Revolutionary politicians and acoustic cathedrals

Before night falls, a must-see is St Bavo’s Cathedral (Sint-Baafs) to pay homage to the Van Eyck brothers’ ‘Mystical Lamb’ polyptych, an absolute masterpiece of the Flemish Renaissance, freshly restored and enhanced by an immersive augmented reality experience. But Ghent is not stuck in the past. A ten-minute walk along the Scheldt takes you to De Krook, a monumental public library and multimedia centre: a ribbon of steel and glass that seems to float on the river, inaugurated as a modern temple of shared knowledge. Come nightfall, the city reveals yet another side to its character: Ghent was the first city in Flanders to be designated a UNESCO Creative City of Music. In its historic clubs, theatres and even its squares, the urban soundtrack ranges from the most refined jazz to cutting-edge electronic music.