Ghent - Kortrijk - Ypres - Battlefield of World War I

Route: Bruges - Ghent - Kortrijk - Ypres - Battlefield of World War I - Bruges
Duration: 9 h
The first stop of our tour will be at city Ghent  which in fact, most historians believe that Ghent’s historical name, ‘Ganda’, derives from the Celtic word ganda which means confluence. During the Middle Ages from 1000 to around 1550, Ghent was one of the richest and most important cities in Europe. Bigger than London, Ghent was once considered the second largest city north of the Alps, second only to Paris. As you walk around the city center, you’ll see the impact of the city’s rich past evidenced by the decorative and imposing architecture of its churches and the houses of rich traders. During this excursion we will walk along the pretty Graslei and Korenlei to admire the gables of the guild houses. You will see panoramic views of St. Nicolas' Church and medieval St. Bavo's Abbey, where you can see the "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by the Van Eyck brothers. Continue towards the Vrijdagsmarkt and admire the façade of the Town Hall. Encounter the 15th-century cannon of the Dulle Griet (“Evil Woman”), and then cross the Lys to enter the inner courtyard of the House of Alijn. Continue to Gravensteen Castle to take a look at the "Castle of the Counts" and end with a visit to the Old Fish Market. Nowhere else will you find so much history per square metre than in the historical heart of Ghent. The next stop of our tour will be at the city Kortrijk sits on the edge of the river Leie, and is known to have evolved from the Roman town of Cortoriacum and is filled with many beautiful examples of medieval architecture. It is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage listed sites, one being the béguinage and the other being the belfry.  A city walk will introduce you to the main monuments from Kortrijk's history. You visit the historical rooms at the town hall, with their magnificent fireplaces and wall paintings. At the Grote Markt you pause at the belfry, where Manten and Kalle strike the hour. A hundred metres further you enter an oasis of peace and tranquility right in the middle of the city centre: the unique St. Elisabeth Béguinage. You will walk through the winding cobbled streets between the little whitewashed houses. In the nearby 13th century Church of Our Lady with its lavish interior, you visit the fascinating Counts' chapel. Your visit ends at the majestic Broel Towers. Also you will visit to Boekenhuis Theoria (book shop)  located in a beautiful building that used to be a concert hall  Besides selling books they also have a study room, a kitchen for cooking demonstrations and a coffee shop selling coffee, tea and (vegan) cakes. The next stop will be at city Ypres  wich  was from  the middle thirteenth century, a principal centre of the cloth weaving trade and flourished so much that by 1260, it had a population of 40,000 people, with another 150,000 in the surrounding area. Most European nations had their agents and exchanges in Ypres. Between 1260 and 1304, its Drapers Guild built itself a Hall, later named Lakenhall or Cloth Hall, one of the largest and most beautiful secular monuments of the Middle Ages in Europe. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Ypres changed from a commercial centre to a fortress town, with its impressive fortifications along the ramparts constructed by Marshal Vauban. During the First World War, Ypres was largely reduced to rubble as the intense fighting formed a curve around the city - no less than five of the wars' bloodiest battles were fought in the Ypres Salient. This can be experienced in many of the local museums and historic sights such as the In Flanders Fields Museum which is located in the reconstructed Cloth Hall and tells the story of the First World War. Another essential sight to visit is the moving Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing. For beer lovers, the Kazematten Brewery is located in the same historic building where the First World War Wipers Times newspaper was once produced.  The ‘Kazematten van het Houten Paard’ (the casemates of the wooden horse) were built around 1680 following the plans of Vauban, the great military engineer of Louis XIV. These 3 unique basements are part of the 17th century walls surrounding the city Ypres. Next short stop will be at Battlefield of World War I . After we will return to Bruges.
Price: per person