Coming to Gent for just one or two days? Albeit small, the city has a lot to offer. Here's what you should definitely include in your two day itinerary:

The must see in Ghent

You can't go to Paris without seeing the Eifel tower. You can't go to Barecelona without seeing the Sagrada Familia. Some things simply have to be visited. In the case of Ghent, this is what you MUST SEE:

• The Gravensteen, castle of the counts of Flanders. This impressive fortress one of the main reasons why people decide to go to Ghent. This is the only true medieval castle that you can find in Ghent. This castle was built around 1180 by the Count of Flanders, Philip of the Alsace, who wanted to show his wealth and power to the rebellious citizens of Ghent. It is now the main tourist attraction in the city. I recommend that you take the highly recommended audio guide. Belgian comedian (Wouter Deprez) will talk you through your visit, telling you all about its history. In high season, make sure to reserve a timeslot, because the amount of visitors per day is limited.

• The Belfry (Belfort). Unlike Bruges, Ghent is not one big UNESCO world heritage site. But we do have a few UNESCO monuments. The Belfry is one of them. This 14th century belltower symbolizes the power, wealth and autonomy of Ghent during its Golden Age. It was a civil building where the "bill of rights" of our city was kept, guarded by the (at some point fire-spitting) Golden Dragon on top of the Belfry. The Belfry is by far my favorite building in the city, has an interesting little museum and is also the heighest view point of the city. Definitely worth checking out!

• The Ghent Altarpiece (Lam Gods), also known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, is an absolute masterpiece in European history. This huge painting (6m or 20ft high) was first revealed to the public in 1432. There are many reasons why people come to see this painting. It depicts a colorful biblical story, painted with incredible precision and with astonishing detail. But I'm more into history. What I find most fascinating is that this may well be the most stolen painting in the history of the world. You can go see the painting in the Cathedral, but make sure to reserve your timeslot in advance. I suggest taking the option with the VR-tour through the crypts.

Visiting these three MUST SEE monuments can definitely be done in a single day. It takes about 1,5h to visit the Gravensteen, 1h for the Belfry and 1h for the Ghent Altarpiece. If you have more time, keep on reading!

Nice to see

So what more is to be seen in Ghent? Here's my personal recommendations:

• Visit the Ruins of Saint-Bavo's Abbey. The ruins of the first abbey of Belgium are a true hidden gem in Ghent. I have many friends in Ghent who have lived here all their lives, and have never even seen it. But it's one of my favorite spots in the city with a significant history, because the founding of this abbey was the starting point of the city. These ruins can only be visited on weekends.

• The Hotel D'Hane-Steenhuyse is an majestic 18th century mansion, where Louis XVIII stayed when he was in exile after the escape of Napoleon from Elba. This is now a free museum. You can dance in the stunning ballroom, climb the impressive staircase, walk through the salon and dining room. It is only open on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday. 

• Visit a museum. Ghent has a couple of great museums. If you only have two days, ofcourse you can't see them all. If you're into art the MSK (Fine Arts) or SMAK (Modern Arts) come to mind. If you're a history buff, go to STAM (local history) which is my personal favorite. 

• The New Library (De Krook) and the Winter Circus. Many visitors in Ghent think we're a medieval city where time has stopped. They couldn't be more wrong. Ghent is a modern city that never stopped evolving. Take a quick step outside our historical center, and you will be amazed by the modern architecture of De Krook, the new public library. Just next to it, a former circus building has been repurposed as a multi-purpose business center and concert hall. In the winter circus, take the elevator and grab a drink on the roof terrace.

If you can't get enough

If you have time left and you can't get enough, there's more sights to be seen.

• The Beguinages in Belgium are all considered UNESCO world heritage. Ghent has three historical ones: the Saint-Elisabeth, the Small Beguinage, and the Large Beguinage of Sint-Amandsberg. Although the last one is the most impressive one, it is a bit farther away from the city center. So if you're just here for two days, I recommend the Small Beguinage (which is actually not that small). If you don't have much time in Ghent and you're visiting Bruges also, I'd skip this one as Bruges also has beguinages in the city center.

• Discover Ghent from the water. If you're not afraid of breaking some sweat: rent yourself a paddleboard or a Kayak and float through the city center. If you'd rather have someone drive you, you can buy a ticket for one of the tour boats. I suggest doing that before noon, when the guides are fresh and the boats are not too crowded.

I hope that with these recommendations you can make the most of your trip to Ghent. But of course there's a lot more to see.