Shoppers look at the offerings at Ghent's Kaas Mekka cheese shop. (Diane Slawych/QMI Agency)

GHENT, Belgium - Few cities are as pleasant to explore on foot as this one. Sometimes overshadowed by Bruges and Antwerp, Ghent is said to have Belgium's largest pedestrian area and it's crammed with medieval history. In Ghent, one guide told us, the car is taboo.

Perfect, for a walking tour.

Combining historic sites with stops to sample local foods, seemed like a good option, which is how we ended up on a tour called "Nibbling through Ghent."

One of the first stops was at Butcher's Hall -- a 14th-century building, which, amazingly, still has its original wooden roof -- shaped like a boat hull.

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Guide Leen Verhaeghe emerges with a plate of local hams from one of the shops that showcase east Flemish produce. There's Ganda ham, the older Superano ham that is dried for a year at least, and the oldest, a cooked ham called Breydel. These are served with local hot mustard made from a secret 100-year-old recipe.

Even on an overcast day, it's easy to see Ghent's charms. A major powerhouse from the year 1000 to around 1550, it amassed its wealth from the cloth trade. During that time, and in the years since, the city's architectural heritage largely remained intact, having suffered little bomb damage during the two World Wars.

Now the city is experiencing a mini-renewal of sorts. Several thousand people have moved to Ghent in the past year, many roads around the main square are being upgraded and more canals are being opened up to add to the city's beauty. A long-vacant building that was once a market is also being restored.

There is a quirky side of Ghent, too. For example, near the Butcher's Hall, an alley leads to what our guide called "a very typical local establishment." The tiny bar, which advertises "100 different Belgian jenevers," is run by a local character named Pol (there's a painting of him above the entrance). When Pol wakes from a nap at about 6 p.m, he will serve you a shot of jenever (gin), filled to the brim.

Nearby is another unusual drinking establishment -- t'Galgen Huisje, one of the city's smallest bars. Its name translates as the "house of gallows," a reference to the fact there was once a gallows on this spot. While no one was ever hung there, the iron rings on one side of the bar were used for punishment. Wrong-doers would sit on a bench with their neck in the ring, while crowds jeered or threw things at them.

Every city has an iconic image and Ghent has a few, including one best seen from the foot of St. Michael's bridge. Look towards the main square for a view of three historic towers, more or less, in a row. These belong to St. Nicholas' Church, the Belfry (a UNESCO site) and St. Bavo's Cathedral.

Presumably everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed the variety of cheeses we tried, including a Belgian blue cheese on offer at the Kaas Mekka shop. I say this because after chatting to the shop owners for a moment, I joined the group outside to find the sample cheese plate nearly empty.

Luckily the Daskalidis Chocolatier, the next stop, was just a few metres away. Chocolates are a must on any foodie tour of Belgium. A plate of assorted pralines was brought out, and this time I told myself, there would be no chatting with shopkeepers -- unless the tasty sweets were within easy reach. (It's obvious to me you can't trust fellow travellers when it comes to Belgian chocolates -- or cheese).

Another Ghent experience not be missed is a visit to St. Bavo's Cathedral to see the famous painting -- Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck spent 12 years on the work, which was completed around 1432. It's notable for its incredible detail: A paintbrush with a single strand of hair was used and you can distinguish every blade of grass. Two of its 20 panels were stolen in 1934 and it remains one of the most famous art thefts in history.

Our last stop was at two 17th-century buildings -- one with a facade of bas relief panels illustrating good deeds that Christians should perform to get into heaven (feed the hungry, help the sick, etc.). It houses the Temmerman candy shop (feed those with a sweet tooth?) where we tried six local treats including chewy gingerbread, a raspberry candy and hard caramels. Not bad.

Surprisingly, all those candies didn't ruin our appetite for lunch. A few of us set out in search of a typical local dish our guide mentioned, called "waterzooi, which translates as "watery mess." We found it at a cozy place called Strorke Brasserie where, for 14 euros, we got a very filling and tasty soup with veggies and chicken that didn't look messy at all.

I spent the next hour across the street at the 12th-century Castle of the Counts, touring through the rooms, including one with a display of scary torture implements. The castle originally served a military function, but later had other uses: A mint, a court, a jail and a cotton mill.

On the way back to the hotel, I found an alleyway filled with colourful graffiti that someone at the hotel had mentioned. Apparently, it's the only place in the city you can go wild with a spray can -- legally.

The city has a reputation to maintain, after all.

If you go

It's easy to why the Marriott Ghent is one of the hotel chain's best-rated properties. Not only is it comfortable and centrally located, the architects maintained this historic building's façade while creating a modern functional interior including a lobby with an eye-catching glass wall and dome. Check marriottghent.com. For city tours, including Nibbling through Ghent, check vizit.be. Pakhuis Brasserie is a good option for dinner. For general tourist information, check visitgent.be.

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