Location: Ghent
Reminiscent of Bruges, Ghent is a most attractive and vibrant city, thanks to its beautiful quayside buildings with lavishly decorated façades lining the waterways, and its excellent mix of bars, cafés, restaurants and shops spilling out on to the cobbled streets. Yet its position on the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, and its thriving student population, also make this a city of diversity, where maritime activity and university life sit proudly alongside tourism in Ghent's commercial make-up.

Most visitors to Ghent begin in the historical (and mainly pedestrian) centre, admiring the magnificent Flemish architecture including the famous Three Towers - the Gothic church of St Nicholas, the Belfry and, above all else, St Bavo's Cathedral. This splendid building evolved between the 12th and 16th centuries and houses fabulous works of art including one of Van Eyck's finest, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. And no description of Ghent, however brief, would be complete without mentioning the 12th-century Castle of the Counts, which in its time has served as a castle, mint, law court, prison and even a cotton mill.

Travel options:
• self-drive by P&O Ferries, SeaFrance or Eurotunnel
• Eurostar™ to Brussels, onward by local train

Exhibition: The Floralies
Inspired by its British counterparts, Ghent's Floralies first began in 1809, at the time a very modest exhibition featuring a mere 50 plants. Today, the Floralies is in an altogether different league, with some 300,000 plus visitors, exhibitors and royalty flocking to be part of this stunning event. Indeed, every official opening ceremony has been attended by members of the Belgian Royal family. The event is held at the Flanders Expo exhibition hall in Ghent, where a 2km trail guides the visitor past a spectacular array of floral displays and landscaped designs.

The Floralies is open to the public from 17 - 25 April 2010 and is open daily between 0800 - 1800, with entrance split into time blocks of two-hour intervals to ensure that overcrowding is avoided (although you can stay as long as you wish). There is ample parking at the exhibition hall and regular, complimentary shuttle buses run from the centre of Ghent to the Expo.

Our short break includes:
• either return channel crossing with P&O Ferries to Calais (SeaFrance or Eurotunnel also available, supplements apply)
• or return standard-class travel from St Pancras or Ebbsfleet International by Eurostar™ direct to Brussels, with onward travel to Ghent by local train
• three nights' bed and breakfast accommodation at your chosen hotel in Ghent
• one-day entrance to the Ghent Floralies