There are two sides to Ghent - the historic and the quirky, with the latter providing another level of cool.

Wander down Vlaanderenstraat and you will find all kinds of one-off boutiques in this fast regenerating part of town. Eva Bos is a good example, a vintage couture shop that sells everything that the eponymous owner likes, vintage, her own unique designs, plus the latest Paris collections. Essentially, it's an eclectic mix of everything that a girl needs to get ready for a party, sold from a shop with an original Art Deco frontage. Other funky shops to look out for include Queens, Vitrapoint, Oona and Barista Coffee & Cake. You can even stay in this cool part of town: check out the newly-opened Faja Lobi Cafe and B&B, where you can eat Surinamese food, listen to live music till 3am, then crash out upstairs!

For a quirky take on a museum, head to Patershol and visit the House of Alijn, otherwise known as the Museum of Things That Never Pass and you will be lead through displays of curiosities from popular culture and everyday life. And in the evening, for something completely different, go to At Dulle Griet (Vrijdagmarkt 50), where the ale comes in wooden vases so elaborate that you have to hand over a shoe as collateral. It may seem strange to you and me, but it's just another night in Ghent!