind of place that reinforces the feeling of a Christmas getaway that is both indulgent and easy. We chose is because of the location but also for their excellent family rooms which are spacious and with two large king beds, which is a rare setup but a great one for families with young kids.

The breakfast at the hotel is buffet style and very generous and we loved seeing how many kids were around!

Clearly, the same elements that made me choose this hotel were spotted by other families and the atmosphere was lovely: elegant and calm but kid friendly ,the type of place where all ages are at ease.

The hotel also has bikes you can take for free and a couple of restaurant onsite, one Michelin starred.

Is Gent Worth Visiting at Christmas?

Absolutely.

If you’re looking for a Christmas destination that is:

• Festive but not crowded
• Beautiful without being overwhelming
• Easy to navigate
• Perfect for a weekend

Gent at Christmas is a wonderful choice.

It offers the magic of a historic European town, the warmth of a Christmas market, and the ease of a compact city, making it one of the most enjoyable festive getaways in Belgium.

This post is part of my Christmas markets and winter city break series. You may also enjoy my guides to other European Christmas destinations and winter packing lists.

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