Experience in Gent, Belgium by Fien

What is it like to live in Gent? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Gent is a lovely city, with wonderful architecture, a lively old town and an amazing nightlife. It is full of culture and in the summer it is home to one of the longest festivals in the world: De Gentse Feesten, a ten-day festival in the centre of the city with street art, street animation and music in and around the streets and squares of Gent. There is something for everyone. It is great to live here if you like to live in a lively city.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Gent?

There are a lot of students in Gent and because it is not a very large city, everyone and everything is close. There is one street full of bars and clubs which is the main going out area in Gent. There are also a lot of clubs spread across the city if you don't want to hang around students all the time, with the Charlatan being one of the most famous. Gent has an epic nightlife. Students are very welcome in the city and there are a lot of student organisations.

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How much does it cost to live in Gent?

If you rent a "kot" (a room in a house with other students), you'll have to pay any amount between € 200 and € 400. A studio or a flat are generally a bit more expensive, with prices ranging from € 450 for a studio to € 800 for a two-bedroom flat.

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Is it difficult to find accommodation in Gent? Is there any advice you can give?

It is generally very easy to find a "kot" in Gent, but if you want to rent a flat, it's a different story. There aren't a lot of flats or even houses available for students, because you need to have a resident's permit to rent a flat. Not much landlords allow students in their flats either. Most students live in a "kot". They are very easy to find on websites like kotatgent.be or even sites from the school itself.

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What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

In Gent you can find a whole variety of food. Almost every cuisine from around the world is represented. Because it is a city in Belgium, there are of course a lot of fries, which is a great plus for students after a night out. Other dishes from Gent are "stoverij" (a meat stew with beer sauce) or "Gentse waterzooi" (a chicken stew with white sauce and a lot of vegetables). If you go to "de Gouden Saté" (a famous fries shop near the going out area) ask for a "Julientje", which is a large helping of fries with mayonnaise, stew sauce, spicy herbs, fried onions and a viandel (a fried and battered sausage), so good! Students swear by it.

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What places would you recommend visiting in Gent?

Definitely the old town and Patershol. There are a lot of narrow streets which you can roam around for hours. Also the Graslei, a place by the water where all students go whenever the sun decides to come out. And my favourite place in Gent is the Abdijtuin (the monastery gardens), where you can escape the busy citylife and you even forget that you still are in the city.

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Is it good to eat out in Gent? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There are a lot of good places to eat out. If you want to pay a little bit more "het Pakhuis" is always a good option or "De Oude Vismijn". Other good places are Amadeus (all-you-can-eat ribs for only € 15), Ankara (very good and cheap Turkish cuisine), Potatolicious (take-away and eat-in potato restaurant), Kastart (pasta restaurant known for its famous Kastartsauce), Jilles (epic burgers and beer).

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Is the nightlife good in Gent? Where is good to go?

The nightlife in Gent is the best. Definitely check out de "Overpoortstraat", a street full of bars and clubs where all the students go out. If you don't want to be around students all the time, go to the famous club Charlatan or check out the Sioux or Club 69.

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What advice would you give future students heading to Gent?

Just do it. Gent is amazing and once you arrive you'll never want to leave.