Gent to immerse himself in the magic of a Bruegel painting

A visit to Ghent during the festive season is like stepping into a Bruegel painting: on the Emile Braunplein square, skaters wrapped in warm clothing twirl on the ice rink set up for the festivities. Looking up for a moment, one realises that the architecture of the City Pavilion fits perfectly into the scene. Not far away, Gravensteen Castle hosts Winter Wonderland, a Christmas village that transforms the historic fortress into a place where medieval charm meets festive atmosphere, with markets and activities for the whole family. When the cold weather sets in, just take refuge in one of the city's museums, the Mks Museum of Fine Arts or the S.M.A.K. Museum of Contemporary Art; on the first Thursday of the month, the city's museums stay open until 10 p.m. Once a textile and trading city on the banks of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, today it is a bustling centre. From the old grain market to Gravensteen, the medieval castle of the Counts of Flanders, to the discovery of the Patershol, an old quarter with a popular soul characterised by narrow alleys and cobbled streets, one is immersed in a somewhat bohemian atmosphere, full of many excellent restaurants and bars.