Du Progrès
What to order: the Ghent-style chicken waterzooi or a Blanc-Bleu Belge beef steak with chips
Closed Sundays and Mondays · dogs not allowed
geocalia
Day itinerary · 51.05° N · 3.72° E
Ghent in a day, half an hour by train from Brussels.
The Van Eyck altarpiece and the belfry in the morning, waterzooi on the Korenmarkt, the Castle of the Counts and a boat in the afternoon. By train, a little over half an hour from Brussels.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Bruselas fromBarcelona 2 hGirona 2 hSantander 2 hVitoria 2 hZaragoza 2 hMadrid 2 h 15Palma de Mallorca 2 h 15Valencia 2 h 15Alicante 2 h 30Málaga 3 h
Part of Ghent
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car45 min each way
From BrusselsTrain · a little over 30 min
WalkingAbout 7 km
DifficultyEasy
Cost€70–100 pp
Best dayTuesday to Saturday
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Brussels 30 min by train
from Bruxelles-Central; at Gent-Sint-Pieters, tram to the Korenmarkt
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1
The Mystic Lamb altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral
St Bavo's Cathedral · €12.50 · €16 with augmented reality
- 2 min on foot
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2
The Ghent belfry (Belfort)
€13 · free under 12
- 5 min on foot
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3
Graslei, Korenlei and St Michael's Bridge
the view of the three towers
- 3 min on foot
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4
Du Progrès
waterzooi and steaks · closed Sunday and Monday · phone to book
Korenmarkt 10, 9000 Gante · +32 9 225 17 16
Restaurant €€Book - 7 min on foot
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5
The Castle of the Counts (Gravensteen)
€15 · audioguide included · last entry 16:40
- 5 min on foot
- 6
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Back home 30 min by train
tram to Gent-Sint-Pieters and train to Brussels
Approximate cost
About €30–45 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Mystic Lamb altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral
Ghent is a little over half an hour by train from Brussels and has the best of Flanders in a single day: the Van Eyck altarpiece, a medieval moated castle and the Graslei quays. This plan starts at St Bavo's square, has the city's signature dish for lunch and leaves the afternoon for the castle and the boat.
The day, hour by hour
8:30 · Train to Ghent. To Gent-Sint-Pieters and tram to the Korenmarkt.
9:30 · The Mystic Lamb. In St Bavo's Cathedral: €12.50 for the altarpiece, €16 with the augmented reality tour. Some of the panels are being restored and can be seen in photographs until 2027.
10:45 · The belfry. Opposite, €13, free for under-12s.
11:45 · Graslei and St Michael's Bridge. The quays of the medieval port and the view of the three towers.
12:45 · Waterzooi at Du Progrès. On the Korenmarkt: the Ghent chicken stew or a Belgian veal steak. Closed Sunday and Monday; book by phone.
14:30 · The Castle of the Counts. With an audioguide, an hour and a half, €15; under-12s do not pay.
16:15 · Boat on the Lys. Forty minutes with De Bootjes van Gent, €11, through the canals of the Patershol and beneath the castle.
17:30 · Return. Tram to the station and train to Brussels.
Is it for me?
If you are torn between Bruges and Ghent, this day shows you the liveliest Flanders. With children it works very well: castle and boat. On a Sunday, swap Du Progrès for somewhere in the Patershol.
Time1 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Amadeus Gent 1 (Patershol)
What to order: the all-you-can-eat ribs and, for dessert, an Irish coffee
Dinner only, every day: Sunday from 17:30
Pakhuis
What to order: the seafood and oysters from the counter, or a Belgian dish with local produce
Monday to Saturday, lunch and evening · short menu from 14:15 to 18:00 · closed Sundays and public holidays
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Ghent
Tuesday to Saturday: Du Progrès is closed on Sunday and Monday and the cathedral opens on Sunday at 13:00. The boats run all year, weather permitting.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy the castle online
Tickets bought this way are not refundable, but you avoid the queue.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the trip to Ghent from Brussels cost?
With train, tickets, boat and lunch, between €70 and €100 per person.
Which day is best?
Tuesday to Saturday.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/belgium/ghent/itineraries/mystic-lamb-and-castle-from-brussels
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.