🍺 Day 5: Saturday, April 26 - OPTION DAY
Second Ghent Day OR Second Bruges Day
Historical Context
After exploring Ghent's main highlights, this second day gives you a chance to go deeper into the city's authentic neighborhoods and daily life. Ghent has successfully revitalized many of its historic areas that were once industrial zones or working-class neighborhoods. Today these areas blend historic architecture with contemporary culture, creating spaces where local residents actually live and work, away from tourist crowds.
Breakfast
Madam Bakster
Brabantdam 142
Sustainable bakery with healthy options
Simon Says
Sluizeken 8
Coffee shop in a renovated house with garden
WASBAR
Korenmarkt 16
Combination of laundromat and breakfast spot with great atmosphere
Other Options
Or Coffee
Barista
Boon
Morning Activities
Explore Patershol & Prinsenhof Neighborhoods
These two historic neighborhoods offer atmospheric streets with excellent architecture and local shops.
Patershol Quarter
- Medieval quarter with maze-like streets
- Once the leather crafting district, now home to excellent restaurants
- Explore the narrow streets around Kraanlei and Haringsteeg
Prinsenhof District
- Former residence of the Counts of Flanders
- Winding streets named after crafts and trades
- Visit Lievekaai and Lieve River with its historic bridges
- See the Old Fish Market (Oude Vismijn) with its Neptune fountain
Guided Tour Option
- Gent Free Walking Tours offers daily tours at 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM (€10-15 tip recommended)
- Ghent Food Tours offers 3-hour culinary walking tours (€65/person)
- Ghent Local Tours offers private customized tours (€30/hour per group)
Alternative: Self-Guided Food Tour
Cultural Context: Ghent's Food Heritage
Food is an essential part of Belgian culture, and this self-guided tour will introduce you to local specialties. Cuberdons (also called "Ghent noses") are unique to this region - cone-shaped candies with a hard exterior and liquid raspberry-flavored interior that must be consumed within 8 weeks of production (they're not exported). The mustard from Tierenteyn-Verlent has been made using the same secret family recipe since 1790 and is still prepared in the cellar of their shop. Belgian waffles come in different regional styles, with Brussels waffles being light and rectangular while Liège waffles are denser with caramelized sugar chunks.
Create your own food walk around Ghent:
- Start with coffee at Mokabon (Donkersteeg 35) - Ghent's oldest coffee house
- Sample traditional cuberdons (cone-shaped purple candies) from street vendors at Groentenmarkt
- Try Belgian waffles at Etablissement Max (Goudenleeuwplein 3)
- Visit Groot Vleeshuis (Groentenmarkt 7) - historic meat hall now housing various local food vendors
- Taste local cheese at Van Tricht (Klein Turkije 20)
- Sample mustard at Tierenteyn-Verlent (Groentenmarkt 3)
Lunch
De Gekroonde Hoofden
Historic pub with good Belgian food
Het Gouden Hoofd
Slachthuisstraat 96
Local dishes in a cozy setting
Lepelblad
Onderbergen 40
Fresh, healthy lunch options
De Superette
Guldenspoorstraat 29
Excellent sourdough bread and lunch
Afternoon: Urban Nature & Alternative Ghent or Waffles n Beer
Option 1: Promenade Along Coupure
- Scenic canal built in 1751 to connect Ghent to Bruges
- Lined with impressive townhouses and trees
- Quiet escape from the city center
- Follow the paths along the water
Option 2: Explore the Arts Quarter
- Area around Museum of Contemporary Art (SMAK) and Museum of Fine Arts (MSK)
- Citadelpark - 19th-century park on the site of a former Dutch citadel
- Street art in the surrounding neighborhoods
Option 3: Visit the Rabot Area
- Former industrial zone transformed into creative neighborhood
- The Rabot Towers - three distinctive residential towers
- Site Vande Velde - formerly a textile factory, now a community space
- Urban agriculture initiatives like De Site community garden
Option 4: Waffles & Beer Workshop
Combines the rich flavors of Belgian beer with the art of Belgian waffle-making in a hands-on, interactive session.
- Participants enjoy a curated beer tasting, selecting a brew to infuse into their waffle batter
- Engage in a personalized waffle baking class
- The perfect Belgian combination of Waffles & Beer, coupled with expert guidance
- The finale: a self-indulgent feast of freshly baked Brussels waffles paired with chosen toppings and beer
- Take home the knowledge to recreate this extraordinary pairing
Book here: The Waffles 'n Beer Workshop in Ghent Centre
Duration: 1h 30m
Options: 11am, 1:30pm, or 4:00pm
Cost: around €60 per person
Coffee & Cake Break
Julie's House
Kraanlei 13
Known for elaborate cakes
Mosquito Coast
Hoogpoort 28
Travel-themed café with global influences
Huize Colette
Belfortstraat 6
Literary café with excellent pastries
Pre-Dinner
Jigger's
Oudburg 16
Craft cocktail bar in historic building
VROUWEN KUNNEN ALLES
Oudburg 34
Wine bar specialized in natural wines
Dinner
Café Théâtre
Schouwburgstraat 5
Belgian classics in a theatrical setting
Indonesian Padang Restaurant
Better Indonesian option
Het Pakhuis
Schuurkenstraat 4
Beautiful restaurant in a converted warehouse
De Acht Zaligheden
Oudburg 20
Cozy Belgian restaurant very close to Gado Gado
Karel de Stoute
Sint-Veerleplein 1
Lovely restaurant near Gravensteen with traditional Belgian cuisine
Evening
Minor Swing
Kraanlei 55
Jazz bar with occasional live music
Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant
Groentenmarkt 9
Classic beer café
De Dulle Griet
Vrijdagmarkt 50
Historic beer café with over 500 beers
Café Het Spijker
Pensmarkt 3
Atmospheric old café with a good beer selection
Rainy Day Option: Museum Visits in Ghent
If you encounter rainy weather during your stay in Ghent, these museums offer excellent indoor options:
STAM (Ghent City Museum)
Located in Bijloke Abbey, this interactive exhibition tells the story of Ghent from the Middle Ages to the present. The museum is housed in the historic Bijloke Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery dating from the 13th century.
Hours: Open until 6:00 PM (closed Wednesdays)
Entrance fee: €8
Design Museum Gent
Founded in 1903 and housed in an 18th-century rococo mansion, the Design Museum chronicles Belgian and international design from the Middle Ages to the present. The museum is particularly known for its extensive Art Nouveau and Art Deco collections.
Hours: Open until 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: €8
Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre
This former Carmelite monastery dating from the 14th century offers rotating exhibitions of art and culture. The complex includes a beautiful Gothic church and monastery buildings arranged around a serene cloister.
Hours: Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Entrance fee: Varies by exhibition (€5-10)
Historical Context
Bruges deserves more than a rushed day trip. With a second day, you can explore beyond the main tourist areas to discover quiet corners and local secrets of this medieval gem. While the first day covered the central highlights, this second visit allows you to explore the windmills along the old city walls, enjoy the parks, and see how local residents experience their historic city. Bruges is particularly magical in the early morning and evening when day-trippers have departed.
Getting to Bruges
Same as before: Train from Gent Sint-Pieters to Bruges
- Journey time: 25-30 minutes
- Cost: around €7 each way
Breakfast
Grab something quick in Ghent or have breakfast on arrival in Bruges:
That's Toast
Wollestraat 8
Creative toast options
Blackbird
Jan van Eyckplein 7
Stylish café with breakfast options
Sanseveria Bagelsalon
Predikherenstraat 11
Excellent bagels and coffee
Morning Activity: Bruges Waterways & Windmills
Exploring East Bruges
- Walk along the eastern canals to discover the four remaining windmills
- These 18th-century windmills stand on the ramparts that once encircled the city
- Visit Sint-Janshuis Mill (one is open for interior visits from April-September)
- Explore Kruisvest park area along the old city walls
- Minnewater Park ("Lake of Love") with its peaceful lake and swans
Guided Tour Option
- Legends of Bruges Free Walking Tours (€10-15 tip recommended)
- Bruges Beer Experience Walking Tour (€63/person)
- Boat and Brewery Tour combining canal cruise with brewery visits (€45/person)
Lunch
Park Restaurant
Minderbroedersstraat 1
Elegant lunch in a historic building
Blackbird Café
Jan van Eyckplein 7
Light lunches in a scenic square
De Halve Maan Brewery
Walplein 26
Traditional food at the brewery
De Republiek
Café-restaurant with spacious terrace and cultural center housed in a former printing workshop
Afternoon: Hidden Bruges
Option 1: Church Hopping
- Jerusalem Chapel - Private family chapel built to resemble Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- English Convent - Monastery founded by English nuns fleeing persecution
- Lace Museum (Kantcentrum) - Demonstrates the traditional craft Bruges is famous for
Option 2: Quieter Canals & Neighborhoods
- Explore the Sint-Anna district, a quieter residential area with well-preserved architecture
- Visit the Folklore Museum to see recreated historic interiors
- Stroll along the Langerei canal for beautiful views
Option 3: Artistic Bruges
- Groeningemuseum - Contains masterpieces by Flemish primitives
- Arentshuis - Museum focused on prints and applied arts
- St. John's Hospital - One of Europe's oldest hospital buildings, now housing art exhibitions
Coffee & Belgian Waffles
Lizzie's Waffles
Mariastraat 17
Considered by many to have the best waffles in Bruges
Books & Brunch
Garenmarkt 30
Combination of bookstore and café
Tearoom Carpe Diem
Wijngaardstraat 15
Charming tearoom near the main square
Gingerbread Tea Room
Mariastraat 30
Cozy tea room
The Old Chocolate House
Mariastraat 1
Famous for hot chocolate and waffles
De Republiek
Café-restaurant with spacious terrace and cultural center housed in a former printing workshop
Dinner in Bruges or Return to Ghent
Den Amand
Vlamingstraat 42
Traditional Belgian cuisine
Rock Fort
Langestraat 15
Contemporary Belgian food
Pomperlut
Oude Burg 8
Charming restaurant in historic building
Evening
- Enjoy Bruges illuminated at night
- Stroll the quiet evening streets after the day visitors have left
- Return to Ghent for the night