Not to miss

Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK)

The motivation for many people's visit to Ghent is its Museum of Contemporary Art, a.k.a. SMAK. It holds a highly regarded permanent collection of local works (including Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko) and works of international celebrities (like Christo, Warhol and Hockney), though of late it's been packing these away to devote its space to single major exhibits (such as Paul McCarthy's blood-spattered installations), so it's worth checking the programme.

Look out for works by Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Panamarenko - three of Belgium's best-known contemporary artists - as well as artworks by international celebrities like Christo, Warhol and Hockney.

Huis van Alijn

The Alijn House occupies a set of beautifully restored almshouses in the heart of the city. Life as it was at the start of the 20th century is the museum's theme, with rooms devoted to crafts, leisure time and religion. It's all very quaint and well worth a wander.

Gravensteen

The counts of Flanders wielded their power from Ghent's 12th-century castle in the centre of town. Rising up out of the water, its square-cut towers and ramparts are the stuff of storybooks. To get a feel for its slings-and-arrows history, rent the evocative multimedia guide (around 3).