What to see in Sint-Niklaas ?

Saint-Nicolas is an industrial town in Ghent's suburbs that has managed to retain its own identity, well away from the standard tourist circuit. Its compact centre revolves around the Grote Markt and Sint-Niklaaskerk, a testament to the commercial prosperity inherited from medieval cloth trading. It's a place where ordinary people live, not a stage set reconstructed for visitors.

Spring and autumn suit the region better than a summer that's often grey. Half a day is genuinely enough to see it properly, as a complement to a visit to Ghent, which is just twenty minutes away by train. Avoid coming on a Sunday: the centre empties out completely and most shops close. The well-connected central station remains the logical entry point.