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Offered languages
- German
- Portuguese
- English
- Italian
- French
- Dutch
- Spanish
In Ghent, calling someone a noose bearer is a compliment. A stolen masterpiece has been missing for nearly a century, and a detective is still assigned to the case. Students once seized a medieval castle because beer went up by one franc. This is not a typical European city.
This self guided audio tour takes you through 18 stops across Ghent's historic centre, from the world's most stolen painting at Saint Bavo's Cathedral to guild houses where merchants claimed first pick of every passing cargo. You'll hear the dragon legend atop the Belfry, walk through ever changing street art in Graffiti Street, and end at a cannon named after a woman fierce enough to storm Hell.
Three kilometres. Two and a half hours. Eighteen stories you won't find in a guidebook. Start anytime, pause whenever you like, and go at your own pace.
Over 20,000 travelers have used our self guided tours. The tour comes with a full refund guarantee.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This is a self-guided audio tour on the "Tourific self-guided tours" app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from Tourific or your booking platform sent right after booking. Can’t find it? Search for “Tourific” in your email inbox and spam folder. OR contact us via support.
The tour ends at the Saint Bavo's Cathedral
Itinerary
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1St. Bavo's Cathedral
Trace the cathedral's evolution from a wooden chapel to the site of Emperor Charles the Fifth's baptism.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2St. Bavo's Cathedral
Stand before the most stolen artwork in history and hear the unsolved mystery of the missing panel.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3
Look up at the gilded dragon and hear its legendary journey from Constantinople to the top of Ghent's tallest tower.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
Find the striking relief of a daughter nursing her imprisoned father, mounted right on the old city jail's doorstep.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Saint Nicholas' Church
Step into the merchants' guild church and spot the hidden medieval façade uncovered by chance across the square.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6St Michael's Bridge
Pause at Ghent's most photographed viewpoint for a panorama of three iconic towers lined up in a row.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7St Michael s Church
Study Van Dyck's dramatic Golgotha painting and identify each symbolic figure in the crucifixion scene.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8Graslei and Korenlei
Walk between the grand guild houses where Ghent's merchants claimed first pick of every passing cargo.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9St. Veerleplein
Stand on a former execution ground where streetlamps now flicker to announce each newborn baby in Ghent.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10Gravensteen
Explore the Castle of the Counts, once seized by students protesting a one franc increase in beer prices.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
11
Visit the Great Butchers' Hall with its hanging hams and hear the tale of Ghent's cuberdon candy war.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
12
Walk through layers of street art in Ghent's famous Graffiti Street, born from a festival three decades ago.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
13Ghent City Hall
Hear how Charles the Fifth forced fifty men to kneel with nooses around their necks, creating a lasting symbol of defiance.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
14
Pay respects at the pilgrim church where a surgeon who shared lifesaving forceps with the world lies in an unmarked grave.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
15Vrijdagmarkt
Meet the man whose statue still points toward England and learn the pub ritual that costs you a shoe.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
16
End your walk beside a massive medieval bombard named after a woman fierce enough to storm Hell.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All stops will be visited from outside without entering into any locations
- Product is not wheelchair accessible
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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