Free Evening Tour: The Dark Side of Ghent | History & mystery tour | By local legends

Duration: 2h
Languages: English, Spanish
Quality Verified Registered on March 24, 2020

Legends Free Walking Tours offer free tours, private tours and other activities, operating in Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. From its foundation in 2015, the Legends team has guided tens of thousands of tourists through both cities thanks to the work of its more than 20 experienced local tour guides, who strive every day to provide a quality service to maximize the customer satisfaction. For this reason Legends Free Walking Tours is the best rated tour company on TripAdvisor, with more than 5000 very positive reviews.

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  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

Get to know the more hidden and enigmatic face of the old town of Ghent with this free tour of mysteries, legends and curiosities through the beautiful birthplace of Charles V.

Ghent is a beautiful city where echoes of the past still remain. Its medieval skyline can be best observed from the Saint Michael's bridge, where we will start the tour. After a brief introduction to the origins of the city, we'll head to the Graslei wharf, the old harbour of medieval Ghent.

Following the banks that mark the channels of the River Lys, we will arrive at the Appelbrugparkje to learn how those sentenced to death spent their last hours. Very close we will see the Hoofdbrug, also called “decapitation bridge”. From this place we will enjoy excellent views of the Gravensteen , the castle of the counts of Ghent.

Our next stop on this free tour takes us to the remains of the old Royal Palace where Charles V was born. After the rebellious people of Ghent came into conflict with him, he punished the city so severely that the city was never the same. The most powerful man in Europe in the 16th century will be the protagonist of several legends and curiosities that we will reveal to you during the tour.

The next stop is the old Augustine monastery, where we will tell you the bloody history of religious repression in Ghent, when the King of Spain, Felipe II, and his right hand, the Duke of Alba, fought against the rise of Protestantism in the provinces of the Netherlands.

Finally, we will conclude the tour in Patershol, one of the most beautiful medieval neighborhoods in Ghent, with some final tales of history and folklore...

 We will see you soon!

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  • Meeting point:
    Sint-Michielsplein 21, 9000 Gent, Bel...
    Sint-Michielsplein 21, 9000 Gent, Belgium
    View on map

    At the entrance of the Uppelink Hostel. red umbrella

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

360 ratings
4.9
By category
Professionalism
4.91
Fun
4.84
Expression
4.85
Quality
4.85
Route
4.78
Generic
5 stars
322
4 stars
32
3 stars
2
2 stars
1
1 star
3
Dawn 29 Mar 2023
Newcastle upon Tyne

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Travelled alone - Mar 2023
Fabian fue fantastico!
Esther 25 Mar 2023

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Travelled in group - Mar 2023
Fabián muy ameno y contando historias muy interesantes. Se ve que le gusta su trabajo.
Laura 24 Mar 2023
Aalborg

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Travelled in couple - Mar 2023
The tour is nic, but BE AWARE THAT IT IS NOT A NORMAL SIGHTSEEING! Read the caption, it is about legends and creepy stories about Gent. So, if you are looking for some dark stories, go for it, but do not expect to know much about the city and the history ☺️
Emir... 23 Mar 2023
San Miguel de Tucumán

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Mar 2023
Paulina muy buena guía! Se nota que está preparada y con recomendaciones de bares/restaurantes.
Karen 19 Mar 2023
Lake Country

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Travelled in couple - Mar 2023
Aaron.g9od addition to the morning tours offered. Interesting Ghent folklore and legends, with some history added
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 4 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Only cash payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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