RunCity

Ghent on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 10 of Ghent's best-known sights, including Vrijdagmarkt, Gravensteen, Graslei and more. It is about 3.5 km on foot, roughly 1.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Ghent leaderboard.

  • 10Stops
  • about 3.5 kmDistance
  • 1.5 hoursWalking
  • about 41 minRunning
Play Ghent in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Ghent
Photo: Michielverbeek · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ghent packs its medieval skyline into a very short walk, about 3.5 km. The route starts at the Vrijdagmarkt, the old market square with the statue of Jacob van Artevelde, and winds into the bonus stop, the Patershol, a maze of cobbled lanes and restaurants. The moated Gravensteen castle of the Counts of Flanders stands at its edge.

The guild houses of the Graslei line the old harbour quay, and from Saint Michael's Bridge you see the city's three towers in a row: Saint Nicholas' Church, the Belfry with its golden dragon and Saint Bavo's Cathedral, home of the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece. The City Hall, half Gothic and half Renaissance, is between them. The route ends at Saint Peter's Abbey and its gardens on the hill to the south. In the evening the centre is lit by a citywide lighting plan, and boats tour the canals from the Graslei.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Vrijdagmarkt

    Vrijdagmarkt

    The wide old market square with the statue of Jacob van Artevelde.

    Photo: Sergey Ashmarin · CC BY-SA 3.0

  2. Patershol

    Patershol Bonus

    The maze of cobbled lanes and old houses behind the castle.

    Photo: Paul Hermans · CC BY-SA 3.0

  3. Gravensteen

    Gravensteen Photo

    The moated medieval castle of the Counts of Flanders.

    Photo: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) · CC BY 3.0

  4. Graslei

    Graslei Photo

    The row of guild houses along the old harbour quay.

    Photo: Michiel Hendryckx · CC BY-SA 4.0

  5. Saint Michael's Bridge

    Saint Michael's Bridge Photo

    The view of three towers seen from the bridge.

    Photo: Demeester · CC BY-SA 3.0

  6. Saint Nicholas' Church

    Saint Nicholas' Church

    The grey Scheldt Gothic church beside the Korenmarkt.

    Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) · CC BY 4.0

  7. Belfry of Ghent

    Belfry of Ghent Photo

    The tall belfry crowned with a golden dragon.

    Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) · CC BY 4.0

  8. Ghent City Hall

    Ghent City Hall

    The town hall with its Gothic and Renaissance façades.

    Photo: Civvì · CC BY 4.0

  9. Saint Bavo's Cathedral

    Saint Bavo's Cathedral Photo

    The Gothic cathedral tower rising above the square.

    Photo: Michael Kranewitter · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl

  10. Saint Peter's Abbey

    Saint Peter's Abbey

    The old abbey buildings and gardens on the hill.

    Photo: Demeester · CC BY-SA 3.0

Play Ghent in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Ghent on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 10 stops on this route add up to about 3.5 km, roughly 1.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Ghent is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Ghent?

    Open Ghent in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Ghent leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Vrijdagmarkt and finishing at Saint Peter's Abbey. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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