Ghent Record Shops

When friends visiting Belgium ask me tips about a quick trip to Flanders, I always suggest Ghent. Brugges may be its more famous neighbour but it's way too touristic for me, a bit like walking through a museum. Ghent is just as gorgeous, but it's a living breathing youthful place with a big university and rich night life. When I'm visiting the city with friends, I always take them to Amadeus 2 on Belfort. Not only it's the place for ribs as their motto says, but it has a fantastic art nouvaeu decor - and did I mention the unlimited refills of ribs and baked potatoes? Speaking of dinner suggestions, my current favourite for pasta is Bavet, while Balls And Glory puts a delicious modern spin on the traditional mash-and-meatballs Belgian/Dutch dish. Or, if you can't agree on what to eat, you should seek the newly opened Holy Food Market, an old church turned into a food market with stalls serving everything from Italian pizza to Russian caviar. Bars and nightclubs are aplenty. You can try Hot Club Gent for live jazz or Charlatan and the other bars in that street for more lively entertainment - the possibilities are endless. Just don't forget to make a stop at 't Dreupelkot, a tiny bar serving 200 different kinds and flavours of jenever (the Dutch precursor to gin). It's one of a kind. If you've spent all your money and the weather permits it, just do it like the students: get some chips and beers and hang out by the quay. 

Vinyl lovers of course will need to visit Music Mania (St.-Pietersnieuwstraat 19), the city's best and most historic record store situated on the corner of the huge cultural center Vooruit, another must-visit of Gent. Here you'll find new (€15-25) and used (€6,5-20) vinyl of all kinds. There's a great selection of new wave, proto-electronica, jazz, soul, indie, Belgian pop and rock, as well as 12-inch singles. The place for record collectors. There are also CD's for the less hip, of course (mostly €6,5-9,5). What is every music lover's favourite ice cream flavour? Why, Vynilla of course! The same-named shop at Sint-Kwintensberg 38 may be rather small-ish but you'll find many LPs, especially rock and new wave (new €18-28, used €7-20). CD offers go for €5-10. Vinyl Kitchen does not serve food but will have vinyl lovers salivating just the same. It's on Lange Violettestraat 160, there's no sign outside the door so be careful not to pass it by. They have a really big selection of 2nd hand LPs (mostly €7-11, more for the collectibles). Classic rock, folk, new wave and Belgian groups. Some used CD's around €7. Dune Records is a small shop situated under the shadow of the medieval castle Gravensteen. There are some random LPs and CDs, some without prices. Worth a look. I didn't catch Kiekeboe open when I visited, as it was "closed due to sickness". Another record shop a bit out of the way is Wool-E Shop at Emiel Lossystraat 17. I didn't visit myself but I read good reviews about it. Ghent's Consouling Sounds is more than a record label, it's also a store at Baudelostraat 13. A neat place with a coffee bar and good records (used €5-10, new €20-30) and CDs (used €6, new €14-20). The big emphasis is on metal, dark/new wave and alternative scene. Lastly, though not a record store per se, fnac (Veldstraat 47) always offers listening stations and a variety of CD's (offers are 3 for €20) and LP's (€12-30) both new circulations and random reissues. Lots of Jazz, Pop and Francophone albums. You can also find English books here, but you're better off walking 200 meters to The English Bookstore, a must for 2nd hand English books, with good prices and a friendly owner. Book lovers would also do well to discover Huize Colette a cafe with the tastiest hot chocolate where books are more than part of the decor: you can leaf through them, read them on the spot or buy them. So many other things to do, but I'll leave them for you to discover. UPDATE 2018: Antwerp's Vinyl Touch has opened a shop in Ghent (Nederkouter 8). Some refer to it as a "pop up" shop, so I can't guarantee it will be around next time you visit, but it's worth a visit. All 2nd hand LP's, many on sale for €5, the rest €8-20. UPDATE 2020: Kiekeboe, Vinyl Touch Ghent, and The English Bookstore are now permanently closed. But there's a new record store called Zoe Zoe (Serpentstraat 1) which prides itself on selling "offstream vinyl". You'll find records of bands you've never heard of (alternative, experimental, new wave etc) for €20-30, as well as a few random used ones around €10.