Brussels: War Site Tours??

Junior D

Hi guys,

I've just booked a weekend break from 7th of November to the 10th (Friday-Monday) for my parents as its my dads birthday. My dad is a huge history fan, so I was wondering if anybody knew of any tours or anything of the like he could do while over there?

The only things I could find were out of season at the time of their trip

Thanks

munchkin_utd

if you hire a car then you could just spin about Ypres (Ieper) and visit the sites there.
Theres an irish graveyard just to the south or Ypres which was opened by the president and the queen a few years back.

spurious

There are a few organised ones, but hiring a car would probably be cheaper, though not necessarily as informative.
http://www.viator.com/tours/Brussels/Viator-Exclusive-Private-World-War-I-Battlefields-Tour-of-Flanders-from-Brussels/d458-6179FLANDERS

http://www.localbrusselstours.com/flanders-battlefields-world-war-i-tour_24248

http://www.viator.com/tours/Brussels/World-War-II-Battle-of-the-Bulge-Historic-Sites-Tour-from-Brussels/d458-2200BULGE

munchkin_utd

spurious wrote: »

There are a few organised ones, but hiring a car would probably be cheaper, though not necessarily as informative.<snip>

indeed, but as the OP says, those tours do not run over winter, or more specifically November when he/ she is visiting Brussels.
(NOTE: viator is only a re-seller of local tours getting a fee for selling the tour on the local companies behalf)

When does it run?
06 Apr - 11 Jul: Thursday & Sunday
12 Jul - 14 Sep: Thursday, Saturday & Sunday
15 Sep - 26 Oct: Thursday & Sunday

otnomart

Here is the list of guided tours from Ypres: http://www.toerisme-ieper.be/en/page/341-441-444/guided-tours.html
This exhibition will still be running in Brussels: http://www.expo14-18.be/en
They could also go to Liege (one hour train from Brussels) and visit these two exibitions: http://www.liegeexpo14-18.be/expo14-18/index.php/en/

coin

Junior D wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've just booked a weekend break from 7th of November to the 10th (Friday-Monday) for my parents as its my dads birthday. My dad is a huge history fan, so I was wondering if anybody knew of any tours or anything of the like he could do while over there?

The only things I could find were out of season at the time of their trip

Thanks

Was over last month for few day. We didn't get any formal tours as we were happy to do our own thing.
Went like this:
Day 1:Flew into Brussels, collected hire car and drove to Ypres. Visited the Flanders museum and the museum at passchendaele (I recommend both). We then visited Tyn Cot cemetry as well as artillery wood cemetry(where Francis Ledwidge is buried as well as EH Evans). Stayed in Ypres that night.
Day 2: drove to Cambrai, stopping first at Messines Ridge and Irish peace park. Highly recommended. You could also go to the New Zealand memorial near ploegstreet. The Irish memorial to the 16th Irish division which is also closeby.
Anyway: when we got to the Somme battlefields our main focus was at Thiepval (you can't miss it). However, the ulster and Connaught memorials are just beside it. However, I would almost insist on a visit to the Newfoundland memorial at Beaumont Hamel. You'll understand when you get there. We stayed in cambrai that night in the hotel beatus. The owner is a war historian which is a great bonus.
Day 3: changed direction up to Bastogne, visited couple of museums before heading out to Foy (where easy company were dug in at bois de Jacques) and followed the events there.
Day 4: visited the hurtgen forest region and Siegfried line. There is a good museum here at vossenack/lammersdorf if I recall correctly.
From here we drove back to Brussels. However on the way we had time to visit the Waterloo memorial and visitor centre. Again very easy to do as it's close to the airport.

Hope this might be of some benefit to you. Drop a PM if you want specific detail on anything.

keithclancy

Its a pity your not here this week, lots of stuff going on marking the anniversary of Operation Market Garden.