10 Unusual Things to Do in Ghent, Belgium: My Favourite Finds

Looking for unusual things to do in Ghent, Belgium? Here’s my guide to the more colourful, quirky and slightly offbeat places I’d add to your trip—from street art and strange museums to hidden jazz, tiny cafés and Ghent after dark, from someone who’s been to Ghent twice!

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I’ll be honest: the well-trodden path in Ghent isn’t exactly a hardship to endure…

Especially when that well-trodden path includes standing on St Michael’s Bridge, looking across Graslei and Korenlei, wandering past St Nicholas’ Church, the glorious Ghent Belfry, St Bavo’s Cathedral and views of Gravensteen Castle.

A tough life, but somebody’s got to live it!

But after visiting Ghent twice, what I loved most was how quickly the city can slip away from the obvious.

One minute you’re in front of a medieval tower. The next, you’re walking through a legal street art alley, reading in a used-book café, finding a tiny pub on Groentenmarkt or choosing between a record shop, a museum about everyday life and a jazz bar hidden down a narrow lane.

That’s the version of Ghent I’d save time for.

Spoiler alert: this post is not a replacement for my best things to do in Ghent guide or my one-day Ghent itinerary.

But once you’ve seen your fair share of big views and pretty bridges, here’s where to find the more unusual things to do in Ghent.

Shall we?

About the Author

Hi, I’m Candace — a London-based travel writer and content creator who traded the East Coast of the US for the charm of the UK back in 2016. London’s been my home ever since.

On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of thoughtfully crafted London, UK, Europe and Worldwide travel guides alongside lots of insider London tips, honest hotel and restaurant reviews and advice for content creators.

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🗞️📺 As featured on the BBC, USA Today & Recipe.TV.

Quick Overview: Unusual Things to Do in Ghent

Unusual thing to do	Best for	Area	What to know / what’s cool here
Graffiti Street	Street art and local Ghent	Historic centre	A constantly changing legal street art alley
House of Alijn	A quieter museum with local character	Kraanlei	Daily Flemish life, traditions and memories inside a former almshouse
Le Bal Infernal	Books, cake, beer and rainy afternoons	Historic centre	One of my favourite bookish stops in Ghent
Music Mania Records 2	Vinyl, browsing and a less touristy pause	Kraanlei	Pair it with Ludo Kafe or a river walk
Hot Club Gent	Jazz and unusual things to do in Ghent at night	Near Groentenmarkt	Hidden down a narrow lane, and a very local night out in Ghent
Café ’t Galgenhuisje	Ghent’s tiniest café stop	Groentenmarkt	Very old Ghent charm, and tiny inside!
De Dulle Griet	Belgian beer with a strange little ritual	Vrijdagmarkt	Known for its Max beer and shoe-deposit tradition…
Dr Guislain Museum	A more unusual museum day	Outside the historic centre	History of psychiatry in Belgium’s oldest mental asylum building
Ghent night tour	Night walks and city lights	Historic centre	Perfect if you want to see Ghent after dark without a big night out
Campo Santo	An offbeat, slower detour	Sint-Amandsberg	Ghent’s artistic cemetery, often compared to Père Lachaise

Book Your Ghent Trip

Where I recommend staying: For your trip, I’d stay at the stylish and central NH Collection Gent (Ghent), right next to the historic centre. You can also compare more hotels in Ghent here.

Getting to Ghent: Compare train times and prices for Brussels to Ghent, Bruges to Ghent and Antwerp to Ghent, plus Eurostar and onward train connections from London, Paris and Amsterdam.

The tour I’d book for a first trip: I’d choose this 50-minute guided boat trip. It’s scenic, packed with history and short enough that you’ll still have most of the day to explore on foot.

Visiting from Brussels and want to see Bruges too? I’d choose this full-day Bruges and Ghent tour, which includes a guided walk and free time in both cities, plus the option of a canal cruise in Ghent. It’s a packed day, but a useful one when your Belgium itinerary is tight and you’d rather leave the transport, timings and city introductions to someone else.

For food lovers: I’d book this 2.5-hour Ghent food tour. It pairs five local tastings at independent food stops with a walk through the city, so you’ll get plenty of Ghent history along the way too.

Stay connected: Set up your Europe eSIM before your trip. It takes less than five minutes, and you’ll have mobile data ready to use when you arrive.

For extra peace of mind: Take a look at SafetyWing’s travel medical insurance before your trip (it’s the one I personally use and recommend).

1. Walk Through Graffiti Street

Best for: street art, quick photos and a very easy unusual stop in central Ghent.

If you only add one unusual thing to do in Ghent to your sightseeing route, make it Graffiti Street.

Officially called Werregarenstraatje, this narrow alley is a legal street art zone, which means it doesn’t behave like your typical tourist attraction. Walls change and tags layer over each other. Something you see on one Ghent trip might be gone by the next.

It’s not polished or carefully curated for visitors, but that’s exactly what I love about it. Plus it makes for a nice, short and colourful interruption between the more formal beauty of Sint-Baafsplein, St Nicholas’ Church and Korenmarkt.

I’d treat it as a quick detour rather than a whole plan for your day in Ghent. But you can have a nosey stroll through, then carry on towards Giftshop Gent, Steamy Windows or one of my favourite cafés in Ghent.

P.S. – If you’re only in Ghent for a day, this fits perfectly into my one-day Ghent itinerary.

2. Visit the House of Alijn

Best for: a quirky museum stop, local life and a quieter museum to pop into in between the big sights.

House of Alijn is the kind of museum you’ll be glad you stumbled on while exploring Ghent.

Instead of yet another grand timeline of power, battles and important men (don’t get me wrong—I love a museum), this one focuses on the everyday life of Flemish people, from traditions, domestic rituals, memories, childhood, family, and celebrations to their tiny daily habits.

It also sits on Kraanlei, which is one of the easiest areas to fold into a Ghent wander.

Cue Gravensteen Castle or a sandwich stop at De Parkiet or Panotto before heading to Graslei and Korenlei.

Best for a local museum in Ghent!

3. Read, Drink or Hide From the Rain at Le Bal Infernal

Best for: book lovers, solo travellers and rainy afternoons.

Le Bal Infernal was one of my favourite places from my Ghent trip, and not just because I’m very easy to please when there’s second-hand books and cake involved…

Candace Abroad in Ghent at Le Bal Infernal

café in ghent Le Bal Infernal - used book café in ghent

It’s a used-book café where the shelves run high, Ghent locals and students fill the tables and the menu slides naturally from coffee and cake into Belgian beer, wine and cocktails as the day goes on.

I came here with a book, ordered wine and apple cake, and felt very smug about my life choices for the rest of the afternoon.

It’s not an unusual thing to do in Ghent in a ‘weird and novel’ way, but it’s definitely a cool alternative to sightseeing or chain cafés in the city.

P.S. – I’d pair it with Boekjes en Koekjes if you want another small bookish café, or keep it simple and use it as your pause between Graffiti Street and dinner.

4. Build a Tiny Book-and-Record Crawl Around Kraanlei

Best for: independent shops, browsing and a less obvious afternoon in Ghent near the water.

One of the easiest ways to make Ghent feel more local is to cast aside big sights like St Nicholas’ Church and visit the city’s smaller addresses…including a loose book-and-record crawl around Kraanlei.

Start with a coffee or matcha at Ludo Kafe, which I loved for reading by the window while boat tours drifted past.

Then wander to Music Mania Records 2, the second branch of Belgium’s largest independent record shop, before adding De Kaft or Bookz&Booze if you want something more literary.

And there you have it! An unusually cool afternoon in Ghent…

P.S. – For more coffee, brunch and bookish stops, read my Ghent cafés guide.

5. Find Hot Club Gent for Jazz

Best for: unusual things to do in Ghent at night, live music and a drink somewhere atmospheric.

If you want to experience Ghent at night without turning the evening into a loud bar crawl, look at Hot Club Gent.

It’s tucked down a narrow alley near Groentenmarkt, and yes, you’ll definitely wonder ‘am I going the right way?’ (you are).

Inside you’ll find a small, dark and happening jazz bar with plenty on throughout the year (here’s the latest).

P.S. – Pair it with dinner in Patershol, wine at Bar Terroir or a casual drink around Groentenmarkt.

6. Have a Drink at Ghent’s Smallest Café

Best for: Belgian beer, tiny interiors and a quick historic pub stop.

Café ’t Galgenhuisje is one of those places that makes you remember how much personality can fit into a very small building.

It sits beside Groentenmarkt, right in the historic centre, and is known as Ghent’s smallest café. The interior is tiny as promised, with the terrace doing much of the practical work…

I’d stop here before or after wandering towards Hot Club Gent, Edelrot or Bar Terroir.

Just don’t be optimistic about getting a big table here, like I said, small!

7. Try the Shoe-Deposit Beer at De Dulle Griet

Best for: beer, folklore and one of the stranger tourist rituals in Ghent.

De Dulle Griet isn’t exactly a secret, but it is unusual enough to deserve a place on the list.

The famous ritual is the Max beer: order it, hand over one of your shoes as a deposit, and your shoe is hoisted away until the glass comes back safely.

Is it a bit silly? Obviously. But it’s also the kind of experience (and story) you’ll definitely remember from your Ghent trip.

I’d treat De Dulle Griet as a fun beer stop rather than the heart of your whole Ghent itinerary. Go for the novelty, stay for the beer list, then carry on with your evening around Groentenmarkt or Patershol.

8. Visit the Dr Guislain Museum

Dr Guislain Museum

Best for: a more unusual museum, history, psychology and getting beyond the postcard centre.

If you want something genuinely different from the central Ghent sights, add the Dr Guislain Museum to your list.

It’s set in Belgium’s oldest mental asylum building, dating back to 1857, and focuses on the history of psychiatry. Which means yes, it is a very different mood from a canal walk or Ghent chocolate shop.

I’d save this for a longer Ghent stay, a rainy day or a second visit, especially if you’re spending 2 days in Ghent!

9. See Ghent by Night on a Night Tour

Best for: unusual things to do in Ghent at night, first-time visitors and seeing the city properly once the lights come on.

Ghent is already lovely by day, but it becomes a different city altogether once the lights come on.

If you want someone else to lead your night in Ghent, I’d book this Ghent night tour.

It’s a private walking tour focused on Ghent’s history, mystery, old legends and hidden corners and goes beyond the most obvious postcard route with stops such as Prinsenhof, Rabot, Appelbrugparkje, the Bridge of Imperial Delights and Augustine Monastery.

I’d use it after an early dinner near Korenmarkt or Patershol or if you prefer to do it independently, there’s also an official Magical Ghent in the evening light-walk route you can take too! It’s about 3.2 km with a few detours built in.

Book your Ghent night tour

10. Add Campo Santo If You Like Cemeteries, Art and Quiet Detours

Best for: offbeat Belgium travel, quiet walks and anyone who likes atmospheric cemeteries.

Campo Santo is one of the more unusual places to visit in Ghent if you want to step outside its compact historic centre.

It’s an artistic cemetery in Sint-Amandsberg, set on a natural hill and often described as Ghent’s answer to Père Lachaise.

To call a spade a spade—I wouldn’t necessarily send you here if you only have a few hours in Ghent, but if you’re slow travelling in Ghent, it’s a really lovely gem to discover.

Add it on a second trip, a longer weekend or if you’re simply looking to escape the bustle of Ghent’s city centre.

P.S. – If you want more low-cost ideas before or after your visit, read my free things to do in Ghent guide.

More Unusual Places in Ghent to Keep in Mind

If you’re pleasantly flexible for your time in Ghent, I’d also save a few detours depending on your mood.

Ghent’s beguinages if you want a peaceful pause, narrow streets and a calmer side of the city.
Ghent University Botanical Garden if you want greenery, greenhouses and a break from cobbles.
De Dikke Ziel for a repurposed old butchers’ hall.
Edelrot if your idea of unusual things to do in Ghent is less “sightseeing” and more “natural wine, wild beers and small plates” (I’ve found my people).

Where to Stay for an Unusual Ghent Trip

Just because you’re spending an unusual day in Ghent doesn’t mean your accommodation has to be.

Even if you want to experience the more unusual side of Ghent, being near the historic centre will make the whole trip easier. You can walk to Graffiti Street, Le Bal Infernal, Café ’t Galgenhuisje, Hot Club Gent and most of the big sights without turning the day into a transport puzzle.

My top hotel pick is the stylish NH Collection Gent, as it’ll keep you close to most things to see from this list (or great transport links to get there easily).

Check NH Collection Gent prices & availability

P.S. – For more area advice, read my where to stay in Ghent guide.

Final Thoughts on Unusual Things to Do in Ghent

The best unusual things to do in Ghent aren’t about avoiding the famous sights completely.

You should still see St Michael’s Bridge, walk past St Nicholas’ Church, look up at the Ghent Belfry, visit St Bavo’s Cathedral and decide whether Gravensteen Castle is going on your itinerary (hint hint: it should).

But make room for the stranger, smaller things too: the changing street art, the book cafés, the jazz down an alley, the tiny pub, the quirky museums and evening walks in Ghent that make you appreciate the city from a whole new perspective.

That’s where the city gets much, much more interesting.

Have the best trip to Ghent!

Happy travels,

Candace x

FAQ: Unusual Things to Do in Ghent

What Are the Most Unusual Things to Do in Ghent?

For a first unusual Ghent itinerary, I’d start with Graffiti Street, House of Alijn, Le Bal Infernal, Hot Club Gent and Café ’t Galgenhuisje. They’re easy to combine with the historic centre while still giving you a less obvious side of the city.

What Is Ghent Famous For?

Ghent is famous for its medieval city centre, canals, Graslei and Korenlei, St Bavo’s Cathedral, the Ghent Belfry, Gravensteen Castle, student energy, beer, food, street art and a strong café culture.

What Can You Do in Ghent at Night?

For unusual things to do in Ghent at night, book a Ghent night tour, follow the official Magical Ghent in the evening light walk, go for jazz at Hot Club Gent, have a drink at Café ’t Galgenhuisje or try the shoe-deposit beer ritual at De Dulle Griet.

What Are Some Hidden Gems in Ghent?

A few hidden gems in Ghent to save are Le Bal Infernal for books and drinks, Music Mania Records 2 for vinyl, Bookz&Booze for a book-and-bottle gift, Campo Santo for a quieter detour and Ghent University Botanical Garden if you want greenery.

Is Ghent Worth Visiting?

Yes, Ghent is absolutely worth visiting, especially if you want a Belgian city with medieval sights, canals, food, cafés, museums, street art and a more lived-in feeling than some of the country’s more postcard-polished stops (like Bruges). Read my full guide on whether Ghent is worth visiting for the honest pros and cons.

Can You See Unusual Things in Ghent in One Day?

Yes, but choose carefully. For one day in Ghent, I’d use my one-day Ghent itinerary then add an easy stop to Graffiti Street, Le Bal Infernal or House of Alijn to your day rather than trying to do every unusual place in Ghent in one go.

What Should You Buy in Ghent?

For something more interesting than a generic souvenir, look at Bookz&Booze for book-and-bottle pairings, De Kaft for preloved books, Music Mania Records 2 for vinyl or my Ghent chocolate shops guide for something sweet to take home.

Is Ghent Safe for Travellers?

Yes! Ghent is very safe, especially for visitors and around the historic centre. With that said, always use normal European-city common sense: watch your belongings, check your route back at night and don’t wander distracted with your phone out in quiet areas. For first-time visitors, staying in a central hotel in Ghent will make your trip much simpler too.

Plan the rest of your Ghent trip

Still planning? Here’s more of my Ghent guides to help you decide where to stay, what to book and how to make the most of your trip.