Getaway weekend in Ghent: discover the city at its best during the summer

A successful day begins without haste. Start your morning with an extensive live cooking breakfast buffet at Van der Valk Hotel Gent. Think of freshly baked rolls, fresh fruit, hot dishes, eggs, pancakes, and a good cup of coffee. On sunny days, the terrace is the ideal place to wake up slowly and make plans for the rest of the day.

Even if you are not a hotel guest, you are welcome to join.

After breakfast, it's time to head into the city. From Hotel Gent you can reach the historical center in just a few minutes by bike, e-bike, vespa or electric scooter.

Once in the center, you don't really need to follow a fixed route. Stroll along the Graslei and Korenlei, discover charming boutiques in the cozy shopping streets and enjoy lunch on a sunny terrace. It is precisely the variety between historical buildings, lively squares, and hidden alleys that makes a weekend getaway in Ghent so special.

Ask a Gent resident where to go on a sunny afternoon and chances are the answer is Gazon.

This popular summer bar by the water has become a staple during the summer in Ghent. The relaxed atmosphere, the view over the water, fresh cocktails, and delicious dishes ensure that you can easily linger here for several hours. Families enjoy the spacious play area, while friends meet for an aperitif in the sun.

Gazon doesn't feel like a tourist attraction, but rather a place where locals also love to spend their summer. And that's what makes it so enjoyable.

Tip: reachable from Hotel Gent by bike, making it ideal for a carefree evening.

If you want to experience Ghent from a different perspective, you don't have to look far. At Gazon, you can easily rent a SUP-board via Dobber and paddle along the historic facades and bridges of the city.

From the water, you experience Ghent in a surprisingly calm way. Away from the hustle and bustle, yet right in the middle of the city. An activity that fits perfectly with a relaxing getaway weekend in Ghent.

After a day full of impressions, it's nice to return to a place where you can truly relax. Enjoy the wellness, play a game of pétanque or order another drink on the terrace of Van der Valk Hotel Gent before ending the day in a comfortable room.

It is precisely this combination of the vibrant city and a peaceful base that completes a stay.

Every city has its favorite season. For Ghent, that is undoubtedly the summer. The water comes to life, the terraces are full, and there is a relaxed holiday atmosphere everywhere. Add to that an extensive live cooking breakfast buffet, an afternoon at Gazon, and a comfortable overnight stay at Van der Valk Hotel Gent, and you have all the ingredients for a successful getaway weekend in Ghent.

Sometimes it's not the big attractions that stay with you, but the small moments: a coffee in the morning sun, a walk without a destination, or a drink by the water as the evening slowly falls. That is precisely why so many visitors know after one weekend that they want to return to Ghent.

Posted July 2026 - read our other blogs here