Ghent
Ghent © Belgium Tourism
Ghent is an old medieval city that has long been overshadowed by Bruges, but holds many attractions for the visitor and has the advantage of having far fewer tourists. It was once the heart of the cloth trade and the largest medieval city in Europe after Paris. Today the old centre has many historic buildings including St Bavo's Cathedral, the Castle of the Counts, a turreted castle with a moat, a bell tower for great views, the Town Hall and the 15th-century Cloth Hall.



Excursions

Flanders Battlefield Tours

During World War I, the medieval town of Ypres in the Flanders region of Belgium was the epicentre of fighting on the Western Front, with the Allied army suffering its heaviest losses in history. Flanders Battlefield Tours, run by an informed, sensitive and knowledgeable group of Great War scholars, ensure that the memory of that 'lost generation' is preserved and respected. The tour has been roundly celebrated for the vividness of the battle accounts it gives - much of the information is supplemented by personal artefacts, such as old maps, photographs, diary extracts and poems - and visitors are sure to be awed, spending time in areas where on average every square metre of earth witnessed the death of 35 young men. A solemn, moving and important experience, Flanders Battlefield Tours have been described by travellers as 'the best of [their] kind in Europe'.

Address: Slachthuisstraat 58, Ypres; E-mail: info@ypres-fbt.com; Website: www.ypres-fbt.com; Telephone: (057) 460 360; Opening time: Advance reservations highly recommended – check website for details; Admission: €30 (standard tour, includes museum admission)

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