48 hours in Ypres

Located right in the center of this city, the interactive In Flanders Fields Museum also presents the history and story of World War I in the Westhoek. The museum is located inside the rebuilt Cloth Hall of Ypres, a powerful symbol of both wartime devastation and resilience. You will be given a poppy bracelet that allows you to follow four different eye-witnesses to the war through the exhibition, using an audio guide. At the museum, children can follow a route designed specially for them. After climbing 231 more steps, you can then round off your visit from the top of the Belfry, with its view over the city and the surrounding battlefields.

Whatever we do, we'll draw our first day to a close under the mighty arches of the Menin Gate. Ever since 1928, the Last Post, a haunting tribute to all the soldiers who lost their lives during World War I, has sounded here every evening at 8 p.m. Inscribed on the Menin Gate are the names of more than 54,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died around Ypres. The monument is not just a gate, but a monument that bears the names of thousands of lives. All are welcome to attend the Last Post in a serene, subdued atmosphere.

In the 17th century, there were around thirty breweries and distilleries in Ypres and the surrounding area, but that number dropped dramatically after World War I. Today, we'll visit the historic Kazematten (casemates) at the Rijselpoort (Lille Gate). These stone vaults in the fortress wall were used as military shelters and even a printing workshop during World War I. It was there that British soldiers printed the satirical front magazine known as The Wipers Times. But now, we are visiting the Kazematten Brewery there, where beer brewing got under way again in 2014. Bart, your guide, will walk you through this unique heritage and will give an enthusiastic account of the history and the brewing process of the Wipers Times beers.