Top Things to do in Ieper (Ypres)
Top Restaurants in Ieper (Ypres)
The 10 Best Things to do Good for Couples in Ieper (Ypres), Flanders
An ancient city in the Flemish province of West Flanders, Ieper (as it’s known in the Flemish tongue) has enjoyed financial and cultural status since the 12th century. Today, visitors can check out remnants of its impressive past, including ramparts that date back to 1385 and an historic moat, which now is a haven for wildlife. Ieper found itself in the middle of World War I and suffered tremendous damage to all of its buildings, but has been both reconstructed in its medieval style and built up with modern structures.
Restaurants in Ieper (Ypres)
1. Flanders Battlefield Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,014 reviews
Flanders Battlefield Tour is well known for organising both, daily tours of the Ypres Salient and the Somme amongst other Western Front areas. Run by Jacques Ryckebosch and Genevra Charsley both are extremely passionate about the First World War. Prior to Flanders Battlefield Tour Jacques curated for many years at Talbot House (TOC H as it was known by the soldiers/veterans) meeting and becoming good friends with First World War veterans. Genevra Charsley has been a member of the Western Front Association since 1997 and assisting with the Poppy Parade on Armistice in Ieper (Ypres) since 1997, both are associate members of the Guild of Battlefield Guides and both have featured on BBC television and international television. Our guides all come highly recommended and are as equally passionate about the First World War, residing within the Ypres Salient they are always well informed and involved about the latest discoveries and development..
2. Frontline Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 252 reviews
We invite you to join us in the comfort of our air-conditioned Mercedes minibus, for an interesting, informative and unforgettable journey through Flanders Fields and its amazing history.
3. Last Post ceremony
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,613 reviews
Reviewed By IainS768 - Bethesda, United Kingdom
Everything that has been written about this Ceremony is true,if you can possibly make the journey to Ieper then you must experience this very moving tribute carried out at 8.00pm every night. I had the honour of laying a Wreath recently and this experience ranks as one of the most emotional moments in my life and one that I was honoured to have taken part in. We owe a debt of gratitude to the thousands of people who gave their life’s so willingly in the name of freedom.
4. Menin Gate Memorial
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,861 reviews
Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin (Menen) and Courtrai (Kortrijk). The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927. Each night at 8 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.
Reviewed By naggedman - Newbury, United Kingdom
Anyone can apply to lay a wreath at one of the 8pm ceremonies that have run every night for 90 years at this extraordinary memorial, thanks to the dedication of the Town's volunteers, including the buglers who play Last Post and a version of Reveille. On this evening there were children and youths from about ten schools, alongside the Royal Artillery Association standard bearer, here to present the standard to the Town in recognition of its extraordinary efforts to remember the fallen. Arrive early if you want a close to the arch front row position.
5. The Bluff Crater
6. In Flanders Fields Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,564 reviews
The Ypres region was the backdrop to on of the bloodiest battles in history, 100 years ago. Now the last witness have died too, the In Flanders Fields Museum is more than ever the gateway to the First World War in Flanders. The In Flanders Fields Museum confronts the visitor with the consequences of the Great War. Old and young are faced with life and death in the Ypres front region. The exhibition with touching video projects, unique sound fragments and the most up-to-date multimedia applications immerse you in the life at the front. each visitor also receives a poppy bracelet that enables him/her to discover four personal stories of 'Joe Public' in the Great War. By logging in you can meet your peers in the war, a century ago.
Reviewed By GemsNI - Armagh, United Kingdom
The In Flanders Fields Museum is housed in a beautiful historic building in the centre of the main square. Ypres was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in First World War in Flanders and the exhibitions show how the battle progressed, how the soldiers survived in the trenches and the senselessness of death in battle. The In Flanders Fields Museum gives the visitor a Poppy bracelet to wear which allows you to interact with the exhibits and read more information - this allows you to immerse yourself in the exhibits and makes the experience more 'personal'. The living history videos with first hand accounts were excellent. I cried several times throughout the museum as it was so personal/real. A Must see museum- the more you immerse yourself into the exhibits, the more emotional it becomes.
7. Hooge Crater Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 742 reviews
Full scale reconstructions of war scenes, an extended collection of weapons, war equipment and photos make this museum to a true must-see!The chapel, in which the museum is located, dates back from the early twenties. This chapel was built directly across the Hooge Crater cemetery in memory of the many fallen soldiers on the battle fields of ‘Hooge’ over a period of 4 years. Rare military clothing of the troops, that where fighting in the ‘Ypres Salient’ (Ieperboog) are exposed in glass displays. Also you can see some full scale scenes of the Great War battle fields, very authentically reproduced. The theme of the scenes is very divers: German bunkers, British trenches and full scale horses with cavalry troops on their backs.
Reviewed By TopTraveller18 - Four Marks, United Kingdom
Hooge Crater Museum is an interesting and informative museum, which really helped me understand some of the features of the warfare in World War One. There were many visual elements to the museum, with plenty of artefacts and objects that helped explain the key features of the warfare. The museum was a lovely tribute to those who had died and served in the war. There is a café and also a small gift shop, where, amongst other things, bullets found in nearby battlefields can be bought for a very reasonable price. The museum is well kept and a must - go if you are in the area.
8. Belfry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 144 reviews
Reviewed By stewartc640 - Chatham, United Kingdom
We visited the Cloth Hall Belfry as part of a visit to the ‘In Flanders Fields’ museum and indeed entrance to the belfry is directly from this museum. The belfry is reached via a set of spiral staircases in a tower which brings the visit to a large room with a metal spiral staircase winding up to the belfry itself. Note that a visit here may not be either for those with mobility issues or a fear of heights and indeed two of our party decided not to complete the trip to the top. On reaching the belfry the visit can see all of the bells hanging on a large metal frame with both the larger bells for ringing rounds and striking the hours and their smaller counterparts which sound the chimes on the quarter and half hours. Bearing in mind that the bells chime the quarter hours, visitors should be aware of the time when they enter the belfry. We were present when the clock struck the hour and it is very loud mitigated by fingers in the ears There a are some headphone sets in the belfry itself and these seemed to be playing recordings of other bell towers chiming when I tried them. However, presumably these could be used as ear defenders when the bells chime. From here, the visitor takes to the roof of the Cloth Hall tower and gets some impressive elevated views of both Ypres and the surrounding area. Strategically positioned plaques point out places of interest that may be seen from the top of the tower, such as Tyne Cot cemetery and the direction of the village at Passchendaele. It is possible to get some fine photographs from this vantage point particularly if you have the opportunity for ‘panoramic’ shots.t The return trip back to the museum is made via a separate set of spiral staircases, the whole tour route is on a ‘one way’ system. I was very pleased to have taken the opportunity to climb to the top of the tower and would thoroughly recommend it to other visitors to Ypres if you can.
9. Market Square
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 930 reviews
Reviewed By randymO6999HY - Calgary, Canada
One of the greatest rebuilds I have ever seen. The Market Square, including the Cloth Hall, were masterfully rebuilt. Great market on the days its offered - can't remember which days.
10. Sanctuary Wood
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 731 reviews
Reviewed By PatriciaG147 - Worcester, United Kingdom
Poignant and atmospheric, Sanctuary Wood will stay in my memory forever. Original trenches, original shell craters, old shells, bones, rolls of rusty old barbed wire - even some of the original blasted tree stumps that were standing in 1915, now bearing moving tributes from visitors over the years. You really feel the spirit of those who fought and died here, many of them buried in nrarby cemeteries. Inside the museum is an extraordinary archive of photographic material and other items. At the end of your visit you can pause to reflect over a coffee in the museum tearoom. Not to be missed
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