On a trip to Belgium, should I stay in Bruges or Ghent? [closed]

I will have about 4-6 days in Belgium (in August) with my father, who is in his 60s. He is not a big city person. We will be coming in from London, and after Belgium we will be staying a day or two in Mannheim.

I feel that Bruges or Ghent or both would be better choices to avoid the "big city" of Brussels. However, I've seen multiple pieces of advice that indicates they are "day-trip" cities. How can I determine which would be the better one for us to stay in?

Pictures about "On a trip to Belgium, should I stay in Bruges or Ghent? [closed]"

On a trip to Belgium, should I stay in Bruges or Ghent? [closed] - Low angle of asphalt road with parked vehicles near aged residential buildings in historical district of Bruges in sunny morning

On a trip to Belgium, should I stay in Bruges or Ghent? [closed] - Canal flowing near old town square in sunlight

On a trip to Belgium, should I stay in Bruges or Ghent? [closed] - Old stone canal houses in aged city

Is it better to stay in Bruges or Ghent?

Overall, Bruges in more memorable, the tourist zone is bigger with more to do, and the food is better. Ghent has one small area that is breathtaking...but it's small and can be seen in about two to three hours. Beyond that, it's not nearly as picturesque as Bruges. Save Ghent for your second trip to Belgium.

Can you do Ghent and Bruges in one day?

In a perfect world, Bruges and Ghent each deserve their own day for exploring. However, if you are short on time, you can visit Bruges and Ghent in one day. We visited Bruges and Ghent in one day from Brussels. It's a long, busy day, but we loved it.

Is Ghent Belgium worth visiting?

Ghent is a wonderful town and can be done as an easy day trip from either Brugges or Brussels. this way you don't have to change hotels. I recommend visiting the old town including the stadhuis and grot vleeshuis (meat hall) followed by every church you see.

Should I stay in Ghent or Brussels?

I would opt to stay in Ghent and do the side trip to Bruges if you like. Brussels is, in Belgian standards, a big city and sights are relatively spread. If do do visit Brussels, have a clear idea on what you want to do because otherwise you might be just wondering about in neighbourhoods that are just not so pretty.

2 Days in Bruges Guide | Best Chocolate, Beer Tastings, Walks | Itinerary

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Gotta Be Worth It, Gotta Be Worth It, Gotta Be Worth It, Gotta Be Worth It