Try eating at La Quincaillerie, a typically fine restuarant in the city, but with a novel twist: it's a converted hardware store. The food is of high quality and, unusually for me, I can recall the unique interior in surprising detail.

www.quincaillerie.be/showPage.php?page=home

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We went specifically to see art nouveau architecture, but it proved rather elusive until we bought a 'Five Art Nouveau tours around Bruxelles' walking map at the Horta museum. This made everything accessible, and gave excellent summaries of art-nouveau style, museums, and brief notes on hundreds of buildings.

Visit Brussels on the first weekend in the month, when the wonderful Cauchie house is open, but be prepared for an enthusiastic and lengthy address in French!

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2BE Beer Shop, Wollestraat. Classy bottled beer shop. Massive selection of beers, glasses etc. You can even buy a chocolate version of chips and mayo!

www.2-be.biz/

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A city with canals and cathedrals. Walking should be fine to look around the city, or for those who are a little more active, there are many rent-a-cycle shops around.

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Visit this charming canal city shortly before Christmas. The Christmas market is a joy, and your holiday shopping will be done before you know it.

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Brugs Beertje - a dazzling array of fine Belgian beers

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Try the Den Dyver Restaurant. Forget the tasting menu with wine: this is Bruges and beer rules the roost. Seven courses are each served with a different beer. Good food, good beer and you might just learn something about the beers as well!

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Don't stay in Bruges the whole weekend - Ghent has just as many fun things to do, beautiful things to see, a superb modern art museum and a pub with a Barbie doll chandelier. Much more fun!

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A lot of guide books to Bruges talk about 't Bruges Beertje, but if you go a few doors on to 't Dreupelhuisje, at number 9 Kemelstraat, you can try a fantastic range of Belgium's other great drink, Jevnever, in warm and friendly surroundings.

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Take a bike trip for the day around Bruges and the countryside. Its a great way to get around and stopping off for a waffle is a great way to recharge the batteries

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A great city for a relaxing stroll, even in freezing cold February. Take a romantic river cruise, enjoy the brewery tour, and of course sample the chocolate!

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There's a bar on Kamelstrasse which looks like a bookshop from the front. It opens at 2:00pm.

It only serves beers, hundreds of them. Read any publication by Roger Prolz to narrow down the choice. My tip would be the Karmelite Tripel.

If you are not sated by about midnight, there is a jazz bar just up the road selling Genvier (a local spirit).

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Don't be tempted to buy chocolates in Godiva, Leonidas etc. Avoid these overpriced tourist traps!

You can get a much better range of tastier (and cheaper) artisan chocolates from Tante Roos stall in the big Saturday morning market; its where all the locals go.

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You must visit Kong restaurant in Paris. It's on the roof of the old Samaritaine department store on the rue de Rivoli.

With its glass domed roof you get the most spectacular views of Paris and there's a great bar on the floor below which is full of Parisian fashionistas.

As a tip you need to ask to be seated on the upper floor to get the best views. For a chic spring/summer afternoon, stroll around the Place des Vosges in the Marais district (Metro St Paul)and enjoy the eclectic boutiques in the surrounding streets. The department store is closed until 2011 but the Kong restaurant remains open.

1 rue du Pont Neuf / La Samaritaine
75001 Paris
Téléphone : 01 40 39 09 00
www.kong.fr/

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Don't miss Bar Brugge - An unbeatable selection of Belgian beers.

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The Cathedral in Bruges is, even to the most secular visitor, the most magical, mystical gothic building in Europe.

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For a fantastic selection of over 250 quality beers in a great atmosphere visit Brugs Beertje (Little Bruges Bear) - 5 Kemelstraat.

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Tickets to Bruges (or anywhere else in Belgium) can be bought cheaply at UK train stations. As long as you are prepared to take local trains and the ferry.

My wife and I bought train tickets that went from Lond to Dover, crossed to Zeebrugge and the by local train to Bruges. Yes, slightly longer, but we enjoyed this old-fashioned travel.

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Try as many different beers in lots of different bars to get the real feel of Belgian beer.

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Try and spend a Friday in Bruges near the city hall in the Grand Place.

All residents of Bruges must be married in a civil ceremony conducted in the city hall in the Grand Place. There may be a religious blessing after.

Find a bench or low wall and watch the wedding parties arriving at the city hall by horse drawn vehicles, cars, buses or, accompanied by the rustle of fine wedding ensembles, on foot.

Check on the list of wedding times posted on a wall under the archway of the city hall in case you should hit a slack time.

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