Who: Clockwise from left, Becky Ceravolo of Denver, Katie Owens of Longmont, Beth Murphy of Denver and Karyn Hanlon-Bocko of Longmont.
Where: On top of the moat-surrounded Gravensteen Castle in Ghent (built in 1180 by the Count of Flanders on the site of a fortress established by Baldwin of the Iron Arm). The castle contains a weapons display and torture museum.
Best meal: Go for the Leonidas chocolates. Chocolate should be its own food group!
Best deal: Kwak Beer at De Dulle Griet, Vrijdagmarkt 50, Vrijdagmarkt 09-224-2455. If you accept the challenge of ordering and finishing the 1.2-liter Kwak “Max,” you will need to leave one of your shoes as a deposit. If you are not that brave or thirsty, you can choose from one of Dulle Griet’s 250 other beers offered on the menu.
Best time to go: December, to avoid the crowds.
Best travel tip: After seeing Jan van Eyck’s magnificent “The Ghent Altarpiece: The Adoration of the Lamb” on display at St. Bavo’s Church, don’t miss Peter Paul Ruben’s “Saint Bavo’s Entry Into the Monastery,” hung in an adjacent chapel.
