Having just finished researching two stories in Amsterdam, I found myself with a little more than 24 hours before my flight from Schipol. Rather than spend it in Amsterdam, which I know very well, I decided to rent a car and drive to Antwerp - a city where I'd never been.

I'd heard bits about the fashion scene in town - a recently opened fashion museum, the fantastic Belgian beers and generally positive, if vague reports. Also Antwerp is known to offer fantastic bargains in comparison to other European capitals - particularly on luxury goods such as diamonds and fashion - but also hotels and restaurants.

My concierge in Amsterdam was to make the arrangements for a Smart Car - which I was dying to try out - with a CD player and air conditioning. When I arrived at the car rental shop on the Overtoom they had waiting for me a strange looking Renault Megane with no CD player - only radio. I was exasperated by this time with the number of things that had gone wrong on this trip - more than average - plus I know the sorry state of Dutch radio. The clerk said, with dry Dutch humour - "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

So I settled on a Volkswagen Golf - also with only radio - resigning myself to an excruciating six hour round trip of Tina Turner and Phil Collins and other 80s hits plus the occasional 60s Motown en route.

Arriving at the Hotel Firean Friday evening I was met by the concierge, Herbert - a writer, reviewer, translator who works the night shift in the six suite four star hotel in the south part of town - in a Jewish neighbourhood just over a kilometer from the centre. Within minutes of arriving Herbert had drawn me a map of the best bars to sample the wide variety of beers. I chose Den Billekletser on Hoogstaat, just off Oude Koornmarkt - which he said was not known to tourists.

I spent the following day perusing the shops along the Nationalestraat - near the new MoMu - the fashion museum which was closed for installation on my visit. Antwerp's Fashion Institute has a reputation as one of the world's best - attracting talented students from all over. Given a vibrant scene and low rents many stay on and open shops here after their studies. Belgian mainstays Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck all have their flagship stores here. Van Beirendonck's was designed by Mark Newsom and will be included in an upcoming exhibition of Fashion and Architecture at the L.A. MOCA.

Better still are the dozens of young designers' shops along Nationalestraat and off-shooting streets - including highlights Stephan Schneider, Cristoph Broich, Marien Perez, Maison Close, Veronique Branquinho and Baby Beluga. Prices are considerably lower than London or Amsterdam and much easier to find great things. The global brands like Benetton, Zara and others exist here - but in a welcome twist - they tend to be unnoticed and are dominated by the independent and highly original shops.

I happened across a lesbian wedding in the town square - the Grote Market - everyone wearing white - on the first day of legal gay weddings in Belgium. After a wonderful day of shopping in an atmosphere more delightful than any city I've recently visited I finished the day much like the last. I had to leave early the next morning so contented myself with sampling a few more beers in the evening and dining at the super-chic Brasserie Nationale.

www.hotelfirean.com

www.visitantwerpen.be

Dries Van Noten - Nationalestaat, 16 - t. +32 (0) 470 25 10

Baby Beluga - Natalie Moerman - Volkstraat, 1 - t. +32 (0) 3 289 90 60 - www.babybeluga.be

Christoph Broich Shop - Steenhouwersvest, 28 - t. 03 770 86 53 email - christoph.broich@antwerpen.be

Veronique Branquinho - Nationalestraat, 73 - t. 32 3 233 66 16

Maison Close - Nationalestraat, 139 - t. 32/3/2933916 email - maison.close@pandora.be