Ghent and Antwerp are two of the largest and most visited cities in Belgium. Ghent has a well-preserved medieval city center and many waterways throughout the city. Antwerp is a much larger city with one of the largest ports in Europe and it has a unique blend of modern and historic architecture. If you are trying to decide between visiting Ghent or Antwerp, this is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city to visit.
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Ghent or Antwerp Overview
Ghent
Ghent is the 3rd largest city in Belgium with just over 260,000 people. Hundreds of years ago, Ghent was considered to be one of the largest and most important cities in all of Europe. The city was massively wealthy in past centuries and it is still apparent today, being such a well-preserved city. It is one of the largest port cities in Belgium.
It is known for its belfry, churches, Gravensteen Castle, and its public squares. The three towers are Sint-Niklaas church, Sint-Bavo church, and the Belfry, and are iconic features of the city. The city has been a university city for centuries and still has 1/4th of its population being students.
Antwerp
Antwerp is the largest city proper in Belgium with 525,000 residents. Antwerp has been known as a port city for centuries. Today, the Port of Antwerp is the second-largest port in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The port brought in massive wealth to the merchants and people of Antwerp which is why the main square is so grand, much like Brussels.
Antwerp is also known as being the “Diamond Capital of the World”. Roughly 84% of all rough diamonds pass through its diamond district which brought over 16 billion dollars into the city’s GDP.
Places to See
Ghent
The Gravensteen, or “The Castle of the Counts”, is a large castle dating back to 1180.
Saint Bravos Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral that dates back to the 1200s.
The Belfry of Ghent is a large bell tower in the center of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Saint Nicholas’ Church began construction in the 13th century.
The area around St. Michael’s Bridge is one of the most picturesque parts of the city.
Antwerp
Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp is a Roman Catholic cathedral that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Antwerp Town Hall was completed in 1565 and is known for its Renaissance-style architecture.
Het Steen is a medieval fortress that is Antwerp’s oldest building.
Grote Markt is the central square in Antwerp. It is known for its beautiful buildings and the events that are held there.
Food
Ghent
Like any city in Belgium, Ghent has fantastic chocolate, waffles, fries, and beer. Among some of the best traditional sweets that you must try while in Ghent are “Brussels’ Bread”, “Butter Crips”, “Cuberdons”, |Gaufre”, “Mastel”, and “Speculoos”. Other than the sweets, Ghent also offers some of the best local foods in Europe such as “Anguille au vert”, “Canniable”, “Waterzooi”, “Sirop de Liege”, “Tomates aux crevettes grimes“, and of course “Croquettes aux crevettes grises“, all of which serve as the perfect example of how exquisite the Belgian cuisine is.
Antwerp
The traditional foods found in Antwerp are very similar to those found in Ghent, in part because Antwerp and Ghent are less than an hour from each other. Frites are also very popular in Antwerp. Belgians just love their frites. Coffee in Antwerp is some of the best in Europe because of the Port of Antwerp. You can find a great cup of coffee anywhere you go in the city. Be sure to try some of the local breweries while you’re here.
Getting Around
Ghent
The center of Ghent is full of sights to see and they are all rather close to each other which makes walking your best option for exploring. As for public transportation, you can pick between the tramlines or the buses to get around. You will want to utilize some form of public transportation to see sights like Gravensteen. A fun way to see the city is by taking a boat ride through the city’s waterways. Ghent is also a great city to rent a bike and go out exploring. The Ghent city website gives you ideas of the best routes to take around the city while on a bike.
Antwerp
Antwerp is, for the most part, a walkable city. Walking or biking along the Scheldt is a great idea. Biking in Antwerp is a great way to explore the city. You can use the city’s public bikes using mobile apps to unlock and put the bikes back in the pickup stations. There are over 100 public bike stations scattered throughout the city. Public transportation is 3 Euros per ride or 8 Euros for 24-hours. You can also get the Antwerp City Card which gives you use of public transportation along with access to 17 museums, the churches, and the De Koninck brewery.
Nightlife
Ghent
As a city with many university students, Ghent has a pretty lively nightlife. Thursday nights are considered to be the best night to go out in Ghent. The area around the Korenmarkt has a high concentration of bars and pubs, making it the best place to start your night off in Ghent. If you want to go to a bar to try some authentic Belgian beers, you should try Trollekelder. An interesting bar that can get a little rowdier is Charleton. Kompass Nightclub is one of the best nightclubs in Ghent but it is located outside of the city center so make sure you figure out your transportation before you start to drink too much.
Antwerp
Antwerp has a rather young population, partly because of the number of universities here. There is no shortage of bars and pubs in Antwerp. The city arguably has the best nightlife in all of Belgium. There are many bars with live music or casual bars to just chat with a few friends. There is also a great club scene here. IKON Antwerp and Café d’Anvers are two of the best club scenes in the city. Café d’Anvers is especially unique because it is in a 16th-century monastery, in the middle of Antwerp’s red-light district.
Day Trips
Ghent
Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is full of impressive sights to explore.
Antwerp is a major port city with beautiful architecture and is known for its blend of modern and historic architecture.
Bruges, often called “the Venice of the North”, is known for its beautiful bridges and canals.
Antwerp
Rotterdam is a little more than 30 minutes away from Antwerp by train. Rotterdam is the largest has the largest port in Europe.
Ghent is a university city and is known for being a cultural hub.
Sint-Niklaas is home to the largest market square in Belgium. It is only 30 minutes from Antwerp.
If you are deciding between Ghent and Antwerp, you are also probably looking into Bruges and Brussels. Both of these cities are definitely worth considering.
Overall
Ghent and Antwerp are two of the largest cities in Belgium. Ghent has a medieval city center with impressive bell towers and waterways throughout the city. Antwerp is a larger city known for being the 2nd largest port in all of Europe and for having a unique blend of modern and historic architecture.
If you want to see a more traditional Belgian city with the vibe of a smaller city, Ghent is the choice for you. If you want to see a larger city with better nightlife, you will want to visit Antwerp. Since the cities are less than an hour apart from each other, it would be quite feasible to take a day trip from either city to the other.