The 12 Best City Tours in Ghent

1.40-Minute Historical Boat Tour of City Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 430 reviews · 40 min · from $12Our pick

Cruise Ghent’s center for 40 minutes with a local guide in Dutch, English, or French. From Graslei, you’ll pass the Butcher’s Hall, Dulle Griet, the Old Fish Market, Gravensteen Castle, and Rabot. Open and covered boats operate according to the weather, making this a useful first look at the city.

“Guide was informative, energetic, patient and helped me getting put of boat. I highly recommend this beautiful, relaxing tour.”

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2.Guided City Tour with Food Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 228 reviews · 2h 30m · from $93

Meet Sophie at Vrijdagmarkt for a 150-minute English walking tour linking Ghent’s landmarks with five food stops. Expect Belgian classics, local products, generous portions, and stories tied to family businesses, coffee, beer, and the city’s past. You’ll walk 3 to 5 kilometers, rain or shine, so wear good shoes and arrive hungry.

“We were very lucky to have the excellent guide to ourselves on a sunny Wednesday morning in September. A great balance of food and history with a number of tastings. If you go on the morning tour you may want to skip breakfast and the hot food at the end will cover your lunch. Recommend as a way to learn about the city and its food whilst having fun!”

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3.City Highlights and Hidden Gems Guided Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 196 reviews · 2h 30m · from $53

Spend 150 minutes cycling Ghent with a local guide, often Tim, through safe bike lanes and quiet streets. See abbeys, churches, canals, the Castle of the Counts, Portus Ganda, and the small beguinage, then pause halfway for a drink or coffee. City bikes and raincoats are provided.

“When in Gent, be sure to take this tour! Tim showed us all around, providing a wonderful perspective! We were able to see artwork, statues, parks, canals, quiet neighborhoods and the outside of the city center’s towers & churches. It was all so beautiful! Halfway through the tour we stopped at an eclectic brewery, so you can use facilities and/or get a refreshing drink. The pace of the ride was just right & the information provided regarding Gent and its history was in-depth & interesting. A slight drizzle didn’t stop us, as we just put on our rain jackets and continued on. It was invigorating! Thx Tim!”

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4.e-Scavenger hunt Ghent: Explore the city at your own pace

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 41 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.)

You’ll follow a smartphone app through Ghent’s historic center, solving clues and learning tips as you reach squares, churches, canals, the Belfry, Gravensteen, and more. The private game costs $37.24 for up to six people, takes about two to four hours, and lets you pause or set your own pace. No guide is provided.

“We enjoyed walking through different parts of the city for the clues and the tips were an added good idea.”

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5.Guided City Tour with Chocolate Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 36 reviews · 2 hours · from $81

Meet Sophie or another English-speaking local guide at the Jacob Van Artevelde statue in Vrijdagmarkt for a two-hour walk through central Ghent. See the Graslei, Korenlei, three medieval towers, and Graffiti Street while sampling five chocolate specialties. Bring comfortable shoes, water, and room for treats.

“One of the most fun tours we’ve ever been on and and an absolute MUST for chocolate lovers wanting to learn about Ghent! Sophie is so knowledgeable and personable and we could tell how proud she is of where she lives. Amazing conversation and some fun, impromptu site visits. Absolutely cannot recommend this tour enough. We loved Sophie!”

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6.e-Scavenger hunt Kortrijk: Explore the city at your own pace

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.)

This self-guided Qula city trail leads you through Kortrijk’s major sights and quieter corners using questions, navigation, and facts on your phone. Allow 2 to 4 hours for up to six people. You set the pace, pause when you like, and finish where you began. Bring your own smartphone and mobile data.

“Nice way to explore the less touristy parts of the city. We had to find out how it worked to find a location.Auto-translated”

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7.Discover Ghent with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour!

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews

Follow a smartphone-led mystery through central Ghent, from Vrijdagmarkt to St. Bavo’s Cathedral. You’ll solve puzzles linked to the missing Lamb of God panel, while visiting seven landmarks over about 2.5 kilometers. Plan for roughly two hours, bring mobile data, and form a team of up to five or six players aged 15 and older.

“Leuk om op een andere manier de stad te verkennen. Zeer duur voor wat het is. Niet gemakkelijk, te vaak een hint nodig gehad. Het einde was er plots en kwam geen afluitende tekst.”

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8.Ghent City Highlights Walking Tour with Light Mea/Snack

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.) · from $82Top rated

Walk about 5 km through Ghent with a local guide such as Sophie, seeing Vrijdagmarkt, a medieval castle, the old harbor, all three medieval towers, and local art. The English tour lasts about 90 minutes to 2 hours, accommodates up to 10 or 15 people depending on the departure, and ends with a traditional light meal.

“The walking tour with lunch was very enjoyable. The lunch was a local place with classic Belgium food. The guide had a great deal of knowledge about Ghent. The 2-3 hour time frame was the right amount for this town.”

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9.Guided City Highlights Walking Tour with Light Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 5 reviews · from $77

Walk through Ghent with a local English-speaking guide, visiting the three medieval towers, Graslei, Korenlei, Graffiti Street, and lesser-known historic corners. The 105-minute tour ends with a choice of meatballs, chips and beef stew, or a plant-based meal, plus chocolate tasting. Drinks cost extra.

“Sophie was so enthusiastic about her hometown, its rich history and culture. The meatball and mash meal was delicious. Highly recommended walking tour.”

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10.Children’s escape game in the city of Ghent Marsupilami

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

You and your private group of up to six follow a Marsupilami adventure through Ghent, helping Bring Mr. Backalive rescue Bibi, Bobo, Bibu, and their mother. CODDY combines app-based puzzles, a treasure hunt, comic-book storytelling, and a city walk. Bring a charged smartphone and install CODDY before you arrive.

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11.City Walk with Audio Guide in 7 Languages on your Phone

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $8Best value

Follow a 4.3-kilometer walking route through Ghent using your phone, GPS, and an audio guide available in seven languages. Hear 29 short stories at places such as Gravensteen Castle, Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, Korenmarkt, the Belfry, the Cloth Hall, a brewery, and the little Gallows House. Pause, take breaks, and finish by the end of the next day.

“I was pleasantly surprised with this app. The route was very good, the clips are 1 and a half to 4 minutes long. U get a little sound in ur headphones when u reached the area of an attraction. The GPS was in part more reliable than Google.maps positionwise. At two locatioRead more”

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12.Ghent Walking Tour – City Highlights and Beyond Tradition

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $67

Walk through Ghent with a local guide such as Sophie on a 90 to 105 minute route linking Vrijdagmarkt, Gravensteen, Patershol, the three medieval towers, and Graslei. The group is capped at 10, the route can reflect your interests, and you should be ready to walk at least 5 kilometers.

“Sophie was a very good tour guide. Took us to many interesting places and gave us a nice history of Ghent”

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