Until this neighborhood had a bad reputation: crime, prostitution, robbery, drugdealing Romain De Coninck wrote a play about it: "By tante Wanne" The topic? Now it is peaceful and quiet. The neighborhood is small, only 4. It is picturesque. And I must admit, mainly in Summer there are a lot of tourists. You will find 23 restaurants, if I did not miscount Lots of expositions, often for free!
And the very charming "Huis van Alijn" Patershol is a labyrinth, tourists often get lost. But if you walk to the West, you will always end at the worldfamous "Gravenkasteel", the castle in the middle of the city! Best is to enter Patershol from the "Vrijdagsmarkt", across the small "Zuivelbridge" and start your walk. At the Zuivelbridge you can find a famous "soup-restaurant", where you can buy soup with bread, and it is inexpensive Attention: it is often queuing when the students try to get their cheap meal.
My advice: give the souprestaurant a try! Patershol is still inhabited by lets say people. They often say, in Summer when it is hot: "if you feel very thirsty buy a big bottle Don't drink a big bottle when you are going the the museum "Huis van Alijn", that is along the river We were told by four different people on two different days how to get to Patershol and "We had to go".
I think we were there walking around aimlessly in this neighborhood. I didn't see anything fabulous. Only a couple of restaurants, other cities have much cosier areas to eat. Openinghours only from Lots of brightly colored houses along narrow streets. Also has lots of murals on the high walls along some of the streets painted by kids cats are a favorite subject. Worth a stroll. Lovely streets and quaint houses. An enclave within a city and paved in romantic cobblestones.
Full of great restaurants but I would avoid Mondays as many restaurants would be shut on that day. This is a lovely area and we enjoyed a stroll around the main areas and the back streets with the old world charm that is so much Ghent. We did not eat in this area but there are lots of options and a must see area on any trip to this lovely city.
