Things to do in Ghent
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't Velootje
Push through the heavy, unmarked door and take care not to trip over old bikes, or whack your head on the kero lamps cluttering this tiny, darkened garage as you take a seat at a low wooden picnic table. Lieven De Vos has turned his bicycle workshop into an informal bar, of sorts - ask for a beer and Lieven will bring out whatever he selects; his opening hours are 'whenever I feel like opening until it closes down' (try after 21:00).
There are plans to expand the pub to accommodate Lieven's collection of antique bikes; the expansion is scheduled to be complete in 2010, Het Velootje's 25-year anniversary.
To find the pub, walk north along Oudburg until you see a pile of j…
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De Gekroonde Hoofden
Spare ribs (in honey, natural, and the house version, sweet and sour) are the speciality of this large, airy restaurant situated footsteps from Ghent's castle. You can fill up on them à la carte (from around €15) or as part of all-you-can-eat menus (around €24.20 to around €37.70), finished off with chocolate mousse. Staff are welcoming and genuine.
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The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb
Formidable queues form to see The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (De Aanbidding van het Lams God), a lavish representation of medieval religious thinking that is one of the earliest-known oil paintings. Completed in 1432, it was painted as an altarpiece by Flemish Primitive artist Jan Van Eyck, and has 20 panels (originally the interior panels were displayed only on important religious occasions, but these days they're always open to view).
The work represents an allegorical glorification of Christ's death: on the upper tier sits God the Father flanked by the Virgin and John the Baptist and on the outer panels are the nude Adam and Eve. The lower tier centres on the lamb, s…
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De Foyer
Convivial brasserie on the 1st floor of the Publiekstheater, near the tourist office. Overlooking St Baafskathedraal, dine on an array of Flemish meals and snacks including wicked pancakes. The three-course lunch menu (Monday to Friday only) is great value.
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Belga Queen
A couple of years old but still wearing the crown around town. This big brasserie/restaurant occupies a 13th-century warehouse with a prized canal-side position. Seafood lovers, vegetarians and carnivores are all copiously catered for.
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Marco Polo Trattoria
Part of the Italian 'slow food' drive, combining organic produce and candlelit surroundings. Both the atmosphere and the well-priced meals are highly recommended.
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Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK)
The motivation for many people's visit to Ghent is its Museum of Contemporary Art, a.k.a. SMAK. It holds a highly regarded permanent collection of local works (including Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko) and works of international celebrities (like Christo, Warhol and Hockney), though of late it's been packing these away to devote its space to single major exhibits (such as Paul McCarthy's blood-spattered installations), so it's worth checking the programme.
Look out for works by Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko - three of Belgium's best-known contemporary artists - as well as artworks by international celebrities like Christo, Warhol and Hockn…
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Vooruit
Everything from jazz to flamenco and book-readings to lectures takes place at this left-leaning performance, theatre, arts and cultural space. This impressive building, on the edge of the student quarter and close to the revamped Zuid district, was built in 1912 as a cultural centre for the Socialist Party and is worth a look in itself. Students congregate in the vast open-plan foyer bar for coffee or drinks; you can also get hot, wholesome meals for under around €8 between 12:30 and 15:00 and 18:00 to 20:30.
From the Korenmarkt it's about 1km, or take tram 41 to the stop 'Zuid' at Graaf van Vlaanderenplein.
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Museum of Contemporary Art
Ghent's highly regarded Museum of Contemporary Art, better known by its acronym, SMAK, is located south of the city centre. It opened in the 1990s under the direction of Jan Hoet, one of Europe's most famous museum curators. It's a huge place and you'll need the map handed out at reception to find any of the big names.
Look out for works by Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko - three of Belgium's best-known modern artists - as well as artworks by international celebrities such as Christo, Warhol and Hockney.
reviewed
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St-Baafskathedraal & The Adoration Of The Mystic Lamb
Flemish Primitive artist Jan Van Eyck's richly detailed 20-panel altarpiece, De Aanbidding van het Lam Gods (The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb; 1432) is one of the earliest-known oil paintings in existence and the highlight of Ghent's 22-altar, stained-glass-adorned cathedral. A rare depiction of God the Father can be seen on the altarpiece's upper tier, while the lower tier features the eponymous lamb, symbolising Christ's sacrifice. The altarpiece's survival defies the odds - see .
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Tierenteyn-Verlent
Ghent's traditional mustard-maker, the 1790-established Tierenteyn-Verlent, has occupied this heritage-listed shop since 1860, and it retains its original interior of tall glass cabinets of apothecary and spice jars behind varnished timber counters. Mustard is still made using original techniques and only natural ingredients: vinegar, salt and ground mustard seeds. Each jar comes with its own little wooden spoon (plastic spoons can also be used, but not metal, as it separates the vinegar).
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Etablissement Max
This elegant, pale-pistachio-and-gold brasserie serving refined fare is run by Yves Van Maldeghem whose entrepreneurial family started out with a grand mobile fair stall. Yves bakes waffles using his family's 120-year-old waffle irons, and also makes pancakes and sizzling apple fritters. To bake them yourself, pick up Jan Gheysens' book Belgian Waffles and other treats (2006) here, which contains Yves' family recipes.
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Het Groot Vleeshuis
Only products from the surrounding province are sold at this medieval butchers' hall, which has been converted into a shop selling artisan products (with free counter tastings of cheeses and meats). That means you won't find Coke on the menu in the attached glassed-in restaurant overlooking the old covered market's ceilings strung with hams, but you will find local brews, apple wine and, naturally, meat galore.
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Temmerman
Run by the 8th generation of this family of confectioners, glass jars filled with sweets line up behind the counter of this old-fashioned sweet shop, which has been in its current location since 1904. All of its sweets are made by the family's factory, including typically Belgian neuzekes (hard, triangular cherry-red 'noses' filled with soft jelly) and mokke (aniseed biscuits).
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Casa Rosa
The 'Pink House' is an essential stop for gay and lesbian travellers to Ghent. The foyer bar attracts a mixed crowd, who can steer you to the latest hotspots. You'll also find a gay and lesbian information office (generally open business hours on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday), and stands with city maps listing nightlife options and various other gay- and lesbian-friendly establishments.
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De 3 Biggetjes
Situated on 'sow street' in the tangle of lanes making up Patershol 'the three piglets' is a gastronomic gem, with incredible fusion dishes and good-value fixed-price, multichoice menus (around €16 for lunch, and around €29 for a three-course dinner, or around €39 for a four-course evening meal including champagne) in an intimate, white-tableclothed setting.
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Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant
Staff with a true passion for beer serve over 140 brews in Waterhuis' cosy interior and on its sprawling riverside terrace. Exclusive house brews include a knock-out amber Klokke Roeland (11% alcohol and often drunk as a nightcap; with a limit of three per person) and a blonde Gandavum Dry Hopping (7.5% and quite possibly the best beer this author's ever tasted). Unmissable.
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Pakhuis
Soaring iron girders, interior balconies and a vaulted glass ceiling make this former warehouse a sublime setting for a Bloody Mary and/or a meal. Pakhuis excels in seafood (sea bass with puréed artichokes and vermouth sauce, say, or grilled Scottish salmon); wide-ranging seasonal choices might include lamb stew in Barbera wine, or organic pasta with black truffles.
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Mosquito Coast
Dine on world dishes - from tapas to kangaroo steaks to stir-fries - in mosaic-tiled velour booths on the mezzanine, or in the bamboo-shaded courtyard or roof terrace at this large, airy 'travel and adventure café'. Stop by any time for a house mojito and a browse through the guidebooks in the bar filled with licence plates, road signs, currencies, maps and globes.
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Simon Says
Inside one of Ghent's only Art Nouveau buildings, this creative little newcomer has gold futuristic flying objects hand-drawn on its turquoise walls by celebrated contemporary Antwerp artist, Panamarenko. Great for light organic lunches and snacks and Fair Trade coffee. Simon also runs a state-of-the-art two-room B&B upstairs. Located just north of Vrijdagmarkt.
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Mokabon
The pungent aroma of coffee pervades your senses at this unpretentious coffee bar, which roasts its beans on the premises. Locals from all walks of life gather around the original Art Deco timber bar for hot coffee as well as iced coffee frappés. You can also buy the house-blend beans (ground or unground) for around €14.20 per kilo.
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Design Museum
The Design Museum is one of Ghent's little-known gems. It comprises two sections: furnishings from the Renaissance to the 19th century adorn the front part of the building, whereas 20th-century art - everything from a Victor Horta-designed Art Nouveau wall cabinet to '70s psychedelic sofas - takes centre stage in the glass-covered rear wing.
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Hotsy Totsy
Iridescent striped wallpaper, velveteen booths and Ella Fitzgerald et al in the background make Hotsy Totsy a favourite haunt on any given night, but it's positively hopping during live sessions (usually at least Tuesdays and Thursdays; gigs are posted on the website). The rear room doubles as a de facto gallery space for local artists.
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Trollekelder
Wide-eyed furry trolls peep out from unlikely places throughout this old stone-walled watering hole, such as from behind iron-barred cells in the cave-like cellar. Trollekelder manages to be atmospheric without being contrived, as evidenced by the devoted following drinking its blonde and dark Trollebier (troll beer).
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Herberg De Dulle Griet
One of Ghent's best-known beer pubs. Local brews include Guillotine (9.3%), Delirium Tremens (9.5% - watch out for pink elephants if you down too many of these) and the city's strongest beer, Piraat (10.5%). The tables are old kriek (cherry lambic beer) barrels and the beer list makes for solid reading.
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