Colourful houses line the waterfront, with more Belgian chocolate shops than you can shake a truffle at, while a line of spires stretches off along the skyline, including the dragon-topped belltower.
But unlike tourist favourite Bruges, Ghent has somehow managed to stay under the tourist radar, with few crowds cramming the cobbled streets of this historic Flemish city.
Besides a year-long celebration of Flemish Master Jan Van Eyck to tempt visitors, there are plenty of reasons to consider a city break at any time.
Home to some of Van Eyck’s most famous works, the Ghent Altarpiece — properly known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb — has been on display for centuries in the cathedral before a recent restoration project.
A new visitor centre is due to open in the cathedral in October to display the restored panels of the altarpiece, while Lights On Van Eyck, a digital tribute at St Nicholas Church will be running until November 1.
The STAM Ghent City Museum has a permanent reproduction of the panels and room detailing the mysterious theft of one section, never recovered, plus background on the chief suspects.
Sadly the much-anticipated exhibition Van Eyck: An Optical Revolution, bringing together more than half his surviving works to MSK Gent, the city’s fine art museum has been forced to close temporarily but you’ll find more works by Flemish masters here too.
A sensory walking tour, OMG! Seven Senses also aims to introduce visitors to the city and its heritage, featuring street art, crafts at local shops and food using medieval ingredients which Van Eyck would have recognised.
Ghent is a city which lends itself to wandering: its medieval streets are still very much part of a living town where street art adds a quirky edge.
A trail takes you through its oldest streets and beyond the historic heart of the city, past eye-catching murals, some thought-provoking, others as detailed and colourful as Van Eyck’s own works.
Pause on St Michael’s bridge (watching out for the bikes and trams) for one of the best views, including the 91m Belfry where Ghent’s treasures were once stored.Waterfront Graslei has been the site for trade in Flanders for centuries: the tall gabled houses date back to the Middle Ages, although the boats cruising along the river carry tourists drinking in the views, rather than wool and other goods.
The market is gone from the nearby Korenmarkt, where chain shops and restaurants line the square, along with the ubiquitous waffle and chocolate shops.
But the 12th century Gravensteen castle still looms solidly from its own canalside spot. Home to the Counts of Flanders for over 150 years, an audio guide narrated by one of Belgium’s best-known comedians, brings its history — including a taste of medieval justice — to life.
History, art and chocolate? Look no further than Ghent for a tempting city break.
Unmissable art
Raphael, National Gallery, London
Big plans to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death in Italy have been derailed by the spead of coronavirus — but if you still want to mark the master, head to the National Gallery in London later this year.
From October 3 until January 24, 2021, the exhibition is set to include works from major museums around the world including the Louvre, the Vatican museums, the Uffizi, the Prado and the Hermitage as well as the National Gallery’s own The Madonna of the Pinks.
Covering Raphael’s two-decade career, it will feature architecture and sculpture, plus drawings and prints.
Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway
When this new museum opens, it will be home to the largest collection of Munch works in the world. With 11 exhibition halls over seven floors, the building is made of recyclable materials and covered in translucent perforated aluminium.
Along with an archive of 28,000 works by Edvard Munch, the museum will also feature work by other artists: Tracey Emin’s fascination with Munch is the focus of the first, including a vast statue set to stand outside. Currently due to open in autumn.
In the Light of Cuyp, Dordrechts Museum, the Netherlands
There’s always something new for art-lovers to discover in the Netherlands, which has a higher density of museums than any other country. This year, look beyond Amsterdam and the Hague to Dordrechts where In The Light Of Cuyp runs from September 27 to March 14, 2021.
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of Aelberg Cuyp, Dordrechts’ most famous artist, the exhibition also collects works from those he inspired in Britain, with Cuyp’s pieces appearing alongside Gainsborough, Constable and Turner.
Helsinki Biennial, Finland
Set on an island a short boat ride from the city, the first Helsinki Biennial (from June 12 to September 27) is set to be as noteworthy for its setting as for the art.
Vallisaari island has its own military history, and the combination of its heritage and the unspoiled nature of the island is at its heart, with 40 artists taking part, including Katharina Grosse, Hanna Tuulikki and Paweł Althamer.
Making The Met 1870-2020, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is celebrating its 150th birthday with a look back over its own long history.
The immersive exhibition will feature more than 250 works, including some which are only rarely placed on view. The exhibition runs to August 2.
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