Belgian Lambic at the Dulle Griet, Ghent

Belgium brews more distinct beer styles per capita than any country on earth. The abbey ales, the saisons, the lambics, the Flemish reds and sours — each is a separate tradition with its own glassware, its own food pairings, its own ritual observances. The Dulle Griet on Vrijdagmarkt square in Ghent is one of Belgium's legendary brown cafes: a 16th-century building housing 500 different beers and a tradition that has become famous worldwide.

The tradition is this: if you order a Kwak beer (served in a round-bottomed flask in a wooden stand), the barman will demand a shoe as collateral before handing over the glass. This is not a tourist gimmick. The practice predates tourism by centuries. You remove a shoe, hand it over, a rope and pulley hoists it to the ceiling, and you drink your Kwak. Return the glass intact and your shoe descends. It is entirely mad and entirely wonderful and completely Belgian.

Ghent itself is one of Belgium's best-kept secrets: larger than Bruges, less touristy, with a medieval centre centred on the Gravensteen castle and the Graslei harbour that has been serving ships and merchants since the 11th century. The Belfort (belfry) offers the best view over the tiled rooftops. The Thursday market on Sint-Jacobsnieuwstraat is one of the best flea markets in Flanders. Stay for a weekend and you will understand why Bruges gets more visitors, but Ghent gets the more devoted ones.