Ghent can be visited any time of the year because it has always something to offer, but if you want to get a real ''taste'' of the city than you should really visit it …More
Ghent can be visited any time of the year because it has always something to offer, but if you want to get a real ''taste'' of the city than you should really visit it during the Gentse Feesten (the Ghent Festival of Flanders). In a nutshell, the Gentse Feesten is a music and theatre festival , organized each year in July. During the 10 days of the festival this towns is bursting with life (especially during night).
Awkwardly, during the day the town is really quiet, most shops are closed and you can hardly see any people in parks, cafés or other public places. This was really strange to me (until I've got the hang of it) and I had to ask one of my local friends where are all the people? He was surprized by my question, saying that this is something normal in Ghent during the Gentse Feesten, during the day people rest and during the night they party).
At around 6 pm the restaurants, cafés and streets are starting to get crowded and there are tourists everywhere especially in the city center. The music is getting louder and louder and you know that another night of the festival had started!
Besides the music, there are also street acts, which are pretty cool to watch.
During this festival you can try out some foods that are typical for Belgium. My personal favorites were the cuberdons (or as the locals say Gentse neuzen) which are a typical Belgian candy. You will find this only in Belgium and you have to try them there! They are really perishable, can't be kept for more days and you can't take them home with you.
You can try also the famous waffles, French fries, many-many different types of chocolate or go with delicacies like snails. One things is sure, you will drink a lot of beer!Less
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Awkwardly, during the day the town is really quiet, most shops are closed and you can hardly see any people in parks, cafés or other public places. This was really strange to me (until I've got the hang of it) and I had to ask one of my local friends where are all the people? He was surprized by my question, saying that this is something normal in Ghent during the Gentse Feesten, during the day people rest and during the night they party).
At around 6 pm the restaurants, cafés and streets are starting to get crowded and there are tourists everywhere especially in the city center. The music is getting louder and louder and you know that another night of the festival had started!
Besides the music, there are also street acts, which are pretty cool to watch.
During this festival you can try out some foods that are typical for Belgium. My personal favorites were the cuberdons (or as the locals say Gentse neuzen) which are a typical Belgian candy. You will find this only in Belgium and you have to try them there! They are really perishable, can't be kept for more days and you can't take them home with you.
You can try also the famous waffles, French fries, many-many different types of chocolate or go with delicacies like snails. One things is sure, you will drink a lot of beer!Less