Kortrijk - Ypres - Battlefield of World War I - Bruges

Route: Ghent - Kortrijk - Ypres - Battlefield of World War I - Bruges - Ghent
Duration: 10 h
The first 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 .The last place of our tour will be the charming town of Bruges. Upon arrival, see why the entire historic center of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Go to the Lake of Love to see a calm oasis in the heart of the city. Marvel at the 13th-century Begijnhof,  covered in a carpet of daffodils in the spring. Continue to the quiet, paved square of Walplein, and stroll down the narrow Stoofstraat. See sights such as the 800-year-old St. John’s Hospital, and the imposing façade of the Church of Our Lady. Learn the history of the opulent palace of Gruuthuse, and walk alongside the banks of the Dijver Canal. Other highlights include the charming canal-side houses of the Rozenhoedkaai, the tiny square of the Huidenvettersplein, and the site of the 1st count’s castle on Castle Square. Then, enjoy  free hours for lunch and explore the city as you please. Taste some of the exclusive chocolates of Bruges and pop into some of the legendary lace shops. After we will return to Ghent.
Price: per person