Embark for a fascinating boat trip on the Dyle, Mechelen's lifeblood! You will learn all about the sights you pass on the riverbanks and you will be fed interesting snippets of information and anecdotes about Mechelen's history as you go.

As evening falls, the daylight in Ghent does not simply make way for the streetlights. There is light art to enjoy as well. Streets, squares and buildings are covered in an artistic light display. It is almost as though the city were getting dressed up for the theatre. The effect is awe-inspiring. Discover Ghent Alight and immerse yourself in this de-light-ful evening experience! The Ghent Light Plan was first designed in 1998. The idea was to provide sustainable lighting for the city without wasting energy. But at the same time, it has transformed the centre of Ghent into a magical nocturnal landscape of light and shadow. Architectural accents, streets, monuments and squares are lit up to display them at their best. Ghent is a leading light in combining environmentally conscious lighting with beauty. Let the play of atmospheric lights spark your imagination. Rediscover the city by night in a whole different way. The city has received many prizes and international acclaim for its pioneering role in integrated city lighting and illumination. Would you like a sparkling tour of Ghent’s most beautiful illuminated buildings and squares? Follow the light walk and discover it for yourself! Start at the Kouter for a walk of approximately three miles. The walk takes you past all the highlights of the Ghent illuminations. You will need about two hours to complete the entire walk. It’s best not to start too late, because at the stroke of midnight, the atmospheric lighting is replaced by ordinary streetlights. Plan your walk with one of the guides. Or explore for yourself!

The Mystic Lamb, or ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ by the Van Eyck brothers, completed in 1432, is recognised worldwide as a great work of art, and one of the most influential paintings ever made. It is an absolute must-see on your weekend break to Ghent. A total of 18 panels form a magical evocation of scenes from the Bible, as well as a portrait of the church warden, Joos Vijd, who commissioned the altarpiece, and his wife Elisabeth Borluut. The monumental Mystic Lamb was painted on oak panels covered in thin layers of a mixture of chalk and animal glue. The figures were applied in several layers of oil paint. The combination of the painstaking work and transparent paint creates an extra dimension. Discover it for yourself as you stand in front of this masterpiece. You will see that an inner glow seems to radiate from the painting: the light of the divine. Hubert van Eyck painted part of the Ghent Altarpiece that includes the Mystic Lamb, but was never able to finish it. His younger brother Jan, an absolute master of the art of painting, is said to have finished this masterpiece a few years after Hubert’s death.

A peaceful interlude can be found here from the cacophony of town with neat paths bordered by tropical vegetation. You can spot slumbering bats in mahogany and eucalyptus trees, bird life and monitor lizards on the lawns. There is also a playground for the kids and a golden Buddha statue.