Ghent: The Graslei and Korenlei
The Graslei and Korenlei, between the Grass Bridge and St. Michael's Bridge, are the names of two streets that are located along the banks of the old port of Ghent, in the center of the city. The Graslei is the quay on the right bank of the river Lys (French) / Leie (Dutch). The quay and street on the left are the "Korenlei".
Graslei means “street of herbs and vegetables”, and Korenlei means the “street of wheat”. Both names indicate that these were the products that were stored in this area. This area is truly beautiful, with a stunning skyline of preserved medieval port houses with the traditional gabled stairstep facades that were dedicated to a particular build, all of them from the medieval era.
To truly experience Ghent, one must sit in one of the many cafés along the Graslei or KorenleI and while away an afternoon or evening sipping bubbles, cocktails, beer or coffee of choice. Your other option is to do what many locals do, BYOB and just sit on the cobblestones on the edge the river and while away the hours watching the tour boats float by.
Ghent was one of the most important commercial centers of Europe in the Middle Ages, when immersed in the medieval city center it’s fun to imagine all the activity that’s happened here over the years. From the year 1000 to around 1550, Ghent was one of the most important cities in Europe. It was bigger than London and second only to Paris in size.
