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Ghent Scams to Avoid in 2026 (Belgium)
Ghent is a historic Flemish university city between Brussels and Bruges, known for its medieval Gravensteen castle, St. Bavo's Cathedral, and a vibrant student nightlife. Less touristed than Bruges, the city sees pickpocketing in the Korenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt areas, overpriced tourist restaurants near the three towers, and issues with unlicensed street food vendors during the Gentse Feesten summer festival. The festival brings one million visitors and creates peak conditions for opportunistic crime.
Street Scams scams are the most documented risk in Ghent — 4 of 8 reported incidents fall in this category. See all 4 →
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Last updated: April 4, 2026
Gentse Feesten Festival Pickpocketing
The Gentse Feesten ten-day summer festival fills the city centre with up to one million visitors and is one of the highest-risk periods for pickpocketing in Belgium. Thieves work in groups in the densely packed outdoor concert areas, beer tents, and the crowded streets of the Patershol and Vrijdagmarkt zones.
📍Vrijdagmarkt square, Korenmarkt, the streets of Patershol neighbourhood, and the outdoor stages around the Gravensteen during Gentse Feesten (mid-July)
How to avoid: Use a money belt or secure inner pocket for your phone and wallet. Carry only the cash you need for the evening and leave cards and passports at your accommodation. Stay alert to anyone pressing unusually close in crowd surges near stages.
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Ghent · Belgium · Europe
Open map →📍Where These Scams Are Most Active in Ghent
Specific areas and landmarks with the highest concentration of documented incidents.
Gentse Feesten Festival Pickpocketing
Vrijdagmarkt square, Korenmarkt, the streets of Patershol neighbourhood, and the outdoor stages around the Gravensteen during Gentse Feesten (mid-July)
Online Accommodation Scams for Gentse Feesten
Fraudulent listings claiming to be in the Ghent city centre, Patershol, or near the Gentse Feesten venues; primarily on Facebook rental groups and lesser-known platforms
Korenmarkt Tourist Restaurant Overcharging
Restaurants on and immediately around Korenmarkt square, waterfront terraces facing Sint-Michielsbrug bridge
Unlicensed Taxis During Festival and Event Periods
Outside Gent-Sint-Pieters train station, festival exit points around Vrijdagmarkt and Korenmarkt during Gentse Feesten
Overpriced "Local" Food at Tourist-Facing Festival Stalls
Festival food stalls around Korenmarkt, Sint-Baafsplein, and the Vrijdagmarkt during Gentse Feesten; waffle and frites vendors on tourist routes near the three towers
Distraction Theft Near Sint-Niklaaskerk
Shopping streets between Sint-Niklaaskerk and Korenmarkt, the Veldstraat pedestrian shopping street, and the area around the Gent-Sint-Pieters rail approach
These areas are safe to visit — knowing the setups in advance makes them far easier to recognize and avoid.
Street-level scams are most common in Ghent
4 documented street scams target tourists near major attractions. Unsolicited approaches, "free" gifts, and distraction techniques are the main patterns — confidence and pace help.
✅Quick Safety Tips for Ghent
Key precautions based on the most frequently reported scams here.
- ✓Use a money belt or secure inner pocket for your phone and wallet. Carry only the cash you need for the evening and leave cards and passports at your accommodation. Stay alert to anyone pressing unusually close in crowd surges near stages.
- ✓Book accommodation well in advance through Booking.com, Airbnb, or directly with hotels. Never transfer a deposit outside a secure booking platform. Contact your accommodation by phone to confirm the booking in the weeks before arrival.
- ✓Look at the menu displayed outside before sitting down and confirm whether any supplements apply. Walk one or two streets back from the Korenmarkt waterfront into the Patershol neighbourhood to find restaurants with more honest pricing.
- ✓Use the Uber app or pre-book a licensed taxi through Taxistop or the Gent taxi association. If hailing on the street, use the official taxi rank outside Gent-Sint-Pieters station and confirm the metered fare before entering.
- ✓Look for stalls that display prices clearly before you order. Compare prices across several adjacent stalls before committing. During Gentse Feesten, the official festival areas have regulated pricing guidance — check the festival website before attending.
How it works
The Gentse Feesten ten-day summer festival fills the city centre with up to one million visitors and is one of the highest-risk periods for pickpocketing in Belgium. Thieves work in groups in the densely packed outdoor concert areas, beer tents, and the crowded streets of the Patershol and Vrijdagmarkt zones.
How it works
In the months before the Gentse Feesten festival, fraudulent apartment listings appear on secondary rental platforms and Facebook groups targeting international tourists who struggle to find legitimate accommodation. Deposits are taken by bank transfer and hosts become unreachable before arrival.
How it works
Restaurants with outdoor terraces on the Korenmarkt waterfront charge significantly above local rates and sometimes add undisclosed service charges, bread fees, or terrace supplements. The views of the three towers make this the highest-footfall tourist dining spot in Ghent.
How it works
During the Gentse Feesten and major concert events, unlicensed private drivers operate around the main train station (Gent-Sint-Pieters) and festival exit points, quoting flat fares to city-centre hotels that can be three to five times the Uber or official taxi rate.
How it works
During the Gentse Feesten and major food events, some stalls charge inflated prices for Belgian street food staples such as frites, waffles, and stoofvlees, presenting tourists with a separate pricing structure. Prices are sometimes not displayed until after the order is taken.
How it works
The pedestrian shopping streets between Sint-Niklaaskerk and the Korenmarkt are among the busiest in Ghent and a known area for distraction-based theft. Teams of two or three individuals stage minor incidents — a dropped item, a spilled drink, or a question about directions — while an accomplice accesses the victim's bag or pocket.
How it works
At the Vrijdagmarkt Friday market and during festival food stalls, some vendors short-change tourists by counting back change quickly or handing back fewer notes than owed, relying on the noise and pace of transactions to avoid scrutiny.
How it works
Individuals operating near the Gravensteen castle entrance and the Patershol neighbourhood approach tourists with clipboards soliciting signatures and cash donations for apparent charities. Some targets have reported money being lifted from their wallet during the signing interaction.
Ghent Safety — Frequently Asked Questions
What scams target tourists in Ghent?
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If you're visiting more than one destination
Similar scam patterns are active across the Europe region. Before visiting Krakow, Berlin, and Prague, review each city's guide — tactics vary and local setups differ even for the same scam type.
Editorial note: Scam warnings for Ghent are compiled from government travel advisories (US State Dept, UK FCDO, Australian DFAT), verified news sources, travel community reports, and traveler-submitted incidents. All entries are reviewed for accuracy and local specificity before publication. Read our full methodology →