Gravensteen, Flanders, Belgium

5Alistair 5:00 PM Dec 6, 2022

Castle of the Counts
This was number one on our visit to Gent and it didn't disappoint. The castle itself is stunning, such a unique build, fine architecture and it oozes history just by looking at it. We had pre-booked our tickets in advance, although there wasn't really a need to as it wasn't that busy. When you walk through the front gate, you get a sense of the history behind the castle and then as you walk up the steps to the keep entrance it starts to hit you. The first room you walk into is the armoury which houses some fine pieces of weaponry, including some incredibly artful firearms. then as you work your way through the different rooms there are handy photos and canvasses that help to depict what the rooms were used for. The only downside was that we didn't take the audio tour, i feel this would have enhanced our experience so i recommend that you do take it. All in all we spent maybe an hr in the castle itself. This was because it seems like some areas on the castle are inaccessible, whether this is because they are closed due to the time of year or maybe not just in a fit state to be accessed by the public, but it feels like there could be so much more to explore. You can get some really good views from the castle towers and we took our first photo together since getting together at the castle which was perfect. All in all, worth a visit and definitely the number 1 place to visit while you are there.

4JimRiesterer 5:00 PM Dec 2, 2022

Take a self-guided tour
Gravensteen (aka the castle of the counts) is a thousand-year-old medieval structure open to tourists. If you buy your tickets in advance online you can avoid a wait as capacity is controlled and you will pick a specific time slot. An audio guide is included (and necessary) in order to understand the history of the structure. The narrative features a local comedian that adds interest to the largely empty structure. The building itself is nicely restored and the exterior views are great but there’s not a lot to see inside. Nonetheless we took many pictures and the view from the top of the castle over the town is great. Worth a visit. We spent a little over an hour, there are 18 audio stops, but you may spend as long as you like.