Belgium Christmas Market
Discussion
http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Belgium/ghent-chri...
Ghent's an easy drive from Calais-Coquelle, just autoroute and a Friday night out to Sunday night return will be more than enough.
Christmas markets on the continent are much of a muchness, just some are larger than others, but that alone doesn't necessarily make the "atmosphere" better. Ghent has some lovely old buildings too.
Get yourself there, have a good hotel... some glasses of Gluhwein and all will be well in the world.
Ghent's an easy drive from Calais-Coquelle, just autoroute and a Friday night out to Sunday night return will be more than enough.
Christmas markets on the continent are much of a muchness, just some are larger than others, but that alone doesn't necessarily make the "atmosphere" better. Ghent has some lovely old buildings too.
Get yourself there, have a good hotel... some glasses of Gluhwein and all will be well in the world.
Thanks - that's exactly as I was hoping, chose Ghent because it was reasonably close and chose Christmas Market idea as it get buy in from SWMBO for me to stretch the legs of one of the cars 
Quick and dirty check last night pops up the Ghent River Hotel in the city centre with a car park - any other recommendations? A must is a car park.
Quick and dirty check last night pops up the Ghent River Hotel in the city centre with a car park - any other recommendations? A must is a car park.
I've not stayed in Ghent hotels but a quick search on booking.com found 28 hotels in Ghent with vacancies for the w/e of 7-9Dec, for example, which have parking.
Now it depends on your budget as to which you choose - a charming B&B, a stylish duplex apartment or a typical chain hotel?
Now it depends on your budget as to which you choose - a charming B&B, a stylish duplex apartment or a typical chain hotel?
Gent is less "touristy" than Bruges, but has (IMO) even more attractions.
I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
sunbeam alpine said:
Gent is less "touristy" than Bruges, but has (IMO) even more attractions.
I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
Top offer - now which car should I bring? I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
Mark. said:
sunbeam alpine said:
Gent is less "touristy" than Bruges, but has (IMO) even more attractions.
I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
Top offer - now which car should I bring? I wouldn't worry about parking - I'm more comfortable leaving cars parked on the street/in car parks here than in the UK (I live about 15 minutes from the centre of Gent).
If you're really worried you can leave your car here and we'll lend you something that won't get stolen or vandalised (or at least if it gets vandalised it won't show!). You'll have to leave your keys though.....
If you fancy a trip round the flemish countryside, let me know - I've done a few trips with visiting PH'ers varying from gentle cruises to fairly enthusiastic hoonage. We do a great WWI Salient Run which takes in the battlefields and some of the bigger war cemetaries, but this is better in the summer as the days are longer.
I hope Ghent has improved since this time last year - the whole city seemed to have roadworks everywhere. We stayed overnight, on the way to Center Parcs near the Nurburgring, at the Novotel, which was very good - had underground parking too. I hope your Flemish is better than mine, as there is very little signage or menus in English (although plenty of English is spoken).
We did Bruge the year before, on the way to Center Parcs in Holland, and that was better and because of the time of year was quite quiet.
We did Bruge the year before, on the way to Center Parcs in Holland, and that was better and because of the time of year was quite quiet.
Mark. said:
Thinking of a weekend away anyone done the trip and can recommend anything?
I'm thinking perhaps Ghent, Friday evening out on the tunnel so not too far and Ghent is about 1.5 hours according to Google. Sunday night back.
This is a fab idea, Mrs H will love it. Through the tunnel Friday after work, hotel in Dunkrik, Chrimbo market, I fancy Brugges and its close, fill up the car and head home on Sunday.I'm thinking perhaps Ghent, Friday evening out on the tunnel so not too far and Ghent is about 1.5 hours according to Google. Sunday night back.
Solved the issue of what to get her for Christmas, we've been together nine years and she doesn't need a tenth pair of slippers....
Huntsman said:
This is a fab idea, Mrs H will love it. Through the tunnel Friday after work, hotel in Dunkrik, Chrimbo market, I fancy Brugges and its close, fill up the car and head home on Sunday.
Solved the issue of what to get her for Christmas, we've been together nine years and she doesn't need a tenth pair of slippers....
Solved the issue of what to get her for Christmas, we've been together nine years and she doesn't need a tenth pair of slippers....
Happy to have helped Ben!Is it a stretch in the car or a brownie points with the misses sort of trip?
Did the Lille Christmas market a few years ago, started with the Champagne Bar in St Pancras for breakfast, Eurostar, lunch in Lille and then back in the evening! It was a long day, but very pleasant, could obviously be broken up by a night in London and/or Lille.
Did the Lille Christmas market a few years ago, started with the Champagne Bar in St Pancras for breakfast, Eurostar, lunch in Lille and then back in the evening! It was a long day, but very pleasant, could obviously be broken up by a night in London and/or Lille.
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