Getting Around

Getting Around

Traveling by train or bus is not feasible, since connections are slow and most sites are scattered around the countryside. Although many places of interest are centered around Ieper, you'll need a car to visit anywhere else. Tourist offices in all major towns can provide brochures with road maps.

Great Itineraries

If You Have 1 Day

If you only have a day in the area, you should focus on Ieper and its surroundings. A visit to the In Flanders Fields Museum is the perfect introduction to this region's history. Take a walk through the city, lingering in the Grote Markt to view the Belfort, the Town Hall, and the nearby St. Martin's Cathedral. Don't forget to visit St. George's Memorial Church before heading for Zillebeke to see the remaining craters and trenches at Kasteelhof 't Hooge. Your next stop should be the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 in the center of Zonnebeke and the breathtaking Tyne Cot cemetery in Passendale. If you have time, visit some other cemeteries in the area—but be sure to get back to the Menin gate in Ieper by 8 PM to witness the Last Post.

If You Have 2 Days

Follow the itinerary on the first day and spend the night in Ieper. On the second day, go a little farther afield, visiting Talbot House in Poperinge and the war memorials in Diksmuide, such as the IJzertoren and the Dodengang. From there, if you have time, you might wind down by heading for the coast (a 15-km [9-mi] drive). You might also visit the city of Kortrijk, which contains the Groeningeabdij Museum with its reminders of still older battles.

On Foot

If you limit your visit to Ieper and its immediate surroundings, you'll just need good walking shoes or a bike. The tourist office (in Ieper's Lakenhallen) will be happy to get you started on one of the many walking tours in the area.