HomeTravel guidesBelgium

Ypres (also know as Ieper) Travel Guide 

Located in West Flanders, Belgium, Ypres is best known for its part in World War 1.

As you would expect from a town located from a town once at the forefront of the war, a large proportion of Ypres current income comes from battlefield tours from tourists wanting to pay their respects to fallen soldiers.

Having undergone serve damage during the war, Ypres had to be totally rebuilt. With both German and Allied troops having fought fiercely in the Ypres Salient (a salient is the area that extends into enemy territory and surrounded on three sides) many lives where lost, and now a number of good museums and memorials have been built.

Ypres also became famous for being the place where the Germans used poison gas as a weapon for the first time on the Western Front during the Second Battle of Ypres (22nd April - 25 May 1915). 

After the war Ypres was rebuilt using the reparations paid by the Germans with the main square, Cloth Hall and the town hall all being restored to their original state. Cloth Hall is now home to the In Flanders Museum which illustrates Ypres role in the First World War.

Travelling to Ypres

Travelling to Flanders from the UK is easy with DFDS Seaways. After taking the ferry to France from Dover, it's less then an hours drive from Dunkirk's port to Ypres. If travelling from the North of England, you can avoid the long drive south and travel onboard our cruise ferries from Newcastle to Holland, and make the journey into France from Amsterdam.

Things to do and see in Ypres

The WW1 Menin Gate memorial

Menin Gate

The Menin Gate memorial contains the names of all the British and Commonwealth soldiers that died in the Ypres Salient before 16th August 1917

In Flanders Fields Museum

Located inside the Cloth Hall in the Grote Market, it only costs €8. The In Flanders Museum portrays a very real and graphic picture of life on the front line for soldiers during the war, using a mixture of old relics and new multimedia to keep everyone interested.

Sanctuary Wood (Hill 62)

One of the few places that still preserves the original trenches of the war. With a number of relics and items of interest found close to the entrance of the trench, you can see first hand what troops had to endure to defend their country

Messines Historical Museum

This museum contains a small collection of weapons, uniforms and photography, and has an exhibition on the history of Messines and the abbey

choose date
Book now

Travel to Flanders with DFDS Seaways

Ferry to France

Travelling to Flanders from the UK is easy with DFDS Seaways. Just take the ferry from Dover to France and make the short journey into the Flanders region. Alternatively if travelling from the North of England, avoid the long drive south by taking a cruise ferry from Newcastle to Holland and then make your way to Flanders from Amsterdam.

Dover - France

Our Cross-Channel ferries can get you into France from Dover in under 2 hours. With Dunkirk’s direct links to the A16 and A25 motorways, you can quickly be on the road and on your way to Bruge, Antwerp, Brussels or Leuven.

Dover - Dunkirk

Newcastle - Amsterdam

If departing from the North of England or Scotland, you can reduce your journey by 200 miles by taking a relaxing ferry cruise to Amsterdam. From here you can drive to the region of Flanders as well as many other European towns and cities.

Newcastle – Amsterdam