Practical Information
1. Conference venue
Saint Peter's Abbey (Sint Pietersabdij)
Saint Peter's Abbey (Dutch: Sint-Pietersabdij) is a former Benedictine abbey in Ghent, Belgium, now a museum and exhibition centre. This is were we will be organising the EELF Conference 2025.
Address: Sint-Pietersplein 9, 9000 Gent
2. Venue Conference dinner
On Wednesday 10 September 2025 at 19:00h the EELF Conference dinner will take place in the Pacificatiezaal *of the Ghent City Hall.
[*] The Pacification of Ghent, signed on 8 November 1576, was an alliance between the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands. The main objectives were to remove Spanish mercenaries who had made themselves hated by all sides due to their plundering, and to promote a formal peace with the rebellious provinces of Holland and Zeeland.
Address: Botermarkt 1, 9000 Gent
3. Boot trip to city centre
On Thursday 11 September 2025 at 18:00h you are invited to join us for a guided boat trip from the abbey to the city centre.
Start: : The boat departs from the conference venue (at the back of the garden of the Saint Peter's abbey)
4. Excursion to Grenspark Groot Saeftinghe
Friday 12 September, 13:00
The bus will leave from Sint-Pietersplein (in front of the conference venue). Return to Ghent will be between 18:00-19:00
Practical information:
In case of rain, please bring some rainwear and comfortable walking shoes.
A take-away picknick will be provided (at the conference venue)
Information on the excursion:
Grenspark Groot Saeftinghe
The excursion explores some major nature and water management projects. It leads us around the 'Doelpolder Noord nature reserve', which was created in agricultural land as compensation for nature lost in the expansion of the port of Antwerp. The walk continues over the Scheldt dike and past the cross-border flooding area Prosperpolder Noord/Hedwigepolder, which has to protect the city of Antwerp from possible consequences of sea level rise. Together, they form one large nature reserve.
Our guide for the excursion is Dirk Draulans (biologist & journalist from magazine Knack)
5. Getting to Ghent
Ghent is easy reachable by train (train station: Gent St. Pieters)
For travelling by train between European cities, see webtool:
Planning & tickets for trains in Belgium:
Ghent University has a sustainable travel policy,
so we urge you to come to Ghent in a sustainable way:
If you come by airplane (as least preferable initiative), you can compensate CO2 emissions:
See webtool:
6. Getting to the conference venue
From the train station (Gent Sint-Pieters) to the conference venue:
Walking distance: 23 minutes
By bus: 16 minutes (take bus 70 at bus platform 16 to busstop ‘Gent Heuvelpoort’ + walk 500 meters to conference venue)
7. Getting arround in Ghent
Ghent is a lively city and a student city. As the academic year hasn’t started yet during the time of the conference, it will be calmer than usual. Still, many people in Ghent drive around in bikes, so as a pedestrian always look at when crossing a street.
Getting around in Ghent can be done easily, on foot, by bike (renting bikes: see at see-do/bike-point-gent-sint-pieters ) or by public transport (website trams and busses: De Lijn ). Parts of the city centre are car-free.
Info on getting around in Ghent: getting arround in Ghent
8. Hotel accommodation
Overview of hotels in Ghent
The city of Ghent has more than 2,000 Hotel rooms to offer. The local organsing committee can not, for obvious reasons , be involved in the booking process for your hotel room(s). However we have listed below the hotels that are situated in walking distance of the congress venue of the EELF Conference 2025. Because no hotel rooms are blocked for EELF at this time and because the available rooms will have to be shared with tourists and delegates of other congresses, we strongly advise you to book your hotel accommodation as soon as possible
9. About Ghent
Ghent is a special place. It has three towers and the Ghent Altarpiece, a vibrant energy due to its many students, magnificent museums, medieval streets and countless cultural hotspots. This former industrial city at the rivers of the Scheldt and Leie is livelier than ever. Plenty of reason to spend some time exploring this gem. read more
10 Don't come to Ghent without.......
See you in Ghent !!!