Ghent.

Ghent's moated Castle of the Counts lets you walk through a medieval stronghold and look back over the city from its ramparts. The interior visit is more substantial than the exterior view suggests.

The gatehouse, keep and count's residence make Gravensteen unusually easy to read as a working fortress, while the battlements give a different angle on Ghent's dense historic centre. The judicial and torture objects show how the building's purpose changed after the counts left; they are a stark counterpoint to the romantic silhouette outside.

• The moat and gatehouse frame the castle as a defended seat of power in the middle of Ghent.
• The ramparts open views across the old city's roofs and towers.
• Judicial and torture objects recall the castle's later use as a courthouse and prison.

Allow time to go inside and climb the ramparts; an exterior photo misses much of the visit.

The elevated sections are exposed, so keep the battlements flexible in poor weather.