Initially, we were to leave Antwerp and sail to Ghent. However, for whatever reason, we were notified early on in Antwerp that we would remain docked there for a second day.
On our second day, you could explore more of Antwerp on your own, be bused to Ghent, or enjoy the Optional Tour initially offered to Bruges (but more on that later).
We Chose Ghent
Having already had plenty of time to enjoy Antwerp, we opted for the day trip to Ghent. We knew there were several must-do things for us, and we had visited Bruges on a previous trip while based in Amsterdam.
It was pre-blog, but let’s say that had Brugge been the only option, we would still have had a great time.
Bruges
As we mentioned, we had spent a day in Bruges on a trip to Amsterdam several years ago, so we explored Ghent.
However, we both have incredible memories of Bruges, and several of our shipmates headed there and loved the city.
On our visit, we went to The Church of Our Lady in Bruges, famous for its Madonna and Child sculpture by Michelangelo. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, they were in the middle of a renovation, so we missed a lot. So, for us, it would have been worth revisiting.
Buy some local lace. We bought a small framed piece to add to our Christmas ornament collection, and we bought more.
Eat chocolate, enough said. Bruges has several amazing artisanal chocolate shops. If you see a sign that says “World’s Best Hot Chocolate,” have some!
The city itself is incredible to wander through, though many people rave about the canal tours as a great way to see it.
Eat local food! No surprise coming from us. We did eat right on the main square, which we usually try not to do as places are too touristy.
Mark has a seemingly never-ending pot of steamed Curried Mussels that he still talks about but has never been able to replicate.
Chuck had a local Flemish Stew, which we’ve done pretty well replicating, and it’s delicious!
Whatever you eat, be sure to have a Belgian beer!
Wandering the City of Ghent
The city is incredibly walkable and so picturesque. While it is known for its medieval history and architecture, it also has a wide variety of incredible buildings and public art. It has a very young vibe, with lots of college students and some cool street art.
The red-brick building with two gold swan medalions is currently the Ghent Marriott Hotel. The building one housed a brothel, and the swans facing away from each other symbolized “no strings attached.”
The Old Post Office
The Royal Dutch Theatre
Tour boats along the canal.
The house in the right is called the House of Seven Works of Mercy.
The canals and waterways are awesome.
The Ghent Marriott Hotel
The Fountina of Kneeling Youths.
The Stadshal or City Pavilion
We love seeing vibrant street art.
We haven’t translated these…
but they look funky and colorful!
Ghent is absolutely worth a visit if you’re traveling through the Netherlands and Belgium.
Random Weird Stuff
Mark is a retired wedding planner; actually, he held the designation of one of 49 Master Wedding Planners worldwide until his retirement.
Lately, it seems that everywhere we travel, we run into a wedding, and Ghent was no different.
A bride and groom taking family portraits outside of City Hall.
St. Bavo’s Cathedral
Sint-Baafsplein 1
9000 Gent, Belgium
St. Bavo’s, also known as Sint-Baafs, is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Ghent. It is an 89-meter-tall Gothic masterpiece. Built on the site of the former chapel of St John the Baptist, which dates back to 942 AD.
The amazing facade of St. Bavo’s Cathedral.
Construction of the church began in 1274 with continuous expansions from the 14th to the 16th centuries.
The interior is known for it’s high vaulted ceilings.
The main altar is spectacular.
The pulpit, created in Rococo style by Laurent Delvaux in 1745, took four years to complete.
“OPUS” by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye is made of laser-cut steel.
The collection of stained glass windows in stunning.
“The Conversion of Saint Bavo” by Peter Paul Rubens
The Ghent Altarpiece
The Ghent Altarpiece, also known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, is considered one of the masterpieces of the early Northern Renaissance and one of Belgium’s greatest.
The altarpiece is actually a collection of twelve paintings. The name comes from the large piece in the lower center.
The Upper Portions
The Lower Portions
Admission to the Ghent Altarpiece was not included as part of our Gate 1 Travel city tour. So after touring the church, seeing a bit more of the city, and having lunch, we headed back for Mark to check out the altarpiece.
Admission begins around 10:15 AM with the panels closing at 5:15 PM. Admission is currently £12.50 or just under $15.00 US, and well worth it, as there are several other incredible pieces of art in that area, as well as parts of the cathedral you would not see otherwise.
If you are really into the details of the artwork, an augmented reality tour is available for about £16.00.
Random Weird Stuff
The lower left panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, known as “Just Judges,” was stolen in 1934 and has never been recovered. The painting there is actually a replica.
The Noses of Ghent
Noses of Ghent, or Cuberdons, are a local sweet confection sold from a stall in the Groentmarkt and in some shops around the city.
They are called “Little Noses” because of their conical shape, resembling a human nose. They originated as a syrup-based medicine that formed a crust on the outside. Initially, these gummy candies came in a dark purple raspberry flavor.
Today, these jelly-filled candies come in a variety of flavors.
Our tour manger buying samples for everyone.
They are delicious but definately a little sweet.
Yes, we got a box for later in the trip!
Random Weird Stuff
By chance, the small group we were in ended up with a local guide who was ‘less than enthusiastic.’ To be completely honest, he frequently ignored questions and requests, telling us he’d get back to them later.
This is something we have RARELY had happen on a Gate 1 Travel group and was reported to our Activities Host and Cruise Director on the ship.
We asked him about Tierenteyn-Verlent mustard. We weren’t sure how close our tour would take us to the store, and really wanted mustard. He acted as if he had never heard of it. Imagine our surprise when he took us to try some cuberdons – right in front of the mustard shop?
Tierenteyn-Verlent is an ABSOLUTE must-see when visiting Ghent.
They have been making mustard in Ghent since 1790, and in their shop on the Groentenmarkt for nearly 250 years. As a historic site, the only thing they have changed is adding electric light in the shop.
DO NOT MISS THIS!
Their mustard is simple and sharp. They still fill jars to order, scooping it out of a large wooden barrel. We heard they still make it in the basement, along with a few pickles and condiments.
You can choose from a variety of sizes, whole grain or smooth, and plain glass jars or beautiful painted ceramic jars.
We went with plain, smooth glass and bought ourselves two good-sized jars, as well as a few for friends we met on the ship who did other excursions.
Unfortunately, they only ship to neighboring countries.
They say it is good for a year in refrigeration, and we just finished our jars – we may be due for a trip to Ghent!
Neuhaus Chocolates
When in Belgium, Neuhaus is the place to go for chocolates.
Our dark chocolate sample!
The family opened its first boutique in Brussels in 1857. Jean Neuhause, who was Swiss / Italian, changed his family name from Casanove to Neuhouse. In Brussels, he operated a pharmacy where he surprised customers by covering medicines in chocolate. In 1912, his grandson evolved the idea, creating the first Belgian Praline, a luxurious chocolate filled with sweet treats.
While they are not the least expensive, they are absolutely worth the splurge. We were thrilled with the incredible dark chocolate sample and bought a few pieces for later.
Wandering off some of the main streets, we found a small cafe. It seemed to have a very young crowd, and once inside, we realized why.
Wasbar seems to be a play on the word wasbaar or washable. Most of their cafes offer self-laundry services, using only eco-friendly laundry products, included in the price.
Additionally, they offer a nice selection of vegan and vegetarian items, use halal meats, and have some fun selections.
We went with two very different options.
Chuck chose the Tuk Tuk Tiger: a sunflower bagel, crispy chicken, satay sauce, chili jam, fried onions, cheddar cheese, spring onions, and baby spinach.
Chuck’s sandwich.
Mark went with the Viva Las Vegan: a sunflower bagel, falafel, hummus, tomatoes, cucumber, soy yogurt, Gomasio, and baby spinach.
Mark’s sandwich
They were both £15.95 (about $18.75 US) with a small salad and delicious, crispy waffle fries.
We both had fresh-squeezed lemonade with mint, which was delicious and refreshing: £ 4.90 or about $5.75 US.
Lunch was wonderful, although the service was a bit slow. We think it was a shift change, and no one quite seems to know whose table was whose.
While we never ventured into the area with the washing machines, it seemed to be an awesome concept.
Our tour departed Ghent at about 3:00 PM, where we joined friends for cocktails, dinner, and a port talk about our next port, Dordrecht.
