My Gent: Synchronised swimming and a new life in a friendly Flemish city

by Heather - 17 April, 201914 April, 2019

Originally from the UK, Liz and her husband are planning on moving to Ghent after they recently bought a house here. To get involved with the local community, Liz is bringing her years of synchronised swimming experience and putting on a show at the 2019 Gentse Feesten. We caught up

Treasure hunting at the rommelmarkt

by Nina - 13 April, 201913 April, 2019

rommel, n : 1 mess, shambles: rommel maken make a mess 2 (ondeugdelijke waar) junk, rubbish, trash rommelen, v : 1 rumble, roll: de donder rommelt in de verte - the thunder is rumbling in the distance 2 rummage: in zijn papieren rommelen - shuffle one's papers (Van Dale dictionary) Rommel is a word that

The Ultimate Guide to Books and Bookshops in Ghent

by Guest author - 13 April, 201913 April, 2019

When I moved to Ghent, I had my goals all sorted out. Step number one – find a comprehensive stationery store. Check. Step number two – locate a well-stocked-yet-off-the-beaten-track spice shop. Checkity check. Step number three – find a bookstore that will quench my never-ending thirst for English classics, fantasy

Getting to the airport from Ghent

by Guest author - 13 April, 201913 April, 2019

Image of Gent St Pieters with people waiting to get to the airport

Find out how to get to the airports in Belgium by car, bus and train and get some money-saving tips. We’ve also created a text snippet that you can send family and friends who you can’t greet at the airport, with instructions on how to get to Ghent from Brussel

Ghent’s Circulation Plan

Leisure

by Heather - 13 April, 201913 April, 2019

Red and purple lines have appeared on the roads in Ghent to indicate a new zone

On Monday 3rd April 2017 Ghent’s new circulation plan (circulatieplan or mobiliteitsplan in Dutch) came into effect. With the official website only available in Dutch, it’s difficult for expats to know what this all means for them, and - probably most importantly - how to avoid a fine. Here’s our

Day Trips From Gent: Hallerbos, The Blue Forest

by Rebecca Bramlett - 12 April, 201913 April, 2019

As beautiful as Gent is, do you ever want to escape the hard, gray stone of our city to see something different? What if I told you that with just a day trip, you can visit one of Europe’s most beautiful forests? Hallerbos, “The Blue Forest”, in Halle, Belgium has been

Explore the creative shops of Ghent

by Nina - 11 April, 201913 April, 2019

colourful fabrics at Stoffen Artevelde shop

We all know the feeling: you’ve just moved abroad, the Atlantic storm is howling outside, you don’t have any friends yet and your new work is exhausting. All you want to do on a Friday night is sit down with a pile of wool and knit a comfort blanket for

Explore Ghent with the UitPAS card

by Nina - 5 April, 201913 April, 2019

It’s always a pleasure to enjoy many of the activities Ghent offers for adults and children: museums, theatre performances, sports, concerts and other exciting events. But did you know that with a special Out-in-Ghent card (UiTPAS) you can save points at each of them, and use the points to get

How to cook up a Japanese film festival

by Nina - 11 March, 201911 March, 2019

Last updated: 11th March, 2019 About 10 years ago, Tomoko Kaji found herself at the opening night of the budding Japan Square film festival in Ghent. Even though she had heard about the festival from her husband, renowned Japanologist and festival collaborator Luk Van Haute, she didn't know what to expect. She

3 scenic riverside cycling routes

by Nina - 26 February, 201926 February, 2019

You’ve bought a bike and with the help of our article on cycling in Ghent, you are now a skilled city cyclist. You are ready to explore the world beyond urban cobblestones. Ghent is a city of rivers and so it is no wonder that wherever you go outside of