Most visitors hop on a tram from Ghent's main train station to get straight to the heart of the centre. But the mere three kilometre trip can be done on foot using the Leie River as your guide. It’s a great way to discover another beautiful side to the historic city.
The walk follows the river most of the way and makes for a relaxing weekend walk. Before leaving, be sure to appreciate the station itself, now 100 years old. It was designed by Louis Cloquet in time for the World Exhibition in 1913 with a unique style; in 2010 the interior murals were restored, highlighting prominent Belgian towns, part of the 10-year renovation project that you can’t miss as you exit out the front.
To start, cross the roundabout across from the train station and head left down Koning Albertlaan until you reach a bridge. This is the least interesting section: once you reach the canal, the scenery gets progressively more varied.
Take a right on to Noorderdoorgang and follow it all the way to town. Its name will change several times before ending at a bridge as Ajuinlei. As long as you simply follow the canal, don’t worry about the street names.
Your best bet is to stay on the left-hand side for the stroll along a hedge-lined path. At your first bridge, go underneath along the footpath to arrive at the other side. Directly across the street is Ghent’s city museum STAM. Part of the gorgeous 13th-century Bijloke campus, this museum tells the story of the town, complete with interactive multimedia displays.
Benches facing the backs of apartments and occasional grand homes are scattered on the walk, should you need a rest, with ducks swimming past to keep you company. In the spring, rental boats filled with day-trippers putter slowly by.
After crossing the street again, keeping the bridge and canal to your right and veering left, cross a small drawbridge next to a smaller, secondary canal. Here you can rent these small motorboats to explore the waterways. Keep heading straight, past a small dock with about 15 houseboats. Coming up on the left, the imposing Justice Palace sits on the water and in the distance, a clock tower spire juts into the skyline.
You’re about halfway. Nearly in the centre of the old town, cafés are now abundant. You can stop at the traditional Brasserie Midi in front of the Justice Palace for a coffee, served with a small glass of advocaat.
As you continue along the canal, you’ll pass an English bookshop filled with used books, from children’s stories to First World War history; the walrus-moustached owner can always help you find what you need. This street, Ajuinlei, also has an outdoor used book sale every Sunday until 13.00. Be sure to look at the buildings along the water to see the poem “Serre d’ennui” by Ghent-born poet Maurice Maeterlinck engraved on the wall above the water. Maeterlinck, in fact, is currently enjoying a year-long festival in Ghent, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of his win of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
At the end of the street, you have to walk on the opposite side of the canal where the streets turn to cobblestone. Before crossing, enjoy your first full view of Ghent’s city skyline, with the castle Gravensteen in the distance. Het Pand, a former Dominican monastery, parts of which date from the 13th century, lines almost the entire length of the avenue.
Up ahead is a bridge; while you can walk under it, don’t hesitate to climb the stone steps. Once on top, enjoy a view to the right of the three towers of Ghent – one belfry and two churches – all of which deserve a visit.
From here you can also look out straight ahead at the Graslei, where tourists catch boat tours and locals come to sit on the sides of the canal or in the cafés that line it on either side. Try De Zwarte Zee on the corner, where flannel blankets on the chairs ensure you can sit and chat, no matter the temperature. Their homemade seafood waterzooi, a Ghent speciality, comes in huge portions with locally made bread.
Following the canal further will lead you to the Vismarkt, Gravensteen and the mediaeval Patershol district of winding little streets. Take your pick of directions and enjoy exploring.
Gillian Holmes Morrison, who lives alongside a canal in Ghent, is from California. An expat now for two years with her husband and two children, one of her tips for Ghent is the 100-hectare green area with a lake, walkways, sport courts and woods known as the Blaarmeersen.
“I love going to the Blaarmeersen for the great children’s playgrounds. There are a number to choose from, so no one ever gets bored. On the east side of the park, there’s a large play area with plenty to keep my kids entertained, including a zip line, climbing wall and separate toddlers’ play area. On rainy days, we use the indoor playground in Le Beach House, while I enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack. When the weather heats up, my children enjoy climbing on the wooden pirate ship on the sandy beach next to the large lake. There is even a children’s lagoon with shallow water, filled with pulleys, floats and bridges to fuel the imagination.” www.blaarmeersen.be
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