Ghent – a Kiwi’s eye view

As someone very new to Europe, I am very much enjoying being surprised by many of its wonders, often well away from the typically touristic spots. One such place I have been very pleased with of late is Ghent.

I must admit that being from New Zealand I had very little knowledge of Belgium prior to reaching these shores, it not being one of the well-known places to visit as a Kiwi. After weeks of my colleague next to me telling me about how good it was I was rather excited to see it for myself, and I am so glad that I did! Upon arrival in Ghent, we emerged into the glorious Belgian sunshine and began strolling along the spacious cobbled streets and I was immediately struck by the atmosphere. Whilst everyone appeared busy it still felt like everything was going at a relaxed pace. People of all ages were going about their daily routine with an air of quiet joy, I felt almost like I had entered a small community rather than the city that Ghent is. It felt busy without being bustling or losing its personal touch, right from the youngest child following mum around town, the university student studying with friends, the locals cycling around conducting their daily business and the older couple enjoying a stroll along the banks of the waterways in the sun, it just felt magic. Our first need was to conclude the reason for the trip itself, visiting the hotels we recommend so that we could best help our customers. I was pleased to find that every hotel we visited had friendly staff and coupled this with facilities that made an excellent effort to maximise space, providing welcoming, comfortable and environmentally friendly accommodation right in the heart of Ghent itself. I had a great feeling knowing that they all fully deserve our recommendation. Following this we were feeling a touch peckish so, after availing ourselves of some local knowledge we set out and had no trouble at all in finding busy restaurants serving mixtures of traditional Flemish and European foods - something to delight every palate. This also provided an excellent opportunity to sample the famous Belgian Trappist beers, we did however have to be careful as their amazing depth and complexity of flavour belied their surprising strength! Feeling greatly satisfied we resolved to do a little sightseeing and avail ourselves of one of the many cheap and wonderful canal tours. As we leisurely cruised along Ghent’s beautiful waterways, exploring a taste of its heritage, it felt wonderful to be surprised by something new around every turn, be it a piece of unique artwork, exciting history, stunning architecture or a picturesque cityscape. As we headed for our train, I concluded that this was the perfect way to end our stay in Ghent as it really summed up the whole experience for me, so many options for things to do at whatever pace you prefer to travel at. Whether you are interested in taking a leisurely stroll along the beautiful cobbled streets surrounding the stunning architecture and many churches or taking the family through the restored castle - exciting the imagination of young minds and bringing history to life, Ghent has it all.