Forget Bruges and Brussels, the medieval city of Ghent is where you should be heading if you want to escape the crowds of tourists yet still see plenty of culture. Alexis Thompson spills the beans on Belgium’s best kept secret.

Hidden between Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp lies Ghent (known as Gent in Flemish), a city which often gets over looked by visitors.

It’s a shame because they’re missing out on some exquisite medieval architecture and some fantastic local cuisine- as I discovered during a recent two day trip to the city.

The Eurostar from London St Pancras International will take you as far as Brussels and from there most people make the journey to Bruges or Antwerp. But Ghent is only a half hour train journey away from Brussels Midi and a great place to go if you want to venture away from the usual tourist route.

When I arrived there shortly after 4pm on a dark November afternoon, bitterly cold winds swept through the eerily quiet city. But it was the beautiful medieval and Gothic revival architecture, which struck me first and it almost felt like I was wandering around a film set.

Recently listed as number seven in Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities to visit in 2011 (looks like they beat me to it), Ghent is not just a pretty face, it also has an environmental conscience too.

In a bid to be more ethically and environmentally friendly, the city has declared every Thursday as veggie day. This is a day when residents are discouraged from eating meat to help protect the environment and their health.

During my stay I followed the city’s lead and tried to reduce my carbon footprint by walking and cycling everywhere and eating organic, locally produced food.

The last time I rode a bike I was seven years old and my dad had just taken off the stabilizers, so getting on a bike again after 20 years was a big personal challenge for me.

But I wasn’t going to let that stand in the way of saving the planet, and once I over came my fears I found riding a bike the best and the cheapest way to see the city- only seven Euros for the whole day.

With all the bikes the city had a very Amsterdam feel to it, especially with its canals and colourful Flemish buildings along the waterways too.

I discovered that a boat trip was another scenic way to explore the city, especially at night. As darkness fell the city lit up and its beautiful and imposing buildings became illuminated, the lights reflecting off the glassy surface of the canals.

That night I dined at the De Blauwe Zlam (The Blue Salmon), a small but beautifully decorated restaurant run by husband and wife Danny and Chris De Cleyn. There I had the tasty French scallops in sweet and sour sauce with pickled red beetroot for starters. Followed by the baked halibut, with a butternut risotto and chocolate ice cream for dessert.

It was obvious that Danny and Chris were both passionate about seafood, and this small family run business was their heart and soul.

But the next day it was Veggie Thursday and I had to swap meat and seafood for vegetables and tofu. For lunch I dined in Avalon, a homely restaurant which served up well priced organic vegetarian cuisine.

There I warmed my soul with some pumpkin soup for starters, followed by a hearty dish of tofu, roasted aubergines, curried cauliflower, couscous, and pickled beetroot. I’ve never considered becoming vegetarian, but I could have been easily converted after that meal.

Afterwards I went in search of culture and discovered plenty of it. My first stop was the city’s museum STAM, which is partly a modern glass structure and partly a 14th century abbey.The museum gave a detailed and interactive account of how the city has developed over the years, and revealed that at one time Ghent was Europe’s largest medieval city outside Paris.

Today it is the capital of the province of Oost- Vlaanderen and is Flanders’ biggest university town. It also the fourth largest city of Belgium with about 250,000 inhabitants.

Inside the city’s cathedral, Cathedral of St Bavo, I found one of Belgium’s finest masterpieces and world treasures, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.

A large and complex polyptych panel painting completed in 1432, the picture is regarded as a highlight of Christian art.

The picture also has an unsolved mystery attached to it because on the night of April 10 1934, two panels from the painting were stolen by thieves and never recovered.

Now the remaining panels are safely placed behind a wall of glass in the cathedral's chapel, and the painting was a remarkable sight.

When in Belgium it would be rude not to sample the two things the country is famed for, which are fortunately two of my favourite things- beer and chocolate. So that afternoon I popped in to a local chocolatier, selling beautifully decorated home made Belgium chocolate. I then took a tour of the city's Gruut brewery, where I tried a selection of blonde, amber and brown ale, brewed with special spices instead of hop.

Comfortably full I made my way back to the hotel to pick up my suit case ready to return to Brussels. Two nights simply wasn’t enough to see all the delights that Ghent had to offer and as it's not a tourist trap, you can move around at your own leisurely pace without feeling rushed.

Perhaps it's a good thing that not many people know about this city, because the crowds would spoil its peaceful ambiance and unspoilt charm.

Call me selfish, but I enjoyed not having to share it with the throngs of tourists. Although I don't think it's going to remain that way for much longer.

Railbookers are currently offering this special deal.

A two night break staying at the Marriott Ghent Hotel from £225.00 ( 3 nights from £295.00) per person.

This break includes: Return standard class Eurostar travel from London St Pancras International or Ebbsfleet International to Brussels.

Onward return train travel from Brussels to Ghent.

Two nights hotel accommodation with breakfast.

Single room occupancy at the hotel will incur an additional supplement.

For more details call 020 3327 2434 or visit www.railbookers.com