Spend a Weekend

Check into Hotel Ve or, if you prefer to stay with a local family, try the B&B Dusk till Dawn, where the owners have retained as much as possible of the historic Art Nouveau interiors.

Wherever you stay, head to Vismarkt for a pre-dinner aperitif, then, for good solid fare - and the town speciality Koekoek, literally cuckoo, which is a particularly succulent chicken - try De Kok en De Proever, housed in a beautifully modernised old townhouse. Alternatively, eat in the Lamot centre, where excellent food is served up in a contemporary setting.

On Saturday, head for Schoutestraat, where at number 4, you will find Trendson Interiors, the most amazing interior design "shop"� that is housed in a stunning old house. At 10:30am, don't miss the guided tour of the De Wit Royal Manufacturers of Tapestry just down the road.

Head towards the Grote Markt and meander through the teeming Saturday market - as the locals like to say, "Arrive naked and hungry (at the market), go away well dressed and well fed". Then take your pick of the cafés that line the square for lunch. If the weather is fine, sit out on the terrace to admire the view and, if it's May or June when the students are practising for their exams, the chances are high that you will also be treated to a free carillon concert!

Just one word of warning: don't eat too much as, on most Saturdays of the year, it is possible to walk up the 513 steps of the Belfry at St Rumbold's Cathedral in the early afternoon. From the top, there are wonderful views of the city and there's a chance to get your bearings.

Having expended all that energy, head along the Ijzerenleen for some leisurely Saturday afternoon shopping. Here you will find some of Mechelen's speciality shops including Harry Schockaert with its small bar so that patrons can sip a glass of wine while sampling the ample cheese selection on offer and A Windels (the oldest cigar shop in Belgium). Wend your way over to the main shopping street, Bruul, where you will find high street brands such as Zara housed in what were the 19th century homes of the local upper classes.

In the evening, splash out at one of Mechelen's two Michelin-starred restaurants. The more traditional and well established is D'Hoogh (Grote Markt 19), while the more modern is Folliez (Korenmarkt 19).

On Sunday morning in the summer, there's a flea market to peruse. Or wander through the cobbled streets of the Grand Beguinage, respecting the quietness and privacy of the residents. Then visit the Hof van Busleyden Museum and go take a look at the exteriors of the two Margaret Palaces. Once the morning church services are over, visit one of the churches where Rubens' work is to be found, before heading home at the end of the day.