Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, and the private, small-group, or expert-led way to make it yours — your own pace, real access, none of the crowd.
In port at Gent, the bucket-list move is Ghent Altarpiece Private Viewing: Mystic Lamb Up Close. ToursbyLocals – Ghent Private Guides runs it — a private, expert-led experience at your own pace, not a 40-person coach. Below: all 6 bucket-list things to do on a Gent port day, each with the independent way to make it yours.
1culture
Stand face-to-face with the van Eyck brothers' 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' — one of the most important paintings in Western art — in St. Bavo's Cathedral with a private art historian who unlocks its century-spanning secrets.
Book it withToursbyLocals – Ghent Private GuidesFrom EUR 280 for a private 3-hour art & cathedral tour (2 guests; guide fee exclusive of EUR 5 cathedral/altarpiece entry per person)
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →
2history
Explore Ghent's magnificent 12th-century Castle of the Counts with a private licensed guide who brings its turbulent medieval history to life — battlements, torture chambers, and sweeping canal panoramas included.
Book it withVisit Gent – Historische Huizen Gent (official castle operator)EUR 16 per adult standard entry (official ticket office/online); private guide from EUR 150 for 2 hours via licensed Ghent guides
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →
3scenic
Glide along Ghent's luminous medieval waterways on a private canal boat, then continue on foot through cobbled guild-house lanes with an expert local guide — the definitive Ghent experience, entirely at your pace.
Book it withRederij De Gentse Bootjes (official canal operator, Ghent)From EUR 8 per person for a 40-minute canal cruise (public boat); private charter from approx. EUR 120 for up to 12 guests; combined private walking tour from EUR 200 for 3 hours
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →
4landmark
Ascend Ghent's UNESCO-listed medieval Belfry — guardian of the city's liberties since 1313 — by private lift and staircase with a local historian, emerging to a 360° rooftop panorama over Flanders' finest skyline.
Book it withStad Gent – Belfry of Ghent (official operator)EUR 10 per adult entry (official price); private licensed historian guide from EUR 150 for a 2-hour Belfry & surrounds experience
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →
5food
Discover Ghent's finest culinary and artistic traditions on a private, expert-led tasting journey — from bean-to-bar chocolate ateliers and historic brewery cellars to a cubeldon sweet-shop beloved by locals for over a century.
Book it withWithLocals – Ghent Private Food ExperiencesFrom EUR 89 per person for a private 3-hour food & culture tour (small group; all tastings included)
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →
6history
Journey from Ghent to UNESCO-listed Bruges — the perfectly preserved 'Venice of the North' — by private chauffeured transfer, with a specialist guide for a boat cruise on the medieval canals and a curated walking tour of its finest landmarks.
Book it withGoWithGuide – Belgium Private Day ToursFrom EUR 350 per private group for a full-day Ghent-to-Bruges private tour including guide, chauffeured transfer, and canal boat entry (excludes museum entries)
Book it →
What to expect, timing & how to book →