There are many nice shops and cafes in the heart of Leuven. Some of which are less easy to find, but certainly worth your while. Here are a few places you should definitely check out during the course of your stay here.

Most of the quirky shops can be found around Parijsstraat and Mechelsestraat, and to a lesser degree around Brusselsestraat and Diestsestraat, close to the train station.

There are many little coffee shops, cafes in the centre and places where you are able to get a coffee-to-go. Such places were not very common in Belgium in the past, but they are now on the rise. My absolute favourite place to get a nice cuppa is 'De Dry Coppen', which literally means 'the three heads', located in the Schrijnmakerstraat 11. It is a bookshop/cafe, with a wide variety of coffees, teas, smoothies and fresh pastry. The atmosphere is nice and cosy and the owner told me the whole idea was to create "a home away from home". You can look through the books while enjoying their famed Mexican coffee, with cinnamon and steamed milk, which is my personal favourite as well. They have a nice selection of English novels and Lonely Planet travel guides. They open at 10am and close at 7pm. Since it has become very popular it gets very busy very fast, so the best times to go there are before noon and around 6pm.

Now that you've enjoyed some delicious caffeine it's time to do some serious shopping. There is a cute little vintage shop called 'Hippo' on Parijsstraat 27. You can find the most amazing selection of jewellery and vintage clothes there, while there are also some new pieces from brands such as 'King Louie'. It is not a cheap place, but the unique and quirky treasures the store has to offer are certainly worth the price. A little bit further up Parijsstraat at number 13 you will find 'Abattoir Rouge', a small boutique with beautiful clothes. It is also a bit more expensive, but you can get hold of rare pieces and quality clothes in return. Particularly during sales in January and July you can find reasonable priced must-have items.

So, now that we've burned some calories shopping it's time to recharge ourselves at 'Koffie Onan', Parijsstraat 28. They have a large selection of specialty coffees and teas, but are most famous for their delicious hot chocolate. There are many kinds of chocolate you can choose from, some infused with herbs like jasmine and ginger, and you can also have it as thick or as fluid as you prefer. Check out their pastries as well, delicious and fresh!

Now that we have decorated ourselves, it's time to look for something nice to spice up your room. The place to be is 'Saha', located at Pensstraat 1, which has many cheap trinkets, jewellery, furniture and other accessories in the back. The front part of the shop is dedicated to Mediterranean inspired food, with a dash of India, from olives to tsatsiki to dried fruit to Turkish delight. The owners particularly recommend trying the Moroccan cookies for dessert, and I personally am in love with their hummus and freshly made pesto. They also sell Turkish bread, which is absolutely lovely with some sun-dried tomatoes and black olive tapenade. Oh, and have I mentioned they're cheap? They buy their items directly from merchants in Marocco, which makes it possible to keep the prices low.

Finally, a very expensive but unique shop to check out is 'Profiel' on Mechelsetraat 37, where you are greeted by a large colourful carriage at the entrance. They have designer clothes, mixed with vintage elements which will make your mouth water and lighten your purse. An absolute must-see in Leuven!

Afterwards, you can enjoy a nice and refreshing sangria at 'Villa Ernesto', Mechelsetraat 51, which is a bar where many Erasmus and international students meet up.

Of course, there are many more quirky, cool places to go, but I'll leave those for you to find out yourselves. Enjoy!