To ask if you prefer Ghent or Bruges

[OptimismvsRealism]

For a September long weekend

I know Bruges is the most delightful for photos but is it also too full to enjoy now?

Also wondered about Antwerp.

Ghent, hands down. Like a concentrated version of Bruges, much quieter and just as (if not more) beautiful.

But don't tell everyone about it or they'll all want to go.

Ghent for sure. It’s a proper town. It’s still beautiful, there’s more to see. The castle is amazing with a great audio tour.

I really like Ghent. I can't say it was quiet though but I went to Bruges ages ago so can't really compare.

Ghent. It's so lovely and easy to get around in a weekend.

Following with interest. We have booked to stay in brussels with a day trip to bruge, just wondering if we have made the right choice. It was cheaper though!

Another vote for Ghent. It's what I imagine Bruges was like before the tourist level became insane.

Ghent get my vote too. I also like Leuven and it’s only 15 mins from the airport so really easy for a weekend away.

Depends where is Brussels?

Another vote for Ghent! You can do everything you can in Bruges, it’s just quieter. Also a university town so has a nice vibe from that.

Antwerp is quite good for shopping and nightlife, and gawping in the diamond shop windows, but I wouldn’t base myself there.

Ghent here too.

Ghent has a bit more to do as it's bigger but the train between the two is so quick and easy there's no need to decide on just one.
Pick the hotel you like best and travel to see everything!
We stayed in Bruges for 3 nights and spent a whole day in Ghent

That’s the thing with Belgium, everything is just over an hour on the train -doesn’t matter were you start from or were you are going 😂

Bruges I felt was really crowded and not as much to see/do.

we went by train for the day from Ghent, was maybe 40 mins by train and the trains are very frequent.

We have done a summer visit to Ghent and Bruges with kids. I preferred Ghent honestly - it was pretty. I wouldn’t have spent more than one night there though, there’s was not enough to do with very young kids.

Bruges I do love, but it doesn’t feel so quaint.

I hated Brussels.

I would actually not go back to either place again. I would happily return to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague. Guess I’m a Netherlands fan!

Ghent, been to bruges and it's just a tourist trap.

Ghent for the reasons mentioned. Bruges is full of coach trips. But Antwerp is the best!

Ghent

Never been to Ghent but thoroughly underwhelmed by Bruges!

Ghent is lovely but whatever you do don’t drive there as it’s an absolute nightmare with lots of confusing no go zones and people waggling their fingers and shaking heads as you drive around 😅. You have to obtain a permit before if you intend to drive (which we did). But please don’t do it. I’m sure by train would be far more pleasant.

Definitely Bruges. We went to both this spring and Bruges was only busy at the weekend, during the week it was fairly quiet. I imagine in autumn it’s less busy than spring. Ghent was a let down tbh - I knew it was more of a normal city rather than a quaint spot like the old town of Bruges so I was expecting it not to be pretty but there was still less to do than I expected and definitely don’t bother on a Monday as pretty much everything is closed. For your long weekend I’d advise Thursday-Sunday instead of Friday-Monday.

Bruges. Absolutely love the place. Found 2 or 3 amazing restaurants. Beautiful scenery. There is also a beautiful and huge park/national park just outside the city walls.

I like Ghent more personally - the bigger city and the university mean it feels more 'real' and not such a tourist trap. Bruges is still gorgeous though, and should be just about manageable outside of the peak tourist season.

I'd stay for one night in Bruges, and shell out for a hotel as centrally located as you can possibly afford, then get out early and enjoy the beauty of the place before the hordes arrive. We stayed in the Duc de Bourgogne, and while it wasn't cheap for the standard of accommodation, the view of the Rozenhoedkaai from the windows was worth every penny. Spend the rest of the day in the museums - the Museum Sint-Janshospitaal and the Groeningemuseum are both really good in my book, and don't seem to get too insanely busy - then head to Ghent for the rest of the trip.

Ghent hands down. We go to Belgium nearly every year for a long weekend and did a couple fo trips to Bruges, but 2 years ago decided to try Ghent for a change, and haven't looked back. It's so much more friendly, less touristy, loads of great bars (Oudburg in particular just off the main square is full of them), restaurants and galleries, the castle is good. We went to Bruges for the day on our last trip and in comparison it felt twee, crammed full of tourists and on the whole, we just couldn't wait to get back to Ghent. I would actually disagree and say it's much easier to drive around than Bruges. Brussels is also a great city with loads to do. I've not been to Antwerp but would like to check it out as well.

@Sw1989 ive never driven around Bruges but I had to have a stiff whisky after driving around Ghent 😂

Antwerp is fantastic - the hotel botanic spa is sensational albeit very expensive. Easy enough to drive around too ( still need that permit though)

So many posts in and nobody has announced that Bruges is a shithole? 😂

It's okay, one day max though, there is only so much admiring of buildings and lace making grannies a person can do. Antwerp is good though, excellent music and food scenes.