Ceecee wrote:cveerman wrote:Ghent is actually my favorite city in Belgium.
Hotel - Sandton Grand Hotel
Restaurant - Volta
Cocktails - Jiggers (don't miss this one)
Bottle Shop - De Hopduvel (epic bottle shop)
Great! Thanks for the recommendations.
The beer list on the de Hopduvel website is incredible.
Going to visit WWI memorials, cemeteries and battlefields in Ypres and Passendale but use Ghent as a home base. I hope to spend at least a day exploring the city as well.
Ghent is a great city. I love it.
Food's a bit better than Bruges.
Bars are not as good as Bruges.
For family, i'd suggest Bruges over Ghent. Bruges is safer and really, really clean and pretty.
if you're doing a WWI hop, then duh, go to Westvleteren and Oostvleteren (Struise brewery). Struise's taproom's open only on Saturdays, i think. They aren't far from Ypres.
what month you going? I may be in Oostvleteren for June.
Chocolates: read this.
http://yummy-planet.com/en/top-10-place ... e-brussels
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/trave ... ssels.html
I think Passion Chocolate was our favourite. the woman working there's supernice. basically, she gives you a shitload of chocolate to try.
don't sign up for a tour. i don't remember if you can get maps at the shops to do the route or if i had something already prepared. you'll walk for an hour and hit the stores.
just remember: they can confiscate chocolate at Customs since it may have milk.