Ghent on foot

Gravensteen by the river Leie / Lys

Ghent is a sizeable city crossed by the River Leie / Lys and canals. Main line trains from Brussels stop at Gent-Sint-Pieters but this is a long hike from the historic centre. Tickets to Gent-Dampoort are the same price and changing trains will save extra walking or tram fares.

There will often be a train, stopping at Dampoort, ready for boarding in one of the many platforms at Sint-Pieters. This was the case on an unseasonably warm and sunny early Spring Sunday (9 March 2025). After passing hundreds of bicycles in Dampoort station's parking area, head west from Dampoort station. One possible route follows the north bank of the canal along Hagelandkaai to reach Sint-Jorisbrug over the river. 

Following Steendam west will lead to Gentse Gruut Brouwerij. The brewery uses gruit, a mixture of herbs, as an alternative to hops. The brewery taproom opens at 2pm and the doors were closed but a 2017 visit, after a hike from St-Pieters, had been worthwhile and it is unlikely to have changed a great deal since then - refer 2017 post.

St James' church is just across the roundabout at the western end of Steendam. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday there are stalls for the Prondelmarkt in the shadow of the church at Bij Sint-Jacobs. This is also a good area for cafes and antique shops.

De Dulle Griet

It's also a good area for bars and De Dulle Griet can be found overlooking nearby Vrijdagmarkt, a square where a market is held every Friday.

There's an extensive range of draught beers but no service at the bar. De Dulle Griet was reasonably busy inside but a low table near the entrance was available and table service soon followed.

With a uniform and the responsibility of delivering tall 1.2 litre 'Max' glasses of Blond or Dunkel (€14.40) to customers, the bar staff expect respect from customers.

Prices for normal measures are on the high side with my 33cl glass of Gentse Strop (Brouwerij Roman) costing €6.60. A QR code on the table can be used to see the extensive menu. 

There's lots of bric-a-brac to look at and the 'shoe hoist' with a bell underneath (right photo above) was raised after an order of a 'Max van 't huis'. Definitely a bar to visit once but it may well be missed out on a future visit.

On a mission to see Gravensteen castle further west, the walking route led near two bars earmarked for a visit, Barrazza (right photo above) and Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (left photo above). They both overlook the river Leie / Lys and were very busy on a sunny day so were merely noted for a future visit.

Artevelde

The streets from Vleeshuisbrug south towards Saint Nicholas' church / Sint-Niklaaskerk were also very busy and it was a relief to see a massive sign on the side of Artevelde Brouwerij and go inside for shade and a comfortable seat.

A table near the foot of an impressive staircase gave views of the bar and the inner courtyard.

From the limited beer range in the bound menu on the table, Artevelde Leute (6.2% ABV) was chosen (33cl / €5) and served with a complimentary bowl of nuts.

Before leaving there was an opportunity to use the traditional staircase to reach the superior toilet facilities. The first floor has a further spacious interior space and an external balcony overlooking the courtyard below. I look forward to a future visit and a chance to drink the other Artevelde beers brewed here: Pils (5.2% ABV, €4.2 / 33cl); Grand Cru (7.2% ABV, €5.5 / 33cl) and Wijs (8.2% ABV, €6.2 33cl). Hopefully the choice of music will have improved by then from a selection that included ABC by the Jackson Five.

Trollekelder

It's a simple walk in a north easterly direction, up Belfortstraat, back towards St James' church to find Trollekelder at Sint-Jacobs 17.

It was nice to be able to go to the bar, look at the draught beers, choose, order and pay before returning to a table with the beer.

As a local option, the only real choice was Ouwen Duiker (33cl / €5.80).

There was a large painting on the wall near my table but I didn't recognise any of the people featured!

The online menu included some unusual bottled beers: Gentse Tripel (8% ABV, 33cl / €5.50); Weer een Tripel Minder (Dok, 8.4% ABV, 33cl /  €5.80); Theoreme de l'Empereur (l'Ermitage, 6.4% ABV, 33cl / €6.80); Westvleteren 8,12 & Blond (8%, 10.2% & 5.8% ABV, 33cl / €15) & Saison Hof ten Dormaal (5.8% ABV, 33cl / €6.30). The music playing on the featured radio station included I Wish by Skee-Lo.

On a visit to the graffiti marked and stickered toilet facilities upstairs, returning by a different route, it was possible to appreciate the extent of Trollekelder which offers a lot more seating upstairs as well as at cellar level. This was my favourite bar of the afternoon in Ghent and definitely one to return to!

Sint-Jorisbrug with canoe rolling action!

From here it is simple to return to Dampoort station via Steendam and Sint-Jorisbrug then either Dampoortstraat for shops or Hagelandkaai for views.

N.B. There are direct SNCB trains from Dampoort to Antwerp and Ostend (via Bruges) so you may not need to change at Sint-Pieters.

Antwerp - February 2025

 

Antwerp Central station looks spectacular from inside and outside! Our arrival on Sunday 2 February 2025 only required a short walk west on De Keyserlei, passing Bier Central and several diamond jewellery specialists, and then south near the Opera to reach YAYS aparthotel, just past a convenient Lidl supermarket.xx

The new YAYS aparthotel has no reception with guests using a PIN number to enter the hotel and pre-advised room and is recommended. 

This post will focus on bars visited for the first time and will mainly be useful for anyone staying near the central station or visiting any of the excellent art and photo galleries in the Zuid district. 

Antwerpen-Centraal

Unfortunately De Kroon van Hopland (previously visited) and De Hovenier (marked for a visit) were both closed so three less recognised cafe bars were visited in the evenings.

Cafe de Klok was the largest cafe bar of these and our custom seemed to be tolerated here without much of a welcome. There were only a few customers in the last hour before closing. The sizeable room has tall windows with curtains, a wooden central bar and bench seating with red leather cushioning. The overhead fluorescent lighting might be the bar's worst feature. The Belgian pop music from the jukebox tonight wasn't really appreciated either!

There's a picture of the bar's exterior with Stella Artois branding, in the pages of the bound menu.

There's a decent selection of beers including local options like De Koninck Bolleke on draught and Seefbier in bottles. Prices were reasonable with all six Trappist beers priced under €5.

The bottle of Hopus (€4.70) was correctly served, with a branded shot glass for the sediment from the bottle, although it's left to the drinker to perform 'the theatre of the pour'.

An earlier visit to In de Stad Aalst, before a good meal at Restaurant Sinbad, was a completely different experience.

The small space with a short bar was busy with regulars but we found a table near the front window. A chandelier and many small framed photos of customers on a side wall are reflected in the window. The floor tiles were a traditional floral design. Other decoration included traditional Tripel Karmeliet and Stella Artois signs. The barman simply pointed at a small list of beers, on a wall just past the bar, when asked for a menu.

It was hard to go wrong with a keenly priced Westmalle Tripel here! You have to like music played loudly to relax here and the varied selection included some rock classics including Peggy Sue and Love Potion Number 9.

Like De Hovenier, In de Stad Aalst is one of the cafes included in the 'More great cafes' section at the end of Regula Ysewijn's book 'Belgian Cafe Culture'.

There are two bars next to each other on Kipdorbrug at the junction with Italielei / Frankreiklei. On two occasions one would be open while the other was closed. On Sunday night, Tante Lies was in darkness but De Kleine Opera was open.

This was another lively bar, with local drinkers. The dimly lit interior featured games machines and  neon lighting.

When my chosen beer was not available it was no hardship to accept Westmalle Tripel (€4.50) as an alternative! A new customer was made to feel welcome here but an antiseptic smell did not encourage lingering for long.

Het Zuid

                                            KMSKA                                             MHKAFE (Keith Haring)                 M HKA (Panamarenko)                                                                          

A Visit Antwerpen post mentions 'Het Zuid has been setting the tone in cultural and creative terms in Antwerp for decades. Just a five-minute walk apart, you'll find three top museums ... The Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) ... Fotomuseum Antwerpen (FOMU) ... and the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (M HKA). 

Having previously visited KMSKA in 2024, this year we visited MHK A where a temporary Panamarenko - Journey to the Stars exhibit included a spaceship model. 

Absorbing culture is thirsty work and while in the Het Zuid neighbourhood we visited L'Entrepot du Congo which overlooks the new Zuidpark, a green area that was previously docks and then a car park. 

A locally brewed De Koninck Bolleke (€3.50) always makes a good first beer of the day in Antwerp! The large high-ceilinged room has black and white floor tiles and traditional cafe furniture with marble topped tables. At a nearby table, a customer had brought his cat on a lead inside while he quickly drank a cup of coffee. 

The range of bottled beers includes Nello's Blond and Nello's Tripel brewed by Brouwerij De Arend in Hoboken, Antwerp, four Super 8 beers, Gordon Scotch Xmas and Guinness.

View north from steps of the Vlinderpaleis, Bolivarplaats, Antwerp Zuid

When every table in Cafe Hopper, on the southern end of Leopold de Waelplaats, was taken on a Monday afternoon, we walked south to the Palace of Justice 'Vlinderpaleis' at Bolivarplaats.  After climbing the steps we had a good view back towards Antwerp along Amerikalei. 

By the time we returned, Cafe Hopper was still full so we went across the road to Wijnbistro Patine, next to Chatleroi which had not yet opened.

Patine has a nice rustic atmosphere with natural wood shelves. A bottle of Seefbier brewed by Antwerpse Brouw Co (€4.20) made a good local choice. The bar's menu has daily special offers including draught Stella Artois for €1.85 on Mondays and house wine for €2.95 on Wednesdays.

In February, Chatleroi, the black cat themed bar, opens at 4pm on weekdays and we had no problem finding a table soon afterwards! From March 2025, weekday opening is 3pm.

There's a mix of high and low marble topped tables, with basic stools to sit on. The illuminated Vedett sign behind the bar reads 'Rock and Roll never dies'. Appropriately, there's plenty of interesting rock and blues music being played including Dire Straits - Wild West End and Tom Waits - Downtown Train. Draught beers include the estimable Tripel d'Anvers brewed by De Koninck in Antwerp served in a stemmed glass that features buildings in the city.

Chouffe in the cafe at Middelheim Museum

We returned to Het Zuid the next afternoon after a visit to the open air sculpture park at Middelheim Museum where the cafe is also recommended. On this occasion there was a table free at Cafe Hopper, previously visited in 2024, after a visit to KMSKA, and recommended for its coffee, beer and music selection.

Other revisited bars

De Ware Jacob                                   De Vagant

A few favourite Antwerp bars were revisited on this trip including De Ware Jacob (for draught Avec Les Bons Voeux) and De Vagant (for draught Cherry Chouffe) which were as enjoyable as ever. It is always reassuring to find places like this where the owner has a familiar face and runs an establishment to be proud of in an effortless way.

Only visited previously in 2019, it was nice to revisit Beerlovers Bar (for draught Brouwerij St Bernardus Tripel and a bottle of Huisbrouwerij Wapper Saison Wapper) and find that it was better than remembered. Both service and prices were good. Perhaps the secret is to visit on a quiet Monday! 

This visit coincided with a meal at nearby Little Tibet Cafe (Tibetan art cafe, Rotterdamstraat 88) which is simply furnished and serves dishes from a limited menu. The substantial noodle based dishes are recommended and good value. A few beers are available.

Friends have enjoyed beer and food at Bier Central and a first visit was made as it was close to the aparthotel. It proved to be a pleasant place to sit down and take a leisurely look at the 'Beer Encylopaedia' menu, where beer prices are higher than average. On this occasion there was no need to order anything but perhaps another time?

Tim has made many visits to Antwerp and these have been documented by posts in Beer Europe over the years. The web version of Beer Europe includes a search field. 

Some recent Antwerp posts include:

Antwerp First visits June 2024 - beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/07/AntwerpFV2024.html 

Antwerp Revisits June 2024 - beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/07/antwerp-2024-revisits.html 

Antwerp Spring 2024 - beereurope.blogspot.com/2024/03/antwerp-spring-2024.html

Dinant 2025

 

Finding an old postcard of Dinant - La Roche a Bayard in my late uncle's collection was an inspiration to see the road through the vertical rocks beside the river Meuse, south of the town. Dinant is 27 km south of Namur and 87 km south of Brussels. 

Staying in Namur made a visit there simple as there are usually two direct trains an hour from there to Dinant. We decided on a Saturday for the visit as two interesting bars there don't open until late afternoon on weekdays. However, the downside was finding the small town rather busy with fellow tourists on Saturday 1 February 2025.

From seats on the right hand side of train, on a very misty morning, there were mainly views across the river Meuse during the half hour journey. The train passes several barrages, with lock systems for the large barges that use the river. Shortly before arriving in Dinant, the train crosses a bridge to the west bank of the river and passes the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, above the other bank. The Abbey's image is featured on bottles of Leffe beer.

After leaving the train, one can cross the river by the Charles de Gaulle bridge to reach the town with it's citadel above. that can be accessed by climbing 408 steps or taking the telepherique / cable car. The bridge is adorned with saxophones variously painted to represent different countries and a tribute to Adolphe Sax, born in the town and inventor of the saxophone in the 1840s.

La Capsule

Visible from the bridge with it's orange facade and situated under the Citadel on the east bank of the river Meuse, we were early customers at La Capsule and picked a table near the window with views across the river.

It was cold outside and unsurprisingly no customers were yet sat at the tables on either side of the cobbled road between the bar and the river. We only drank coffee on our first visit in the morning but returning at 2.30pm and able to sit at the same table we found that the sunshine had attracted customers to the outside seats.

There was a poster in the town for Dinant Biere Blonde (Brasserie des Legendes) but La Capsule had Biere Le Dinantais (Brasserie Minne) a 5.3% ABV Blonde brewed for the bar and featuring the orange frontage on its label and matching glass.

Although it was bright from sunshine at the front of the bar it was only dimly lit at the back. A guest beer from the tap enjoyed here was Bretty Boop by Brasserie des Legendes.

The regular tap beers are mentioned on a page in the bound menu and the guest beers are written on a white board near the entrance which also features a variety of brewery signs. 

The 'Tout sur le Houblon IPA' section of the menu includes beers from Brussels breweries: Brussels Beer Project (Delta) and Brasserie de l'Ermitage (Lanterne, Soleil and Theorem de l'Empereur - a beer featured in the Unusual Suspects section of Breandan Kearney's book Hidden Beers of Belgium).

Pub St Roch

Our first beers in Dinant were enjoyed at Pub St Roch after visiting the vertical rockfaces at Rocher Bayard. The historic building overlooks a small cobbled square where Rue Pont en Isle meets Rue Courte Saint-Roch.

Inside, it is simply furnished and traditional touches include candlelight at the bar and an old clock. A curving wooden staircase leads to additional seating on the first floor. We chose the table closest to the log fire.

The laminated drinks menu cards include (Wallonian) regional sections for beers with none from Flanders or large breweries.

Our beer choices here included Bertinchamps Framboise (€4, 33cl, Namur region) and draught Brasserie Caulier Bon Secours 4 Houblons (€4.50, 33cl, Hainaut region). A portion of cheese, served with celery salt, also seemed appropriate at lunchtime.

It's well worth walking south of the bridge to find this historic pub with excellent service and facilities.

A walk further south will reward you with river views and and Rocher Bayard where the southbound road skirts around by the river and the northbound goes through.

For details of bars visited in Namur - please see the Namur 2025 blog post.