The First World War finally came to an end at eleven o’clock on the morning of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918. This fantastic tour takes us to the popular towns of Ypres and Bruges and will give you the opportunity to explore the poignant battlefield sites, museums and memorials dedicated to those who lost their lives.
NOVOTEL LEPER CENTRUM FLANDERS FIELDS HOTEL
This 3-star hotel provides an ideal base from which to explore the rich military heritage of the area, and is just a moment’s stroll from the Menin Gate and Grote Market. All 122 bedrooms are comfortably furnished with TV, hairdryer, tea/coffee making facilities, air conditioning and minibar
DAY ONE
This morning we begin our journey towards Dover for our afternoon crossing to Calais. We then continue to our hotel in Ypres Centre.
DAY TWO
This morning we embark upon a tour of the wartime sights surrounding Ypres itself. Our first stop is the largest and most famous of the British and Commonwealth Cemeteries, Tyne Cot
only a short distance away from the hotel. We then continue onto the Welsh memorial, unveiled in August 2014 to commemorate the services of men and women from Wales. We continue our Flanders tour by visiting Artillery Wood, the memorial ground of Welsh language poet, Hedd Wyn, who was killed near Ypres, during the Battle of Passchendaele in World War 1. He was
posthumously awarded the bard’s chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod
DAY THREE
Today is your free day in Ypres, you might like to visit the excellent ‘In Flanders Fields’ Museum, located in the Cloth Hall. This moving museum now makes use of the latest technology
in its portrayal of the history of the Great War. Or just explore the town at your own leisure with ample cafés, restaurants, and shops for you to choose from, to keep you entertained. This evening, we make our way to the Menin Gate, a memorial bearing the names of 54,389 soldiers who have no known grave. Here we join the enormously poignant ‘Last Post’ Ceremony, which takes place at 8.00pm every evening as a solemn act of remembrance
DAY FOUR
After breakfast, we make our way to Bruges. The picturesque market squares and stunning, winding canals all set to a backdrop of one of the most beautiful cities you can imagine,
is a perfect place for us to visit on a coach holiday. Lose yourself for a few hours on one of the canal boats as they take you through a real taste of history in this most preserved historic city
DAY FIVE
Sadly, it is time to depart and make our way home, we hope to arrive home early evening.
