# Day trip to Ghent from Brussels: the Mystic Lamb, the castle and a boat

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.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/belgium/ghent/itineraries/mystic-lamb-and-castle-from-brussels · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 08:30 · Salida: 30 min by train (from Bruxelles-Central; at Gent-Sint-Pieters, tram to the Korenmarkt)
- 09:30 · The Mystic Lamb altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral (St Bavo's Cathedral · €12.50 · €16 with augmented reality)
  - 2 min on foot
- 10:45 · The Ghent belfry (Belfort) (€13 · free under 12)
  - 5 min on foot
- 11:45 · Graslei, Korenlei and St Michael's Bridge (the view of the three towers)
  - 3 min on foot
- 12:45 · Du Progrès (waterzooi and steaks · closed Sunday and Monday · phone to book) · Du Progrès, €€
  - 7 min on foot
- 14:30 · The Castle of the Counts (Gravensteen) (€15 · audioguide included · last entry 16:40)
  - 5 min on foot
- 16:15 · Boat trip through medieval Ghent (De Bootjes van Gent · 40 min · €11) · De Bootjes van Gent, From €11 per person
- 17:30 · Vuelta: 30 min by train (tram to Gent-Sint-Pieters and train to Brussels)

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.

## Cómo llegar

### Without a car
Train to Gent-Sint-Pieters, a little over half an hour, and tram to the centre.

### By car
About 55 km along the E40, but register your car for the low-emission zone and park in an underground car park in the centre.

## Consejos

### Buy the castle online
Tickets bought this way are not refundable, but you avoid the queue.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### 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.