Ghent, Belgium

Ghent is the city that Bruges tourists should be visiting instead. Both are medieval Flemish canal cities with extraordinary preserved architecture; Ghent is three times larger, has a major university that keeps it alive year-round, and receives one-fifth the tourist volume. The specific case: Ghent medieval center (the Gravensteen castle, the Graslei waterfront, the Saint Bavo Cathedral containing the Van Eyck Ghent Altarpiece — one of the most important paintings in European history) is the equal of Bruges in historical significance. The difference is the atmosphere: where Bruges is a living museum that runs on tourism, Ghent is a real city where residents outnumber tourists. The food and beer culture (Ghent is one of the most vegetarian-friendly cities in Europe, with a Monday meat-free day observed by restaurants since 2009) and the university nightlife add dimensions that Bruges lacks. Day trip distance from Brussels (35 minutes by train) but better experienced as an overnight.