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Do not be tempted to imitate Belgian drivers in motorway fast lanes. They tend to drive nose-to-tail at top speed, as if the concept of “stopping distance” had gone out of fashion.

Well, you shouldn’t avoid pedestrian crossings – but treat them with care. The law obliging drivers to stop for pedestrians waiting to cross the road was introduced only in 1996. Previously, drivers would tend to ignore pedestrian crossings unless someone actually walked in front of them. Some drivers still seem to follow this rule; others stop punctiliously.

In the past, traffic coming in from the right had priority, known as priorité de droite . Road markings now indicate that priority belongs to traffic on the main road, and that traffic joining a main road must give way. But vestiges of priorité de droite survive, notably in suburban streets in Brussels, so keep an eye out for road markings and traffic approaching from your right.

Drinking-and-driving is illegal. One alcoholic drink, and you’ll probably be just within the limit; two drinks and you may be over the limit – and, if stopped by police, liable to hefty penalties.

Bruges does all it can to encourage you to park in one of the big car parks on the periphery of the city. The best solution is to go along with this, and walk the 1 km (half a mile) from the car parks to the city centre. However, it is possible to drive to your hotel and, indeed, to park close to the city centre, especially outside of the summer high season.

The canals of Bruges (and, to a lesser extent, those of Ghent) have always been a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This can be a nuisance in summer, so don’t forget your insect repellent. If you fear that mosquitoes will bother you, choose an air-conditioned hotel, where you can keep the windows shut.

Where there are public toilets in the cities, they are usually well run by caretakers, who ask for a contribution of about €0.30 for use of the facilities. Alternatively, use bar or café toilets – but, if you do so, behave like a customer and buy a drink or a coffee.

Bruges is very busy in summer. Tour coaches arrive in droves, and release their throngs at car parks in the southwest of the city to pour into the streets leading to the centre. One way of dealing with this is to stay several days, so you can see the city in its more tranquil moments. Another is to explore the quieter areas – just about anywhere but the southwest. Still another is to come at a different time of year (but Bruges can be busy year-round).

Monday is the day of rest for just about all the major museums and galleries – so it’s a good day for walking, shopping, visiting churches, or whatever else takes your fancy.

You can spot them a mile off: plastic-coated menus printed in at least four languages; waiters who solicit your custom at the door; an entirely foreign clientèle; and restaurant terraces that occupy the most desirable locations in the city centre. Don’t be tempted. The food in tourist restaurants is generally mediocre and poor value. Hunt a little further afield, or ask a local where to eat. The effort will be repaid.