May 26, 2026
Today was our day trip to Ghent, a medieval village about a 25 minute train ride from Brussels. We walked to the train station and saw garbage crews out picking up the mounds of garbage we had seen the day prior. Overall our route was still very dirty though. The train we boarded was PACKED. Standing room, and really squished up against the wall standing room, only. We were happy to be getting off so quickly.
When we arrived we had a 30 minute walk into the city and it was a huge contrast from Brussels. Clean, inviting and interesting architecture. We enjoyed the walk and when we got into the city center we first went to McDonalds (because Evan loves to look at the menu and the rest of us had to go to the toilet). We walked up 3 stories to find the WC as it was labeled. Dad got up there first and when mom and I arrived there were 2 little old ladies sitting outside the entrance insisting we pay them 1 euro each to use the toilet. They did not look like they were working for McDonalds and we explained to them that we did not have a euro coin, only credit cards, but they did not care. We waited outside the men's bathroom for dad (because he always has cash) and sure enough he delivered. Mom and I gave the women 1 euro and quickly snuck into the bathroom as they called after us in French that it wasn't enough. We used the bathroom (that didn't even have any soap) and quickly made our way downstairs where Evan was happily enjoying a snack wrap, oblivious to what had just unfolded.
Our first *official* stop in Ghent was the Belfry of Ghent, a bell tower that they started building in 1313. It was an alarm system for invaders, fires and executions, as well as housed important civic documents. There is a dragon that guards the city that is now preserved inside the tower for visitors to see. You can travel to the top of the tower, which is the highest viewpoint in Ghent, and get a 360 view of the whole city. When we got off the elevator at the top we were greeted with a carrillon, a musical instrument that plays every 15 minutes for the town to hear. We enjoyed walking around the top level that overlooks the city below. We were supposed to take a winding staircase down but we snuck back to the elevator and took that instead. 
Then we went to St. Bavo's Cathedral, a really beautiful church that housed 12 panels of a 15th century masterpiece that you could pay to look at. It's the world's most stolen artwork and has survived wars and fires. The artists, both brothers, signed the panels as "the first greatest artist in the world" and "the second greatest artist in the world". 🤣
After, we grabbed a quick bite at a vegan health food store (dad loved this 😂) before meeting our guide for our walking tour. We learned so many things from Sofia, our guide. Including:
The Two Swans
Our guide pointed out a hotel with a sign featuring two swans facing away from each other instead of forming the heart shape you'd normally associate with swans. Apparently, the symbolism used to mean something a little less romantic and a little more flirty 😉 to the merchant sailors who stayed one or two nights there. Ironically, today, the hotel is owned by a Mormon family who wants nothing to do with the original interpretation 🤣. The sign is still there, but the owners would prefer you not think too hard about what it could represent.
From Poor People's Stew to a Belgian Favorite
Our guide also introduced us to two traditional dishes: waterzooi and Flemish stew. Waterzooi is a creamy stew traditionally associated with Ghent, usually made with chicken or fish, vegetables and a rich broth.
Flemish stew, on the other hand, has a particularly good origin story. According to our guide, it began as a poor person's meal because people who couldn't afford the best cuts of meat were left with meat that was starting to spoil. They made it edible and flavorful by cooking it slowly with herbs and spices. Eventually, the dish became so popular that wealthier people wanted it, too. Today, it's a beloved Belgian comfort food.
Graffiti Alley and the Fish Market
We also passed through Ghent's famous Graffiti Street, a narrow alley where street art and graffiti cover the walls. It's a designated place for graffiti, so the artwork is constantly changing. It's a fun contrast to the historic buildings and medieval streets found throughout the city.
The fish market was another stop, and even its entrance was beautiful. 
Gravensteen Castle and the Beer Revolt
One of Ghent's most recognizable landmarks is Gravensteen Castle, a medieval fortress right in the middle of the city. Over the centuries, the castle served various purposes, including being used for industrial activities that damaged parts of the building and eventually required restoration.
Our guide also told us about an occupation of the castle over beer taxes in 1949. When the city tried to raise the tax on beer to 25%, 138 students revolted by occupying the castle and throwing fruit at the police. According to our guide, students now commemorate the story each year by gathering at the castle, drinking beer and throwing fruit from the towers. 
A Fountain With Very Specific Drinking Instructions
We came across a fountain with separate drinking bowls for humans, dogs, horses and birds. It was a clever design, but also one that came with an important instruction: make sure you're drinking from the right bowl.
The Textile Machine Heist
One of the more surprising stories from our tour involved a man who wanted to bring textile manufacturing to Ghent. Lieven Bauwens, a Ghent industrialist, made 32 trips to England in 1798–1799 to obtain textile-manufacturing technology despite British restrictions. He smuggled parts of a cotton-spinning machine to the Continent and recruited British workers by promising to pay them double what they earned back home. He brought them to Ghent, learned how to operate the machinery, and then fired them and hired local workers for half the price instead.
Trappist Beer
We then learned about Trappist beer, which has some pretty specific rules. To qualify as authentic Trappist beer, it must be brewed within a Trappist monastery, under the supervision of monks, and the proceeds must support the monastery's upkeep and charitable work rather than simply enriching a commercial brewery.
Our guide explained that the number of Trappist breweries had recently fallen because one community had lost its last monk and had nobody to continue brewing. The tradition is so closely tied to Belgian culture and heritage that UNESCO recognizes Belgian beer culture as an intangible cultural heritage.
The Modern Building That Divided the City
At the end of our tour, our guide brought us to a striking modern building that the city had constructed. Not everyone was happy with the design, and the project became controversial. Our guide explained that it was part of a wider disagreement about how Ghent was developing and preserving its historic character, and that the controversy contributed to the city's loss of UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
Dad spent the tour hunting for every bit of shade imaginable so after we finished we rewarded him for his time spent in the heat with a cold bevvy.
We decided to try one of the recommendations from our tour guide and it did not disappoint. It was a really cool brewery in a different part of town. We sat outside and even mom got to have a gluten free amber/stout combo beer. They had these interesting circular chambers outside that allowed men to pee and mom and I had the awkward experience of a man peeing in it while staring straight at us. 🤣 So of course Evan had to try it. 
After the brewery we headed to Leonida's, one of Belgium's famous chocolate stores and ate some candy. 
Then we headed to T. Klokhuys, a very traditional highly recommended restaurant in Ghent for dinner. Evan and I tried the Grey shrimp croquettes, waterzooi and flemish stew- all three traditional dishes that we had learned about. The waterzooi was by far my favorite. 
We drank it rather quickly and then we headed to the train station so we could make it back to Brussels. The train was far less crowded on the way home so we were able to sit. YAY! We got on the train 30 minutes from our Airbnb that morning, but as we were heading back into the city that evening we noticed there was a stop on the same line that was only a 10 minute walk from our Airbnb. We took our chances and got off and oh my gosh it was like seeing a whole new city. There were so many people out and about and there were street musicians and restaurants and shops and it was CLEAN. We couldn't believe we had missed all this the day before.
