A little city with hardly any visitors has been named as one of Europe’s best for Christmas shopping.
Ghent in Belgium offers a charming city experience with all the cosy craft-ale bars, medieval and neo-gothic architecture, and creative design a winter break needs.
Fewer tourists, picturesque markets, and twinkling lights will pave the way for a perfect Christmas shopping spot in Ghent.
The port city in northwest Belgium is located at the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. During the Middle Ages it was a prominent city-state. Today it’s a university town and cultural hub.
Its pedestrianised center is known for medieval architecture such as 12th-century Gravensteen castle and the Graslei, a row of guildhalls beside the Leie river harbor.
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The city is gearing up for Christmas and is all set to welcome visitors to its market from December 7 until December 31.
More than 150 wooden huts have spread out from Sint-Baafsplein, along the Botermarkt and Klein Turkije to the end of the Korenmarkt.
The city is known for independent, socially conscious shopping. There’s Mieke and A.puur.a for sustainable fashion, and local sustainable lingerie maker La Fille D’o championed body positivity before everyone else. This being Flanders, there’s no shortage of bike shops, such as Bidon Coffee & Bicycle and Tuub, reported Guardian.
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The Christmas market hall houses the lively ice skating rink and stalls fill the paved spaces selling everything from fudge to honey, from hot chocolate to mulled wine.
Ghent abounds with quality plant-based restaurants, such as Lokaal, a cooperatively run vegan cafe. One great example of Ghent’s young, creative food scene is Raaf, which serves natural wine and delicate small plates in an elegantly converted butcher’s storeroom.
Top tourist attractions in Ghent include Gravensteen, Graslei and Koranlei, St Bavo’s Cathedral and Ghent’s City Centre. One can also opt for famous beer and brewery tours or walk on the pretty lanes of the city to unfold its historical story.
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‘A chilled out place where anything goes’
People who have been to the city have shared boasting reviews on TripAdvisor. One wrote: “Wonderful and Romantic city with Channels and amazing old town.
“A lot of bars and cozy restaurants. Everyone speaks English (just if it’s important :)) You can get lost in this “fairy tale” and afterwards get back to amazing memories.
Another said: “Ghent is a city where people enjoy life! A chilled-out place where anything goes and a city that feels human.
“Its friendly, welcoming people love the good life. Its pedestrianized center is known for medieval architecture such as 12th-century Gravensteen castle and the Graslei, a row of guildhalls beside the Leie river harbor.”
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