The Battlefields of Belgium – Campaigns from WW1, WW2 & Waterloo
The Battlefields of Belgium – Campaigns from WW1, WW2 & Waterloo
The Battlefields of Belgium – Campaigns from WW1, WW2 & Waterloo
5 Days Starting and ending in Belgium
Visiting: Belgium, Waterloo, Mons, Ypres, Flanders, Walcheren, Knokke-Heist
Tour operator:
Tour code:
bww
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
0-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
A fascinating introduction to a wide range of military history and battlefields in Belgium from Waterloo to WWI to WWII. From Bruges we explore the field of Waterloo and jump 99 years to Mons in 1914 to look at the first and last shots of WWI. In Flanders we travel to Tyne Cot and war sites like the trenches at Hooge. We finish with the story of liberation in WWII, looking at places connected to the Allied liberation in September 1944. The amazing Liberation Museum sets the scene as we examine Operation Switchback, the Breskens Pocket and the battle for the Walcheren Island.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive In Belgium
Location: Belgium
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Olympia Hotel
Local departure by coach, then to Belgium for a four-night stay.
Day 2 : Waterloo & Mons
Location: Waterloo, Mons
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Olympia Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
We start with the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Beginning at the Waterloo Memorial Museum we look at the defeat of Napoleon by Wellington and Blücher. You also have time to climb the Lion Mound and see the stunning Waterloo panorama.
After lunch in Waterloo we travel the ninety-nine years from Waterloo to Mons and look at the opening shots of WWI. At Nimy Bridge we see where the first Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery in 1914 and then see the Mons War Museum. At St. Symphorien we see a unique and moving cemetery where the dead of both sides are buried and in the British plots this includes the ‘first and the last’ Commonwealth casualties of the Great War.
Day 3 : Flanders & Ypres
Location: Ypres, Flanders
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Olympia Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we travel to Flanders and look at the four years of conflict around Ypres between 1914 and 1918. We visit the largest British and Commonwealth cemetery in the world at Tyne Cot and examine the battles for Ypres.
At the Sanctuary Wood Trench Museum we see a system of preserved WWI trenches and then have lunch at Hooge, together with time to visit the museum. In the grounds of the Hooge Château we visit some mine craters from 1916 and then travel down the Messines Ridge to the visitors' centre before seeing the Memorial to the Missing at Ploegsteert.
We end the day by travelling into Ypres for free time to explore before we attend the moving Last Post Ceremony which is held at 8pm every evening.
Day 4 : Knocke-Heist & Walcheren Island
Location: Walcheren, Knokke-Heist
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Olympia Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Moving on to the Second World War we look at the liberation of Belgium in September 1944. At the For Freedom Museum in Knocke-Heist we see an amazing collection of life-size dioramas depicting the fighting in this region.
We then travel into the Breskens Pocket to see where the Canadians landed on the coast. After lunch we look at the battle for the Walcheren Island in November 1944 when commandos landed on the coast and the Canadians attacked from Antwerp. We see the Sherman Tank Memorial overlooking the landing beaches and also visit the war graves in Bergen op Zoom.
Day 5 : Return Home
Location: Belgium
Meals Included: Breakfast
Return home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
As detailed in the itinerary
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Additional Services
Travel from a wide range of convenient joining points across the UK is included within your coach holiday price; some carry a supplement. Please contact us for our full list of joining points.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
This trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point
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Fully Guided
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International Travel
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Meals
As detailed in the itinerary
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Transport
Comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach
What's Not Included
Accommodation
You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Olympia Hotel in Bruges.
Check out our Q&As
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Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
On Leger Coach Holidays, your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full.
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown
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What type of coach will be used?
You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
Low
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Fully escorted by our experienced drivers/crews. And in most towns and cities we either include or offer optional sightseeing tours with expert local guides to help you get the most from your visits.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
Reviews of this operator
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.