I had seen photos of the Castle of the Counts in Ghent for years before I finally walked across Sint-Veerleplein and saw it in person. Squat, gray, and bristling with battlements, it looks almost too perfectly medieval, like a film set someone forgot to dismantle.
I went in with high expectations for atmosphere and views, low expectations for comfort, and a lot of curiosity about whether this was really worth the time and ticket cost in a city that already feels like an open-air museum. What I found was a mix of genuinely impressive history, some sharp hosting decisions, a few frustrating practical details, and an experience that will suit some visitors much better than others.
First Impressions: A Fortress Dropped in the Middle of the City
Approaching the Castle of the Counts, what struck me first was how abruptly it rises out of the city. Ghent’s historic center is compact, and the castle sits right in the middle of it, ringed by tram tracks, terraces, and the curve of the Leie River. It took me about ten minutes to walk there from the Graslei, and I could have arrived just as easily by tram to the Gravensteen stop. The effect is strangely cinematic: one moment you are passing boutiques and cafés, the next you are face to face with a thick wall of stone and a functioning drawbridge.
The setting is one of the castle’s big strengths. You do not lose an hour getting out to a suburban hilltop fortress. Everything is woven together: a castle visit, a canal cruise, a drink on a terrace afterward. The downside of this centrality is that the area gets crowded. By late morning, tour groups cluster on the square, trams ding their way past, and there is constant movement. If you arrive expecting the isolated romance of a cliffside stronghold, the noise and density can be jarring.
From the outside, the castle looks archetypal: crenelated walls, towered gatehouse, a suggestion of a moat. Up close, though, you start to notice how heavily it has been restored. The stonework is remarkably uniform for a building first erected in 1180. I had read that much of what you see dates from a 19th and early 20th century restoration, and you feel that as you circle the walls. It is undeniably atmospheric, but I never entirely lost the sense that I was walking into someone’s idealized version of the Middle Ages rather than a purely authentic ruin.
Tickets, Prices, and Crowds: The Practical Reality
On the practical side, the Castle of the Counts operates very much like a modern city attraction. As of early 2026, it is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, with last admission at 4:40 pm and strict closing at 6 pm. Tickets are 15 euros for adults, with reductions for young adults, teens, and Ghent residents, and free entry for children under 12. The audio guide is included in the ticket price, which I appreciated, because it is not an optional add-on here; it is the backbone of the visit.
I booked online in advance and was glad I did. While walk-up tickets were still being sold at the entrance, there was a clear separation of queues, and the line for people who needed to buy on the spot was moving more slowly. Various sources strongly recommend advance booking during weekends, summer, and school holidays, and judging by the number of people arriving in groups, that seems wise. Prices at the door and online are the same, so you are really just buying certainty and shorter waiting time.
Capacity is limited, and that is both a blessing and a curse. Inside, the flow of visitors felt busy but rarely unbearable, especially on the ramparts where people tend to spread out. However, the castle’s narrow staircases quickly become bottlenecks. I found myself pressed against cold stone waiting for a school group to descend, audio guide dangling, the story already jumping ahead while I stood still. If you are sensitive to crowds or confined spaces, this can feel claustrophobic and irritating. In hindsight, I would have tried harder to arrive at opening time or closer to mid to late afternoon, when the big coach groups have usually thinned.
One more reality check: the castle is not set up to solve your luggage or storage problems. There is technically a space where some bags can be left in the stables area, but there is no supervised cloakroom and no proper lockers. Larger backpacks are discouraged, and you will be happier without them anyway on the steep staircases. If you are passing through Ghent on a travel day, it is worth leaving your main luggage at the train station rather than hauling it here.
The Self-Guided Circuit: Audio Guide, Views, and Uneven Exhibits
The visit is almost entirely self-guided, structured around a marked route and an audio guide. There are two main audio options: one a witty, comedic narrative created by a Flemish comedian, the other a more straightforward historical commentary known as the “Big Five” tour. Both are available in multiple languages, and the devices are handed out automatically at the entrance, so you do not have to pay or ask specifically.
I started with the comedic version and felt conflicted about it. On the positive side, it made the castle feel alive. The narrator leans into absurdity, juxtaposing modern observations with historical tidbits, and it kept me engaged in spaces that might otherwise just be bare stone rooms. The approach is original, and I found myself laughing unexpectedly as I passed a display of gruesome-looking weapons. If you usually find traditional museum audio monotonous, this is refreshingly different.
The downside is that the tone sometimes undercuts the weight of the history. This building was a court, a prison, and a site of executions, not just a fairy-tale fortress, and the constant humor occasionally felt glib. The audio jumps from one quirky observation to another, and at times I wanted a clearer chronological structure and more depth on how the castle evolved, declined, and was revived. I ended up switching to the more conventional audio track in a couple of rooms, and I preferred the balance it struck between narrative and factual content. If I went again, I would probably start on the serious track and dip into the comedic one for certain highlights rather than the other way around.
The physical route takes you through the gatehouse, into the central courtyard, and then up into the main keep and along the curtain walls. The view from the battlements is outstanding and, for me, was the single best reason to visit. From the top, Ghent unfolds in every direction: a patchwork of gables, church towers, canals, and chimneys. On a clear day, it is postcard-perfect. Even on a more typical Belgian day, with low cloud and muted light, the city looks layered and rich. I spent longer here than I expected, letting tour groups surge past while I lingered at different angles.
Inside, the exhibition spaces vary in quality. Some rooms are almost empty, depending almost entirely on the audio and a few sparse panels. Others house more traditional displays: a collection of weapons, a small but rather macabre section on torture and punishment, some historical artifacts tied to the castle’s various phases. The torture exhibit is the most controversial part. It is not huge, but it is graphic enough to unsettle younger visitors and anyone not in the mood for detailed descriptions of medieval cruelty. Personally, I found it more sensational than illuminating. It felt like the castle leaning into “dark tourism” more than offering a nuanced explanation of judicial history. If your interest is in architecture and civic history, you may find yourself fast-forwarding through this section.
Atmosphere vs Comfort: Stairs, Accessibility, and Weather
It is important to be honest about how physically demanding the Castle of the Counts can be. This is still a medieval fortress at its core. The staircases are steep, narrow, and sometimes uneven. Handrails exist but are not always reassuring. Floors can be chilly and slightly damp in bad weather, and some routes are effectively single-file. If you have reduced mobility, trouble with heights, or a strong dislike of tight spiral staircases, much of the upper castle will be challenging or impossible to enjoy.
There is recognition of this in the way the site is managed. The lower bailey is more accessible, and there is a virtual tour option for those who cannot manage the full circuit. However, this is still far from a universally accessible attraction. I saw more than one visitor decide halfway up a tower that they had gone far enough and turn back, which then created a small traffic jam on the stairs. If you are traveling with someone who uses a wheelchair or has limited mobility, you should go in with realistic expectations: they will be able to experience some of the atmosphere and the courtyard, but not the views or most of the interior route.
Weather is another factor that can make or break the visit. The castle is open year-round, including during the wet, cold months that define much of a Belgian winter. Large parts of the circuit are exposed: battlements, walkways, and small open courtyards between buildings. On my visit, the sky kept shifting from bright to drizzle, and the stone steps grew slick in minutes. It was still manageable, but I was glad I had proper shoes and a jacket. In heavy rain or strong wind, I suspect the experience would be more about enduring than enjoying.
There are very few comfort facilities inside the castle itself. There is no café within the walls, no soft seating areas, and no climate-controlled exhibition halls where you can linger. Toilets exist but are limited and basic. This is not a place where you can easily spend half a day; it is more of a focused 90-minute to two-hour experience. That is not inherently a problem, but it is worth knowing if you were picturing a leisurely castle outing with rests built in.
Context in Ghent and Flanders: How Special Is This Castle Really?
One of the big questions I had going in was how the Castle of the Counts compares to other castles and historic buildings in Belgium. Ghent itself is full of striking architecture: the Belfry, Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, the Graslei facades. Within a train ride or two you also have the romantic ruins of the castles in the Ardennes, the heavily restored castle of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon across the border, and, closer to Brussels, Gaasbeek Castle, which is its own kind of 19th century romantic fantasy. In that context, is the Castle of the Counts essential or simply one more stone monument in a country full of them?
The answer, for me, is that it earns its place mainly through its urban setting and its continuity of use. This was not just a noble residence, but also a place of justice, imprisonment, and industry. It went from a seat of power to a cotton mill and then back to a symbol of the city. That layered history gives it a distinctive character. Standing on the walls and looking down at the Patershol district and the river, it is easy to imagine how intimidating this must have felt to the medieval population. Few other cities in Flanders have such a complete fortress pressed so tightly into the living fabric of the streets.
That said, if you have already seen a number of European castles, especially those that have preserved lavish interiors, you may find the Castle of the Counts a bit sparse. There are no richly furnished state rooms, no tapestries in situ, no endless enfilades of salons. The interiors are fairly stark, with later restorations visible and much of the storytelling outsourced to the audio guide and signage. If your image of a “castle visit” is Versailles-like grandeur, you will not find it here. What you get instead is fortification, grit, and a sense of power architecture rather than decorative luxury.
In the context of Ghent specifically, I would say that the castle is one of the city’s headline sights but not the only one worth prioritizing. If you are visiting on a very tight schedule, you might get a stronger sense of Ghent from simply wandering the old town, climbing the Belfry, and visiting Saint Bavo’s Cathedral to see the Ghent Altarpiece. Those experiences together arguably tell the city’s story more fully. The castle is an impressive extra layer if you have the time and interest.
Seasonal Events, Special Touches, and Missed Opportunities
The castle occasionally transforms for special events. In the winter holiday period it becomes the “Winter Wonder Castle,” with decorative lighting, seasonal music, and added atmosphere layered onto the stone backdrop. This can be delightful if you enjoy a theatrical approach to heritage and do not mind crowds. It also means the experience is a little less historically focused and more about ambience and mood. Personally, I like that the city is willing to use the space playfully, but if your priority is a calm, serious exploration of medieval history, the standard months outside of December may be a better choice.
On the more positive side, I appreciated how inclusive the audio offerings try to be. There is a visio guide for deaf and hearing-impaired visitors using sign language, and multiple audio languages are available for international visitors. That is not yet universal at historic sites, and it speaks to a thoughtful approach behind the scenes. Staff at the entrance were efficient, if not overly warm, and were quick to explain options for people who looked uncertain.
Where I felt the experience fell short was in the depth of interpretation. For a structure with so many lives, the interpretive material on site sometimes felt shallow. There are panels, but they are limited, and the audio tries to do too many things at once: entertain, inform, and move people along. I would have loved one or two more rooms devoted to the castle’s role in Ghent’s political history, its industrial period, and the debates surrounding its restoration. These stories are barely sketched, and that leaves the visit feeling a bit unbalanced toward either spectacle or quirky commentary, depending on the track you choose.
Another missed opportunity is the lack of an integrated pause point inside the monument. A small café or reading corner with views over the courtyard could have allowed visitors to sit with what they had just seen, perhaps leaf through more detailed historical material. I understand the desire to keep the integrity of the medieval fabric, but the result is an experience that feels very linear: in through the gate, follow the arrows, exit through the gift shop. It is efficient, but it could be more reflective.
The Takeaway: Who Should Prioritize the Castle of the Counts?
So is the Castle of the Counts worth visiting? For me, the answer is a qualified yes. I was genuinely impressed by the way the fortress dominates the heart of Ghent, and the views from the ramparts alone justified much of the ticket price. The audio guide, while not perfect, is creative and often engaging, and the overall circuit gives a clear, visceral sense of how intimidating medieval power could look when carved in stone. I do not regret going, and I would bring certain friends and family members here without hesitation.
At the same time, I left with a few frustrations. I wanted deeper historical interpretation, fewer bottlenecks on the stairs, and a slightly less glib treatment of topics like torture and punishment. The lack of meaningful storage, limited comfort facilities, and challenging accessibility all make this a site that some travelers will find more stressful than enjoyable. If you have mobility issues, a fear of heights, or a very low tolerance for crowds, you may want to reconsider or at least lower your expectations.
If you are staying in Ghent for more than a day, enjoy medieval architecture, and are reasonably mobile, the castle is a strong addition to your itinerary. I would recommend visiting either right at opening or later in the afternoon, booking tickets in advance, wearing solid shoes, and choosing your audio track with your preferences in mind. If your time is extremely short, or if you are traveling with very young children or someone who cannot manage steep stairs, you might instead focus on Ghent’s more accessible highlights and appreciate the castle from the outside and from the river.
For me personally, if I were to repeat the experience, I would time my arrival better to avoid school groups, start on the more factual audio tour, and give myself a little more space afterward to wander the surrounding streets and reflect. The castle did not quite live up to my imagined medieval fantasy, but it did give me a vivid, grounded sense of Ghent’s turbulent civic past, and that, in the end, is what makes it still worth it under the right conditions.
FAQ
Q1. How much time do I really need to visit the Castle of the Counts?
Most visitors are comfortable with 1.5 to 2 hours. That gives enough time to follow the full audio guide, climb the towers, and linger on the ramparts without rushing, though you can technically power through in under an hour if you skip parts of the commentary.
Q2. Is the Castle of the Counts suitable for people with mobility issues?
Only partially. The courtyard and some lower areas are accessible, and there is a virtual tour option, but the main route involves many steep, narrow stairs and uneven surfaces. Anyone with serious mobility limitations will not be able to experience the full circuit or the best viewpoints.
Q3. Do I need to book tickets in advance?
Booking ahead is strongly recommended, especially on weekends, holidays, and during summer. Online tickets cost the same as buying at the door but help you avoid longer queues and reduce the risk of being turned away if the castle reaches capacity.
Q4. Which audio guide option should I choose?
If you like humor and a lighter approach, the comedic track is entertaining and keeps things lively. If you prefer a more structured, factual narrative, the standard historical tour is the better choice. You can switch between them, but it is easier if you know your preference from the start.
Q5. Is the castle a good visit for young children?
It depends on the child. Many kids enjoy the towers, walls, and general “knight and castle” atmosphere, but the torture displays and some darker historical content can be unsettling. The stairs and lack of stroller-friendly routes are another challenge for families with very young children.
Q6. What is the best time of day to visit to avoid crowds?
Early morning right at opening and late afternoon after the main wave of tour groups have left tend to be the quietest times. Late morning and early afternoon, especially in good weather, are usually the busiest and feel the most congested on the stairs and battlements.
Q7. Can I bring luggage or a large backpack inside?
Large bags and backpacks are discouraged because of the narrow staircases and safety concerns. There is no proper cloakroom or secure locker system inside the castle, so it is far better to leave luggage at your accommodation or at the train station before you visit.
Q8. How does the Castle of the Counts compare to other castles in Belgium?
It stands out for its location in the heart of Ghent and its well-preserved defensive structure rather than for lavish interiors. If you want grand, furnished palaces, you might prefer other sites, but for a fortress that still dominates a living city, this one is hard to beat.
Q9. Is the visit still worthwhile in bad weather?
It can be, but it becomes less comfortable. Much of the route is exposed, and stone steps can get slippery. With a good jacket and sensible shoes, a rainy-day visit is possible and even atmospheric, but you will spend less time lingering on the walls and more time watching your footing.
Q10. Should I prioritize the Castle of the Counts if I only have one day in Ghent?
If you are passionate about castles and military architecture, yes, it is worth squeezing in. If your interests lean more toward art, churches, and simply wandering historic streets, you might instead focus on the Belfry, Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, the Ghent Altarpiece, and the riverfront, and enjoy the castle primarily as a dramatic backdrop to the city.