The 5 best offbeat tours in Ghent

Viadagio runs ecological boat tours that don’t harm the environment or annoy local residents. They use beautiful wooden punts that are hand-crafted in Bangladesh to take you on a silent tour of the city’s waterways. Boat tours have to be booked for groups of at least six people. The ideal departure time is around dusk on a warm summer evening.

One of the world’s great cycling cities, Ghent is the perfect place to get around by bike. The city has developed a network of dedicated cycle routes, along with bridges and tunnels to separate bikes from cars. You can rent a sturdy city bike for a day or longer at several locations in the city, including the underground bike park below the Stadshal in the city centre.

You can spend a summer day exploring the waterways of Ghent on your own little motor boat. The boat can be picked up at a small harbour office near the Kouter for a little trip of a couple of hours, or a full day messing around on the River Leie. The helpful staff tell you everything you need to know about navigating the local waterways.

Ghent local Christophe De Smet organises mountain bike tours that take you to unexpected corners of the city. Beginning on the main square, he heads to hidden places on the urban edge, including industrial areas with eclectic street art.

Nick Vandecasteele ran a local bar called Charlie before he decided in 2013 to launch guided tours of his home town. He now heads an enthusiastic team who take small groups on walking tours lasting a couple of hours. His Chocolate Tour takes you to some of the city’s best chocolate shops, where you meet the makers and get to taste their chocolates.