Outdoor activities

The Flemish Ardennes are a paradise for those looking for a relaxing hike or bike ride in a hilly and wooded region with breathtaking landscapes.The Nazareth forests are also known as the 'Hospice Forests'. The area covers about 60 hectares and is mostly covered with conifers.

The Gentbrugse Meersen is a park and nature area in full development and is one of the 4 of Ghent's green poles. The nature reserve is about 240 hectares in size.

It is a quiet nature reserve that includes beautiful and extensive areas of wet grasslands. This is a very popular nature reserve for bird lovers, as 10 000 birds migrate to this East Flanders landscape to breed every year.

Van der Valk Hotel Gent also offers several cycling routes created by Wielerverhaal. For example, you have a fan route towards Terneuzen. This is a sporty route towards the Dutch border. In addition, you can also do a wonderful cycling trip to the Flemish nature of the polder region towards Bruges.

Do you want to get away for a few days and visit the centre of Ghent? Then Van der Valk Hotel Gent is the perfect base for a relaxing mini holiday. This is because the luxury hotel is located a stone's throw from the centre, on the outskirts of Ghent.

The Graslei and the Korenlei are considered the most beautiful streets in Ghent. The Graslei is also Ghent's old harbour. Would you like to see the centre of Ghent from a boat? At Graslei and Korenlei you can take a boat tour.

A visit to City Hall cannot be missing from your to-do list during your visit to Ghent. At the city hall, you can get a comprehensive guided tour from a guide.

This majestic and stately building will not pass you by lightly. The impressive Saint Baafs Cathedral in Ghent was originally called Saint John's Church. In this magnificent cathedral, you can admire the divine masterpiece by the brothers van Eyck: the Mystic Lamb.

A visit to the medieval Castle of the Counts cannot be missed during your stay in Ghent. It is the only remaining medieval moated castle in Flanders with a virtually intact defence system.

Looking for a great place to take unique photos? Then we recommend standing on St Michael's Bridge. Whichever direction you look, you will be surrounded by the beauty of Ghent!

This building is part of the world heritage. Looking at Ghent's magical skyline, you cannot miss it. The Belfry is the middle tower of the famous tower row, between St Bavo's Cathedral and St Nicholas' Church.

Fancy exploring the city in a different way than the usual city walk along well-known attractions? Discover the most beautiful street art in Ghent with the various art tours. It is often said that a lively city is recognised by its street art. Ghent is one such open-minded, creative and hip cultural city.

Do you love animals? Then it is worth going to the Harry Malter Family Park. The park is a recreational park and was founded in 1992 by Harry Malter. The park focuses on children in the age group of 2 to 12 years old.

The Design Museum in Ghent is the only museum in Belgium with an international design collection. Do you love design? Then you should definitely visit this museum!

Do you love art? Then it is definitely worth visiting the Museum of Fine Arts. Never before have ancient arts hung so perfectly side by side as in this museum building.