Hotels near Graslei and Korenlei

Graslei (Grass Quay) and Korenlei (Corn Quay) are the two medieval quays that face each other across a short bend of the Leie river, and together they form the most-photographed 200 metres in Belgium. Ghent grew rich from grain trade in the 11th and 12th centuries and used these two banks as its main port. The result is a solid wall of guildhouses on the Graslei side - the Free Boatmen's House (1531), the Grain Weighers' House (1698), the Coopers' Guild (1531), the Corn Measurers (1698) - and slightly humbler brick warehouses across on Korenlei.

Both quays are pedestrianised. Locals treat the stone steps of Graslei as the city's outdoor living room in summer - bring a takeaway from Julie's House on Kraanlei or a beer from the Waterhuis aan de Bierkant and sit for an hour watching canal boats slide underneath St Michael's Bridge. The 40-minute canal boat tours depart from the Graslei jetty every 20 minutes in season (EUR 10) and give the best water-level view of the guildhouses.

Pro Tip: Cross to the Korenlei side for the classic postcard photo of Graslei's guildhouses - the angle is only right from the opposite bank. Cafe De Foyer at Sint-Baafsplein has a rooftop terrace overlooking both quays that most visitors never find.