A Sunday Morning in Old Town
Black clouds formed a dramatic curtain behind the medieval rooftops and spires of the Old Town in Ghent, Belgium one Sunday morning in late May. As our bicycle tour group pedaled into the heart of the city, we huddled our bikes under a tarp and set off to explore the city center with rain gear handy.
The skies never opened. The light rain, though, added a sheen to the cobblestone streets and an intimate feel to the architectural feast before us.
Ghent, capital of the Belgian province of Flanders, has always benefited from its location. At the geographic heart of northern Europe, neutral Ghent enjoyed the status of a major market center for centuries, attracting German, French and English traders.
Today, the city center still attracts a crowd. Part of the draw is a vibrant night life and the network of narrow streets lined with distinctive shops. Old Town is pedestrian-friendly, making it easy to window browse or just pause to bask in the atmosphere of architecture, culture and people without impatient horns to hurry you along your way.
The city center is laced with intersecting canals that add a scenic foreground to your Old Town photos. The waterways are easy to walk around or you can take in a 40 minute canal boat tour. The canals are popular with kayakers and those who choose to rent other watercraft. The Leie River winds through the heart of Ghent and divides two attractive city center quays: Graslie (along the right bank) and Korenlei (along the left bank). It’s fun just to sit on the cobblestones on either side of the river and become immersed in the melange of people and tour boats in this scenic medieval port area.
Since our Sunday morning exploration time in the Old Town was limited, my wife and I focused on the famous Gravensteen Castle and wandering through Patershol, the medieval quarter near the castle.
Gravensteen, an imposing stone castle built in 1180, looks as if it is floating on the Lieve canal. It was the home of the counts of Flanders until 1353. Since then, the majestic structure has served as a courthouse, prison, mint and even a cotton mill. It was restored in 1885.
Normally, the castle welcomes visitors who can purchase a 90-minute audio guide that points out highlights on a walk-through tour. Part of the tour includes an armory museum and a torture museum that displays the gruesome tools of medieval justice.
Luckily for us, though, Gravensteen hosted a medieval spring festival on the day of our bike tour into Ghent.
Red banners dangled from the gray stone ramparts. Minstrels welcomed us as we entered the castle gates. Wide-eyed as kids, we feasted on the sights, sounds, tastes, smells and textures of medieval castle life as costumed interpreters went about their daily life in the 13th century.
It was hard to know where to look next. A fire-breathing performer spat out tall tongues of flame from atop a castle wall. Blacksmiths sweated over hot metal while sparks flew with each hammer blow. A mischievous medieval lad played hide and seek with an unsuspecting modern boy, peering around a corner to catch the curious eye of the youngster while his father tinkered on a cell phone. In the ballroom, castle ladies danced with visitors to an estampie, a medieval dance and musical form. A tight, winding stair case led to a lofty viewing area that offered a 360° view of the spires and facades of Old Town.
Watching our time, we reluctantly left Gravensteen to explore Patershol, the attractive medieval quarter near Gravensteen.
The Patershol neighborhood is a popular destination noted for its maze-like warren of narrow streets lined with inviting shops of all kinds. Restaurants, bars and galleries abound. Foodies, in particular, will want to wander the length of Oudburg, a street known for its restaurants and cafes.
Upon leaving Gravensteen, we found ourselves on Kraanlei, a small street where we stumbled upon Julie’s House.
We lingered over an excellent cup of coffee and fresh-baked scones. Continuing our culinary exploration, we settled on a dessert of chocolate at In Choc Gent, just a short stroll from the castle.
Yet, realizing that one cannot pedal a bike fueled only on scones and chocolate, we bought some cheese, crackers and yogurt for our picnic lunch along the bike route.
Then it was time to head back to our bicycles and fellow travelers.
Hearing the strains of an outdoor concert in a city center square, we took a short detour to enjoy one more cultural diversion on this stimulating Sunday morning in Ghent.
With our memories of Old Town still fresh, we pedaled out of city center and on to more Belgian adventures
IF YOU GO:
Dutch is the native language in Belgium, though everyone seems to speak English, especially in the shops and restaurants.
1. To find out more about Ghent, go to www.visit.gent.be
2. There are a number of bike tour operators in Europe. We chose Cycle Tours out of Amsterdam on a bike and barge tour: www.cycletours.com