Surroundings
According to Lonely Planet, Gent is Belgium’s best kept secret. It is certainly worth a visit. The city has many impressive sights to see and exudes a historic atmosphere. It is a city that combines beauty and culture with creativity, progressive design and gastronomics. In short: A city of pleasure and enjoyment!
Located in the Heart
Gent is located smack dab in the heart of Europe, only half an hour away from Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, the North Sea coast, France and the Netherlands. In short, it is the ideal accommodation for a regional tour of exploration.
Pleasant and Compact
The modern city of Gent is a compact and largely car-free city in which all sights are within walking distance. Two quarters, the pedestrian city centre and the arts quarter are seamlessly adjoined.
Saint Baaf’s Cathedral
Currently, Gent’s first parish holds an impressive collection of art: 22 altars, a pulpit of marble and oak, a master piece of Peter Paul Rubens and ... the Lamb of God. Temporary exhibitions are open to visitors in the cathedral and the undercroft.
Water and Gent
Water plays a key role in Gent. The city is situated where the Leie and Schelde rivers join. In history major efforts went into opening up the waterways and in obtaining pure water, a true source of life. Fun tip: Making a boat tour of the Gent waterways.
The Lamb of God
The pride of the Flemish Primitives, a masterpiece that survived the 16th-century iconoclastic fury. Napoleon claimed it and during World War II it was almost destroyed by an explosion. This unique masterpiece was painted by the Van Eyck brothers in 1432 and it may still be admired until today, yet without the panel of the Righteous Judges stolen in 1934...
City Lights
You should simply spend a night in Gent. The city is not only lovely during daylight. Gent is the only Belgian city with a lighting plan making your evening walk a romantic but also safe experience. Little corners that remain shrouded during the day are fully exposed in the evening, thanks to the unique lighting.
Gent Festivals
Gent is a sparkling city of culture. The typical Gent citizen considers culture a festival and festivals a form of culture (Source: El Distrito). Many times during the year, Gent hosts various festivals and events. Such as the Gent festivities in the third week of July, the Jazz Festival in July, the Film Festival in October, the Festival of Flanders, Gent and OdeGand in September and October, the six day cycling tournament of Gent in November, the Festival of Lights in January and many more!
http://www.toerismevlaanderen.nl/tvl/view/nl/1741518--Evenementen-Overzicht-pagina-.html
