Ypres: Battles in Flanders Fields
4 - 5 days from £549pp
About the tour: Ypres: Battles in Flanders Fields
Tour Introduction
Travel with us to Ypres, the main British battlefield of the First World War, and stay right in the heart of the city, close to the Menin Gate. This fascinating tour explores key WW1 sites and memorials, including Tyne Cot Cemetery, The Bluff, and Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater, as well as Essex Farm where John McCrae wrote the world-famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ in 1915.
Tour Includes
- 3 or 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
(Deposits from £150pp)
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then on to Ypres where we stay in the centre for three nights.
Day 2 - Passchendaele & In Flanders Fields Museum
More than 250,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers died at Ypres during the First World War, and we begin our visit by driving up the iconic Menin Road via Hell Fire Corner out onto the ground where the fighting took place.
We explore where Scottish troops fought in 1914 at Black Watch Corner and visit the impressive memorial, walk into Polygon Wood, and see an original German bunker, the nearby cemetery, and the Australian and New Zealand Memorials.
At Tyne Cot Cemetery, we see the largest British and Commonwealth Cemetery in the world, and then examine one of the most controversial battles of the conflict: Passchendaele. We see the Canadian Memorial and ground around the village where the fighting occurred in 1917.
After lunch at Hooge, we visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, one of the most important WW1 museums in the world.
We return to the battlefields and see Essex Farm where John McCrae wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ in 1915, and end at Yorkshire Trench, a preserved British front-line trench found in archaeological work here during in the early 2000s.
In the evening, you have time to attend the moving Last Post Ceremony, just a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Yorkshire Trench (8)
Key Visits
- Tyne Cot Cemetery
- Polygon Wood Cemetery
- Last Post Ceremony
- In Flanders Fields Museum
- Yorkshire Trench
- Passchendaele Village
- Black Watch Corner Memorial
Day 3 - The War Underground & Messines Ridge
We start this morning at the so-called Aristocrat’s Cemetery at Zillebeke where officers were buried in 1914, many of them from titled families. We then look at the fighting for the key position at Hill 60, examining the War underground and seeing preserved mine craters and bunkers.
We then visit The Bluff; located alongside the old Ypres canal, this was also an area of mine warfare and heavy fighting, and here we see impressive mine craters and the visitors’ centre.
After lunchtime at Hooge Crater Café, with time for the excellent museum and reconstructed trenches, we travel down the Messines Ridge and have an included visit to the German trench system at Bayernwald, a place where Adolf Hitler fought in 1914.
Later, we see the Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater, now the ‘Pool of Peace’, and end at Ploegsteert, or ‘Plugstreet’, where we visit the Ploegsteert Memorial and discuss the story of the Christmas truce in 1914.
Included meals: Breakfast
Bayernwald Trenches (7)
Key Visits
- Ploegsteert
- Catepillar Crater
- Messines Ridge
- Ploegsteert Memorial
- Hill 60
- Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater
- Bayernwald Trenches
- Zillebeke Churchyard
- The Bluff
Day 4
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then on to Ypres where we stay in the centre for four nights.
Day 2 - Passchendaele & In Flanders Fields Museum
More than 250,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers died at Ypres during the First World War, and we begin our visit by driving up the iconic Menin Road via Hell Fire Corner out onto the ground where the fighting took place.
We explore where Scottish troops fought in 1914 at Black Watch Corner and visit the impressive memorial, walk into Polygon Wood, and see an original German bunker, the nearby cemetery, and the Australian and New Zealand Memorials.
At Tyne Cot Cemetery, we see the largest British and Commonwealth Cemetery in the world, and then examine one of the most controversial battles of the conflict: Passchendaele. We see the Canadian Memorial and ground around the village where the fighting occurred in 1917.
After lunch at Hooge, we visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, one of the most important WW1 museums in the world.
We return to the battlefields and see Essex Farm where John McCrae wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ in 1915, and end at Yorkshire Trench, a preserved British front-line trench found in archaeological work here during in the early 2000s.
In the evening, you have time to attend the moving Last Post Ceremony, just a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Tyne Cot (9)
Key Visits
- Tyne Cot
- Polygon Wood Cemetery
- Last Post Ceremony
- In Flanders Fields Museum
- Yorkshire Trench
- Essex Farm
- Passchendaele Village
- Black Watch Corner Memorial
Day 3 - The War Underground & Messines Ridge
We start this morning at the so-called Aristocrat’s Cemetery at Zillebeke where officers were buried in 1914, many of them from titled families. We then look at the fighting for the key position at Hill 60, examining the War underground and seeing preserved mine craters and bunkers.
We then visit The Bluff; located alongside the old Ypres canal, this was also an area of mine warfare and heavy fighting, and here we see impressive mine craters and the visitors’ centre.
After lunchtime at Hooge Crater Café, with time for the excellent museum and reconstructed trenches, we travel down the Messines Ridge and have an included visit to the German trench system at Bayernwald, a place where Adolf Hitler fought in 1914.
Later, we see the Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater, now the ‘Pool of Peace’, and end at Ploegsteert, or ‘Plugstreet’, where we visit the Ploegsteert Memorial and discuss the story of the Christmas truce in 1914.
Included meals: Breakfast
Bayernwald Trenches (7)
Key Visits
- Messines Ridge
- Bayernwald Trenches
- Ploegsteert
- Catepillar Crater
- Ploegsteert Memorial
- Hill 60
- Spanbroekmolen Crater
- Zillebeke Churchyard
- The Bluff
Day 4 - The Trench of Death & Behind the Lines
This morning, we depart for the Flanders coast and see the Nieuport Memorial to the Missing, looking at how British soldiers occupied the trenches here at the top end of the Western Front, alongside the beaches.
We look at the Belgian Army in Flanders, visiting Ramskapelle, and then the Trenches of Death, a whole system of front-line trenches preserved along the Yser Canal.
After lunchtime in central Dixmude, we visit the impressive German Cemetery at Vladslo, with sculptures by Käthe Kollwitz showing parents morning for their fallen son, just as she and her husband did when their son Peter died here in 1914.
We then examine life behind the lines in Flanders and visit the town of Poperinghe to look at the subject of men who were ‘Shot at Dawn’. We visit Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, one of the largest in Flanders, and here look at the story of women who served as nurses, and the role of the Chinese Labour Corps, also having time to see the visitor's centre.
Included meals: Breakfast
Vladslo German Cemetery (6)
Key Visits
- Nieuport Memorial to the Missing
- Poperinghe
- Trenches of Death
- Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
- Ramskapelle
- Vladslo German Cemetery
Day 5
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Novotel Ypres Centrum
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About the hotel
The Novotel Ypres Centrum is located in the heart of historic town of Ypres, just a short walk from the Menin Gate. The hotel makes the ideal base for exploring the rich military heritage of the area.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Executive Coach
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- Air conditioning
- Drinks machines
- Onboard toilet
- Reclining seats
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
Luxuria Coach
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Luxuria Features
- Deluxe armchair-style seats with leather exterior, central arm rests with cup holders and retractable calf rests give you a more comfortable journey.
- Every seat has its own, fully interactive, touch screen T.V. offering a wide choice of entertainment so you can control what you want to watch and when.
- There’s also a selection of double and single seats, including four seats face-to-face with tables. And with a total of 7 single seats available, these are ideal for passengers travelling independently.
- Plug sockets and USB points at each seat mean you can keep your devices fully charged throughout your journey.
- Onboard toilet.
Luxuria Seating Plan
Luxuria Virtual Tour
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.