Belgium
Ghent, Which Is Not Bruges
The same medieval Flanders, a castle in the middle of town, and a fraction of the crowds.
GhentBelgium
The route from Amsterdam
~220 km, about 2 hours 15 each way. For comparison, roughly 3 hours 30 with a change.
Ghent sits between Antwerp and Bruges, about two and a quarter hours from Amsterdam. It has what Bruges has — canals, guild houses, a belfry, a van Eyck — and it is a working university city rather than a preserved one, so it stays busy in the evening and quiet in the middle of the day.
The obvious comparison is unavoidable, so here it is plainly: Bruges is prettier and fuller, Ghent is livelier and emptier. If you have been to Bruges, go to Ghent. If you have been to neither and only have one day, most people still choose Bruges.
Why take a private driver
Ghent's centre is closed to most traffic, which makes arriving by car awkward unless someone else is doing the parking. That is the practical case. The other one is the Gravensteen: a moated castle in the middle of the city, which almost nobody expects.
A sample day
This is how we would plan it. Nothing here is fixed — the point of a private day is that it bends to you.
Pickup at your hotel
Anywhere in Amsterdam.
Arrive in Ghent
Set down at the edge of the car-free centre.
Saint Bavo's Cathedral
The Ghent Altarpiece by the van Eyck brothers, one of the most significant paintings in Europe. Ticketed, and worth booking ahead.
Graslei and Korenlei
The two quays facing each other across the water, and the reason Ghent photographs the way it does.
Lunch
On the water or in the streets behind it.
Gravensteen
The castle, from the twelfth century, with a walkable wall and a view over the roofs.
Patershol
The old quarter behind the castle: narrow streets, no chains, and almost no tour groups.
Drive back
Two hours and a quarter.
Back at your hotel
Door to door.
What is included
- Private vehicle and driver for about 9 hours
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Amsterdam
- Fuel, tolls, parking and all road costs
- Route changes on the day
What is not included
- Cathedral, altarpiece and castle entry
- Lunch and drinks
- Gratuity
Questions
Ghent or Bruges?
Bruges if it is your first time in Flanders and you want the postcard. Ghent if you have seen Bruges, or if crowds spoil a place for you. Both, if you can give it a twelve-hour day.
Do we need to book the Ghent Altarpiece?
Yes, in season. It is timed entry at Saint Bavo's and it does sell out. Book it yourself directly and tell us the slot, and we will build the day around it.
How long in the city?
Around six hours on a nine-hour day, which covers the cathedral, the quays, the castle and lunch without rushing.