La vie à Gand

These past months, our Flandria Hotel and the city of Ghent have found creative and safe ways to coexist with covid-19.

For safety reasons, bars and restaurants remain closed or partially open (take-away only) for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing for you to do in beautiful Ghent!

We’ve compiled a list of some lovely, covid-proof activities for your visit to our wonderful city. Time to take in some culture!

Covid-proof museums open in Ghent

Almost all of our museums are open, so you can go enjoy the modern and classic arts, design, local museums, the castle of the counts and more (just keep in mind that you need to book your tickets in advance to keep everything covid-safe).

You can find an overview of all Ghent’s lovely museums and exhibitions at Visit Gent, but here are some of our suggestions:

• STAM, the city museum: STAM tells the tale of Ghent from the Middle Ages to the present. Located in a combo of the 14th century abbey, 17th century monastery and some 21st century additions, it is the perfect place to discover Ghent’s past, present and future.

• Huis van Alijn: In the middle of the old city centre, Huis van Alijn is located in the only preserved almshouse of Ghent. This museum spotlights the regular, day to day life of the 20th century inhabitants of the city. Huis van Alijn is especially fun to visit with kids!

• Industriemuseum: A century ago, Ghent was a lively factory town, and this museum takes you back to discover those days of yore! At only a 10-minute walk from Flandria Hotel, you will discover the story of the industrial revolutions and Ghent’s magnificent textile past.

• SMAK: the city museum of modern arts is located in Citadelpark, next to the museum of fine arts. This is the place to be if you are interested in modern artwork. Until the 2nd of May, you can go there to explore Anna Boghiguian’s first solo exhibition in Belgium, consisting of sketches, drawings, paintings, photos, sculptures ànd installations.

• MSK: the museum of fine arts is one of the oldest museums in Belgium. It boasts a collection all the way from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century, so it is the perfect spot for classic art lovers. If you’re looking to fill your day with hours and hours of beautiful, impressive artwork…you’ve found the right location!

• Gravensteen: this mystical fortress has the most interesting history for you to discover, dating all the way back to Roman times. Go have a look at the armor of medieval knights, and the torture devices used to straighten out criminals.
  
  

Covid-proof walks in Ghent

If you’re all cultured out, you can always just go for a nice walk. In the city centre, you can find a variety of corona-safe city walks to take you around Ghent.

Get some inspiration and a free Ghent walking map here, or dive into graffiti and street art here.

Walks made by locals

If you want to get some truly local vibes, check out Walk Local – sixteen known Ghentians have collected their hidden gems for you to discover.

Van Eyck walks

Or maybe you want the best of both worlds: walking and culture? Then the Van Eyck walks are right up your alley, so have a look at a Van Eyck in the City walk with VIZIT guides, or the OMG! Seven senses tour (starting from April).

We hope we have given you some inspiration to come over and explore our beloved Ghent, but if you are still in doubt, we have a gift for you:

Go check out the rooms of our Flandria Hotel and use the code COVIDPROOF50 to get a 50% discount on your reservation.  Don’t overthink it, book yourself a nice covid-proof escape in the centre of Ghent!

Photo credits: Ilena Baldassini, Titus Simoens.