Three towers, a dragon and a castle: Ghent as a riddle trail
The Ghent scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark through the medieval centre, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Distances in Ghent are short: only around 30 minutes of walking over 2.5 km in total, which leaves most of the roughly 3 hours for riddles, stories and gazing up at towers, whenever you choose to begin.
Highlights include the view of the three towers from Saint Michael's Bridge, Saint Bavo's Cathedral, home of the Ghent Altarpiece, the 91-metre Belfry with its gilded dragon, the Korenmarkt, the Vrijdagmarkt and the Gravensteen castle. The old centre is compact and threaded by the Leie, so the walks between the stops are short and every corner has something to look at.
- Durationabout 3 hours
- Walkingabout 30 min · 2.5 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles along the Leie, under the towers and at the castle gate
A dragon on the spire, an arm pointing to England
Every stop sets a riddle you solve on the spot: the gilded dragon guarding the top of the Belfry, the two faces of the City Hall, Late Gothic on one street and Renaissance on the other, Jacob van Artevelde's arm stretched towards England on the Vrijdagmarkt. Keep your eyes open and your logic switched on, and the answers follow.
Van Eyck, an emperor and a beer-tax revolt
Each answer opens a Ghent story: the Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck in Saint Bavo's, the baptism there of the future Emperor Charles V, born in the city in 1500, the 134-metre spire that Saint Michael's never received, and the students who occupied the Gravensteen in 1949 over a new tax on beer. The audio narration can tell them while you lean on the bridge parapet.
2.5 km, mostly spent looking up
On foot you cover only around 30 minutes over 2.5 km, from the Leie across Saint Michael's Bridge, past the three towers to the City Hall, then north to Saint James' Church, the Vrijdagmarkt and the castle. Google Maps steers you through the lanes, while the trams and bikes deserve a watchful eye.
Cuberdons, a boat and a bench by the water
With no countdown, you can taste the purple cone-shaped sweets the locals call cuberdons, take a boat trip from the Graslei or sit by the water with the app's food tips, then carry on later or the next day.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Train day-trippers, young knights and student crews in Ghent
A day out from Brussels or Bruges
Ghent is a short train ride from both, and its centre packs a cathedral, a belfry and a castle into a small area. About 3 hours of riddles still leave time for lunch by the Leie and an evening train back.
Young knights at the castle of the counts
Children love the gilded dragon on the Belfry, the stone castle with its battlements at the finish and the story of the students who took it over in protest at a beer tax. With an adult in every team and only short walks between stops, small legs keep up easily.
Student groups and colleagues
Ghent is a lively university city, and teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, make a good start to a team day or a reunion. The route runs entirely through public streets and squares, so one ticket per player is all you need.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
The route: from Saint Michael's Church past the three towers and the Vrijdagmarkt to the Gravensteen
10 stops · about 30 min walking · start: Saint Michael's Church (Sint-Michielskerk) · finish: Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts)
The hunt starts at Saint Michael's Church on the Leie and crosses Saint Michael's Bridge to Saint Nicholas' Church. From there it passes the Belfry and Saint Bavo's Cathedral to the City Hall, returns to the Korenmarkt, continues north to Saint James' Church and the Vrijdagmarkt and finishes at the Gravensteen, the castle of the Counts of Flanders. None of the answers lies behind a ticket barrier, not even at the castle or the cathedral, and should you arrive at the Korenmarkt rather than at Saint Michael's, the app lets you open the game there and rearranges everything that follows.
Open the route map ↗
1Saint Michael's Church (Sint-Michielskerk)Start
This late Gothic church on the bank of the Leie was probably begun in 1440, but its tower was never finished: a 134-metre spire designed in 1662 was never built, and a flat roof has covered the tower since 1828. Inside hangs Anthony van Dyck's painting of Christ dying on the cross.
Read the full story →
2Saint Michael's Bridge (Sint-Michielsbrug)
The Ghent architect Louis Cloquet designed this stone bridge over the Leie, built in the years before the 1913 World's Fair. From its centre you see the towers of Saint Nicholas' Church, the Belfry and Saint Bavo's Cathedral lined up above the Graslei and Korenlei quays.
Read the full story →
3Saint Nicholas' Church (Sint-Niklaaskerk)
Begun in the early 13th century, Saint Nicholas' Church is a leading example of Scheldt Gothic, built of blue-grey stone from the Tournai area. Its central tower served as a lookout and carried the town bells until the Belfry was built, and the guilds of the nearby market added chapels along its sides.
Read the full story →
4Belfry of Ghent (Belfort)
Begun in 1313 and completed in 1380, the Belfry rises 91 metres and is the tallest belfry in Belgium. A gilded dragon was first placed on its top in 1377 and still guards the spire, and the tower is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Belfries of Belgium and France.
Read the full story →
5Saint Bavo's Cathedral
Work on the Gothic church of Saint Bavo began around 1274, and its tower rises 89 metres. It holds the Ghent Altarpiece, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, completed in 1432, and the future Emperor Charles V, born in Ghent in 1500, was baptised here.
6Ghent City Hall (Stadhuis)
Ghent City Hall shows two faces: a richly carved late Gothic wing on the Hoogpoort, begun in 1519 and never finished, and a more sober Renaissance facade on the Botermarkt, built from the late 16th century. In 1576 the Pacification of Ghent, an alliance of the provinces of the Low Countries against the Spanish troops, was signed here.
7Korenmarkt
The Korenmarkt takes its name from the grain trade: from around the 10th or 11th century, grain shipped in on the Leie was sold here. Today the square links Saint Nicholas' Church with Saint Michael's Bridge, and its west side is dominated by the former main post office, built between 1898 and 1910 by Louis Cloquet and Stéphane Mortier.
Read the full story →
8Saint James' Church (Sint-Jacobskerk)
A first church was built on this spot in 1093, and the two Romanesque towers of Saint James' Church date from the 12th century. The building was extended and rebuilt many times, so Romanesque and later parts stand side by side, and the square around it, Bij Sint-Jacobs, is known for its flea market.
Read the full story →
9Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market)
For centuries the Vrijdagmarkt was the stage for Ghent's markets, festive royal entries and public executions. In the middle stands Jacob van Artevelde, the 14th-century leader who kept Ghent's trade with England going during the Hundred Years' War, and since 1863 his statue has pointed towards England.
Read the full story →
10Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts)Finish
Count Philip of Alsace built the Gravensteen in 1180 on the site of an earlier fortification. After the counts moved out it served as a mint, a court and a prison, later even as a cotton mill, until the city restored it from 1893, and in 1949 students occupied it in protest against a new beer tax.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Great tour.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Super activity for the family!
United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Excellent
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Schöne Alternative zum Stadt Erkunden
Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
de speurtocht op zich was tof. enkel bij de sint baafskathedraal het standbeeld niet gevonden. ik heb voor 4 betaald en eigenlijk was de app voor 2 personen
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Activité sympa pour connaître Gand, les énigmes sont assez simple. On marche pas mal ça nous permet de faire le tour de la ville sans rien rater.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Some of the questions were really too easy… it would be great to have several questions to answer at the same spot or about the same building/statue…
Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
c’était vraiment chouette
Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Gut
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tolle Tour – genau die richtige Länge. Rätsel waren abwechslungsreich.
Andrea– Hungary –
Collected on GetYourGuide
fun. helpful and interesting information in the stories, amusing puzzles.
Monica– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Heel leuk veel gelschen
Annika– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Geschichten waren sehr nett erzählt
Jeroen– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Leuke, speelse manier om zo via de app de stad en geschiedenis te leren kennen.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Man kommt mit netten Geschichten und ein paar Infos durch das gesamte Zentrum Gents und hat Spaß durch sehr abwechslungsreiche Rätsel beim erkunden der Stadt. Jederzeit die Möglichkeit, zu pausieren und wieder loszulegen.
Chris – Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Een hele leuke wandel- en speurtocht. We hebben er wel lang overgedaan. Leeftijd hé!
Dirk – Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Frage zu den Flaggen war einfacher als gedacht.
Christine– Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Application facile à utiliser, pas de longs déplacements entre 2 bâtiments, permet de faire le tour des bâtiments de façon ludique, attention si vous voulez visiter les églises, cathédrale, beffroi : fermé à 17h30 en semaine, au mois de mai. Déception à la cathédrale : pour l’agneau mystique et pour faire le tour du choeur, payant….et apparemment il faut réserver à l’avance…Belle vue en haut du beffroi. Château des Comtes de Flandres. L’audio guide en français est super : pas ennuyeux, pas trop long, une pointe d’humour dans les anecdotes. Très chouette. Gand vaut la peine d’être visitée. Bon accueil
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Leuke activiteit. Prima manier om de stad te verkennen. Opdrachten waren soms vergezocht en onduidelijk.
Luqman– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Our guide was very fun and knowledgeable, I had a great time !
Le – France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Très sympa à faire en famille . On a pu voir les lieux emblématiques de Gand de manière ludique. On apprend beaucoup de choses sur la ville et son histoire. Nous avons couplé cette visite avec la balade sur les canaux. Au top !
Marina– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Super activité : on passe par tous les points essentiels et les anecdotes sont chouettes. Vraiment très sympa à faire.
Christine– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Activité ludique pour découvrir à son rythme et tout en s’amusant les lieux emblématiques de la ville .
Karina– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
informatief met een puzzeltje. heel leuk om te doen. op je eigen tempo en tijd. past perfect bij ons.
Lianne– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Middels de puzzel stadswandelroute ontdek je op een leuke manier Gent.