ZEEBRUGGE, BELGIUM

We will leave our ship for a drive of approximately 60 minutes, on a highway through typical Flemish countryside, to Ghent. Today it is the third largest city in Belgium, but once the biggest town in Western Europe due to the growth of the cloth trade.

Ghent is one of the most beautiful historic cities in Europe, with a pleasant old centre scattered with monuments and sumptuous buildings, bestowed by the previous counts of Flanders – reminding us of the city’s glorious past. Among these monuments there are some 16 museums, five abbeys, six castles and ten churches. Upon our arrival we will commence a walking tour of the centre of Ghent. Our walk will take us on to St Michael’s Bridge, from where there is an impressive view of the whole medieval city centre, including the old port with its gabled guild houses, the Castle of the Counts and the ‘Row of the Three Towers’. The towers are: St Nicholas Church, interestingly used as a stable during the French Revolution; Belfry, with a carillon of 44 bells and an enormous copper dragon on its spire; and St Bavo’s Cathedral, home of the famous Van Eyck brothers’ painting, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. We shall walk past the Belfry Tower and then pay a visit to the Cathedral, where Emperor Charles V was baptised.

There is approximately an hour and three quarters of walking involved in this tour. Cobblestones and a few steps will be encountered. This tour is not recommended for passengers with limited mobility or wheelchair users. Entry to the Cathedral may be denied due to religious services, which may not have been advised in advance. Time permitting, there should be an opportunity for free time and some shopping. A bottle of mineral water will be supplied.

TOUR DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 SCANDINAVIA & BALTIC SEASON