Following our stay in Antwerp, Nik and I boarded a train to spend four days and three nights visiting Ghent.
Getting to Ghent
It was a quick train ride at just over an hour. The Ghent weather was rainy and overcast upon arriving to the Gent-Dampoort train station so we called an Uber. The driver was nice and spoke English. As we made our way to the hotel, he pointed out a few landmarks and shopping areas. I’ll never understand how cars drive on the tiny old town streets, but he took us alongside the Christmas market and it felt like we were breaking a rule. Regardless, we arrived to our hotel, 1898 The Post.
Staying at 1898 The Post
The first thing you notice upon arriving at 1898 The Post is its Gothic architecture exterior. Simply stunning.
We were supposed to stay at 1898 The Post in 2020 but the pandemic cancelled that plan and so we were glad to book it for this trip using Chase points.
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It’s situated in Graslei, the historic city center of Ghent called Korenmarkt, along a canal. Opposite Graslei is Korenlei. Both are some of the most beautiful areas of the city and most photographed buildings.
In addition to the beautiful architecture, the hotel is rich in history. It inhabits the building that was once Ghent’s head post office and there are numerous references to the building’s former life. The decor of the hallways were full of quirky accents such as antique furniture and vintage books.
Our room oozed with old charm including a magnificent dresser. Items on top of it were throwbacks to the 19th century with a magnifying glass, stacks of old postage letters and metal pencil cases. To the side of the dresser was a pulley rope which opened and closed the window shutter that was high up the wall and you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. Unique to our room was a loft space which was home to the sink and shower.
Check out the video tour:
In addition to its history, another really cool thing at the hotel was the self serve bar that’s for guests only. Called the ‘Honesty Bar’ you serve yourself and write it down on a sheet and slip it in a box and that drink gets added to your room bill. The view from this area was also pretty great, looking out to the square and ferris wheel which was a focal point of Ghent’s Christmas market.
The hotel does have a regular bar for guests and the public to visit called The Cobbler. We had drinks there one night and breakfast on another day. The large windows give way to amazing views of the surrounding area.
Historic Ghent
As already stated, our hotel was in a great location, and we walked almost everywhere.
Gravensteen
We were a short walk to Gravensteen, a medieval castle of the Counts. The current castle dates from 1180 and has served as a court, prison, mint and a cotton factory. Today it’s a museum and was quite busy the two times we explored the exterior.
Stolperstein in Ghent
On our walk towards Gravensteen, Nik and I passed a Stolperstein (Stumble Stone) laid in front of a buiding next to our hotel. This would be one of a few Stumble Stones we would see in the city and it seems this one was placed December 6, 2023, just a few days before we arrived in Ghent.
Karel Poffyn had an interesting history, from what I could tell through various websites as I searched for information. Puffin was a veteran of the First World War and would eventually become a Belgian resistance fighter in World War II. Poffyn and other resistance fighters were arrested, interrogated and he was eventually transferred to Neuengamme extermination camp. He was further transferred to the subcamp Meppen-Versen where he died on December 6, 1944.
This stone is placed at his former place of employment and I’m assuming it was because this is the location he did much of his resistance work.
Another set of Stolperstein we saw also have a fascinating, and sad, history. The Bloch-Loeb-Levy family once resided at the corner of the Veldstraat. They and some of their descendants owned and managed a renowned bakery/pastry shop.
The bakery was opened in 1899 by Benjamin Bloch and his wife Sophie Loeb. After the death of Benjamin Bloch, his son Rodolphe succeeded him. During the Second World War, Rodolphe fled to New York with his wife Alice and their children; Sophie Loeb managed the business in the meantime. More on the bakery history here.
It seems some of the family fled and some stayed. The ones that stayed were ultimately arrested and deported to Auschwitz where they were murdered.
Ghent Christmas Market
Ghent is the third city on this winter trip and it had the largest and best Christmas market thus far. We arrived on opening day of the market and the crowds were out in full force when we went exploring in the evening.
It was spread out through Korenmarkt, the old town, and lined the streets next to some of Ghent’s most notable landmarks: The Belfry of Ghent, Saint Bavo Cathedral and Saint Nicholas’ Church.
Some of the food we enjoyed at the market included a delicious grilled sausage, local schnapps and fried dough that reminded us of beignets. Similar to Lille, beers were served in plastic cups that were meant to be recycled. Once they were returned, we got a few Euros deposit back.
On our last night in Ghent, I convinced Nik to ride the Ferris wheel (18€ for two tickets) and it was really enjoyable. The views were incredible.
Dining out in Ghent
Though the grilled sausage at the Christmas was one of our favorite things we ate in Ghent, we also had the most delicious frites from a no frills spot near the canal and a delicious dinner at a restaurant in a former convent.
Bij Filip
The best frites Nik and I had in a very long time were from Bij Filip, a small walk-up counter near the canal and The Great Butchers Hall, an old meat market closed for renovations. When we first went to get them, there was a line, so we decided to get a drink nearby at Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant.
Probably 20 minutes later we returned to try again and there was no line. We ordered fries topped with typical Belgian beef stew and they were outstanding. Nik and I joked about going back for a second order of them. If I recall correctly, it’s cash only.
‘t Oud Clooster
A friend recommended ‘t Oud Clooster and I’m glad we decided to go for dinner. It’s a pretty low key exterior for being in an old convent. The brick walls and wooden doors show its history.
Over the course of a couple cocktails, Nik and I shared a bruschetta appetizer and got our own entrees. Mine was called Pasta Oud Clooster which was a pasta with shrimp scampi in a tomato-pepper sauce and parmesan. So creamy and tasty. Nik got a beef brochette (kebob) served with a tomato cream sauce.
Prices were a little steep for what we’ve been used to on the trip, but I thought the food was delicious. I loved my entree. If you’re ever in Ghent, stop in for dinner. Reservations recommended.
Julie’s House
No, it’s not named after me, but it was delicious! Julie’s House is a local bakery and perfect for an afternoon snack. I had a slice of cheese cake and Nik had a slice of their popular chocolate cake. Highly recommend a stop here.
Other Spots in Ghent
In no particular order, some other places we are or drank at include:
Dulle Griet – an old-school pub with a huge Belgian and Trappist beer list. It was packed when we went and luckily didn’t wait long to snag a table that opened up. If you order one of their draft beers in the giant glass boot, you have to give them one of your shoes as a deposit. People got a kick out of it.
‘t Galgenhuis – said to be Ghent’s smallest bar. The name means gallow’s house, where convicted men and women waited there for the execution of their sentences.
Mosquito Coast – a really cool space with large, oversize chairs that were incredibly comfortable. We didn’t eat here but saw some of the food go by and it looked pretty good.
Bar Beenhouwer – more of a craft beer spot than typical Belgian beer. It was an easy walk outside of old town and so it was nice to explore a different area. Both Nik and I agreed the prices were pretty steep for the beers. Would recommend, but be ready to pay a little more.
O’Gand – a brasserie right along side the Christmas market. Took a break from the market crowds in here.
Steamy Windows – a dumpling bar we stopped at for a second dinner after the sausage from the market. They were really good.
Onward
Overall, Ghent was incredibly charming even with the overcast days we had. The sun peeked a few times and the rain didn’t last our whole stay. We also used our visit to do another load of laundry in your typical laundromat. Ghent did have two Wasbar locations, but we didn’t want to bother with them again. The laundromat had vending machines for detergent and worked perfectly for us.
Your trip looks amazing … your mother would have enjoyed seeing these pictures … thank you for sharing.