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Discover the culinary and liquid delights of Northern Jutland.

If there is any truth to the expression: "The first bite is with the eye" - then Aalborg in Northern Jutland must have coined the term.

A visit to this wonderful city, often referred to as the "The Little Paris of the North" will reveal why it is thought of as the city that never sleeps. And for those who want to stay on the go well into the night there are a number of eateries and bars to suit everyone's style and budget.

In fact, Aalborg is a quirky and chic city with more restaurants and bars per inhabitant than any other town in Denmark. Jomfru Ane Gade is the area where you will find the longest continuous stretch of restaurants, pubs cafes and bars - and the perfect place to explore with Thursday's being the day when all drinks are reduced to get the weekend off to a bang!

Foodie delights in Aalborg

With the Culinary Institute of Denmark based in Aalborg, you'd expect the city to be a national focal point of gastronomy and the Institute takes great pride in offering opportunities to learn, develop and research food and food culture for professionals. It's somewhat surprising then, that at present, the Michelin guide only evaluates restaurants in Copenhagen, which means that several gourmet restaurants in the city which are truly amazing gastronomic experiences can't be taken into consideration.

Don't let that put you off, however. Restaurants in Aalborg are a joy to discover with a range of national and international dishes to tempt the palate and please the eye.

For those who like to indulge, Mortens Kro is the most famous restaurant in Aalborg. Managed and owned by Denmark's answer to Gordon Ramsey, Morten Nielsen, who has been voted Chef of the Year, is famous for serving up gourmet food on and off the television.

The cool interior and exterior of the restaurant has made it the favourite haunt of the glamorous and famous and chef Neilson himself has become a celebrity in his own right serving up a host of national and international dishes with the Morten's Kro touch. For more information, visit www.mortenskro.com

Gourmet visitors should also visit Ruth's Hotel in Skagen, which is situated 50km from Aalborg. Located in the dunes of Old Skagen the hotel sits just by the beach and houses Ruth's Gourmet Restaurant or The Brasserie. Run by renowned Michelin star chef Michel Michaud, who has headed up a number of well renowned kitchens throughout the world, the kitchen aims to create innovative and exciting dishes in one of the most breathtaking landcapes around. Whether you enjoy them on the beach on in the restaurant, the choice is entirely yours. For more information, visit www.ruthshotel.dk

For those who are interested in adventure, then a visit to Elbjørn is a must. Elbjørn is an old ice-breaking vessel and now serves as the first restaurant, bar, museum, shop and workshop. The restaurant serves a host of seasonal delicacies from land and sea and the Aquavit Lounge offers amazing views whilst you enjoy a glass of Aalborg's own Aquavit and a number of taster plates. The Aquavit Lounge also holds Denmark's only floating glassworks where you can choose to create your own art, or buy a piece to remind you of your amazing seafaring experience! For more information, visit www.isbyderen-elbjorn.dk

Alternately, if you are one of life's grazers then visit Café Pingvin which offers the best Tapas in Aalborg. Inspiration comes from all over Scandinavia, Central Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia. For more information, visit www.cafepingvin.dk

For an unforgettable experience, visit Dues Vinkælder - located in one of Aalborg's most famous buildings - Jens Bang’s House. Jens Bang, a trader, sure knew how to live and created this fabulous property in 1624 to cock a snook at the councillors of the town. It now houses a chemist shop as well as the famous wine cellar where visitors can enjoy a traditional and authentic Danish lunch - such as herring and Aquavit or why not try a Herring Dog instead?!

Aalborg is also home to the unique Rosdahl's house of gastronomy where you can enjoy a number of dishes whilst watching the chefs create their masterpieces in the open kitchen. For more information, visit www.rosdahls.dk

For irresistible souvenirs, head to Pennylane - an amazing small family-owned specialty shop stocking their own marmalade, bread and cakes - all created using secret family recipes - as well as specialties from the isle of Læsø (well known for its spicy salts) and charcuterie from the famous butcher Slagter Munch in Skagen which supplies the whole of Denmark with fresh and cured meats. For more information, visit www.pennylanevin.dk

Liquid refreshment

A visit to Aalborg would be incomplete without a chance to sample Aquavit, which hails from the city. This clear potent spirit known widely as Schnapps has been created here since 1881, and you can now go on a guided tour of V & S Distillers, visit the Schnapps Museum and taste all 17 varieties of Aalborg Aquavit. Today V & S Distillers (established in the 19th Century) is the largest producer and exporter of Aquavit and suppliers over 140 markets. This autumn, V & S Distillers will open a new visitors centre in the distillery, which will provide Northern Jutland with a new tourist attraction, allowing visitors to learn the noble art of making Aquavit and Bitters for themselves! For more information, visit www.distillers.dk/uk

For seasoned beer drinkers, Carlsberg is not the necessarily the best lager in the world. The newest arrival on the Aalborg beer scene is Søgaards Bryghus - a microbrewery in the oldest and more historic part of the city. Claus Søgaard, a former butcher, was so passionate about the drink that he has developed his own label and the brewery offers a number of home brewed beers and ales - including a Christmas brew.

Søgaard has also created a restaurant where diners can watch the brewing process whilst enjoying their meal and follow it with a guided tour by the brewmeister himself. There is also a butcher's shop where you can purchase many of the house's beers along with juicy steaks, salami and cold cuts of meat. For more information, visit www.soegaardsbryghus.dk

Whatever your taste buds desire, a visit to Aalborg will cater for your every culinary mood and need!