Fred. Holidays Rail Journeys From Flanders Fields to Flemish Feasts

THE BEST OF BELGIAN RAIL JOURNEYS

“There is so much more to Flanders than beer –but it does have some of the best in the world!”

Sally Hauser, Product Manager

Ypres & Flanders Fields Battlefields

by Rail

“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row”

– John McCrae “In Flanders Fields”

This trip to the Flanders Fields region of Belgium combines a stay in the famous city of Ypres, with visits to some of the most poignant sites of WWI remembrance. You’ll learn about life in the trenches, visit some of the beautifully preserved cemeteries in the region to pay your respects to the fallen soldiers of the First World War and hear in-depth accounts from our local Battlefields guide.

Daily Departures Available

3 nights from £549 pp

Itinerary:

Day 1 - London To Ypres

Depart London St Pancras by rail and head to Ypres where you will stay for 3 nights. Ypres has a fascinating and poignant war-time history, but is also an impressive Belgian city, with charming squares, architecture and café culture, a lovely place to spend a short break.

Day 2 - North Salient Battlefields Tour

Today you’ll embark on a fully-guided half day tour of the North Salient, visiting several battlegrounds and memorials including Essex Farm – where John McCrae wrote the well-known poem “In Flanders Fields” and the site of the Advanced Dressing Station. You’ll take in Pilckem Ridge (Gas Attack 1915), Langemark German Cemetery, Vancouver Corner and The Brooding Soldier Memorial, New Zealand War Memorial Gravenstafel, Tyne Cot Cemetery (The Third Battle of Ypres aka Passchendaele) and final stop on the tour is Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood) Museum with trenches (entrance fee included), returning back to Ypres via Hellfire Corner.

Day 3 - South Salient Battlefields Tour

Your second included tour will cover the South Salient. The Battle of Messines was launched on 7th June 1917 with the detonation of 19 underground mines (1 million pounds of explosives) beneath the German lines on Messines/Wytschaete Ridge, a natural stronghold. Today’s tour will take you to: Bayernwald German Trenches, Spanbroekmolen – Lone Tree Crater/Pool of Peace, The Christmas Truce 1914, Hyde Park Corner Memorial &

Cemetery (Plugstreet), Island of Ireland Peace Park, New Zealand Memorial and final stop on the tour Messines Ridge British Cemetery (recent burials).

(Battlefield tours are operated by a local tour guide using an 8-seater minibus)

Day 4 - Return to London

Return to London by rail.

What’s included:

• Return rail to and from Ypres in Standard Class from London

• 3-nights 4-star accommodation in Ypres with breakfast

• 2 half-day fully-guided Battlefields Tours

Enhance your experience: Upgrade your hotel room & rail

Sit back, relax and let the train take you to some of Flanders’ charming cities for a quick and easy you can easily tailor your trip to combine several ports of call. Visit November to January to soak

Brussels City Break By Rail

Brussels’ Grand Place is the central point of this busy and cosmopolitan city, surrounded by ornate 17th-century façades on the guild houses that line its edge with bustling cafés nestled beneath. The city still has cobblestone alleyways to explore, or venture further afield to the fascinating Atomium.

Enhance your experience:

• Upgrade Eurostar to Standard Premier from £140 per person

• Upgrade your hotel room

What’s included:

• Return Eurostar to and from Brussels in Standard Class from London

• 3 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Brussels with breakfast

Bruges City Break By Rail

Bruges makes for a charming visit, with a safe and relaxed atmosphere and an Old Town with UNESCO World Heritage Site status - it is one of the bestpreserved medieval towns in Europe.

Enhance your experience:

• Upgrade Eurostar to Standard Premier from £150 per person

• Upgrade your hotel room

What’s included:

• Return rail to and from Bruges in Standard Class from London

• 3 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Bruges with breakfast

Price is based on two adults sharing a room departing London St Pancras on 8th October 2023 (daily departure dates are available on request).

Daily Departures Available

easy break by rail. Being a small and easily accessible country with a comprehensive rail network, soak up the festive, cosy atmosphere and enjoy great food and drink in the most charming settings.

Ghent City Break By Rail

Europe’s best kept secret, Ghent has a lively outlook. East Flanders’ largest city, has cultivated a trendy vibe, whilst retaining its medieval charm.

Enhance your experience:

• Upgrade Eurostar to Standard Premier from £140 per person

• Upgrade your hotel room

What’s included:

• Return rail to and from Ghent in Standard Class from London

• 3 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Ghent with breakfast

Antwerp City Break By Rail

As well as being the diamond capital of the world Antwerp is home of Peter Paul Rubens. Antwerp has a delightful historical central area, with narrow streets where you will find stylish shops and a vibrant café culture.

Enhance your experience:

• Upgrade Eurostar to Standard Premier from £150 per person

• Upgrade your hotel room

What’s included:

• Return rail to and from Antwerp in Standard Class from London

• 3 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Antwerp with breakfast

Belgian Beer & Feasts of Flanders

You probably don’t realise how many of the delicious treats we enjoy in the UK come from the region of Flanders in Belgium! And you can explore them all on this week-long tour starting in Ostend in the centre of Belgium’s 65km/40 mile-long coastline before travelling on to the lesser-visited but charming cities of Mechelen and Leuven, just outside Brussels.

Daily Departures Available

7 nights from £939 pp

Itinerary:

Day 1 - London to Ostend

Depart London St Pancras on the Eurostar and change trains at Brussels Midi for an easy onward journey to Ostend. Day 2 - Ostend

You’ll have a full day to enjoy the seaside resort at your leisure. There is no better place to enjoy some grey shrimp croquettes or super fresh oysters than by the sea, and the Belgian coastline with wide sandy beaches is easily accessible if you wanted to venture further afield to resorts such as Blankenberge (30 minutes by train), or head inland to Bruges (10 minutes on the train).

Day 3 - Ostend to Mechelen

A short train journey today inland to Mechelen, just outside Brussels.

Day 4 - Mechelen

Mechelen is a lesser-known and quieter place to visit, where you can immerse yourself in a real concentration of heritage buildings such as the iconic St Rumbold’s Cathedral, Hof van Busleyden city museum housed in the former Burgundian city palace. Here you can wander cosy streets, quaint churches and beautiful baroque façades - without the crowds! If beer is your tipple, be sure to sample the famous ‘Gouden Carolus’ beer at the Het Anker Brewery. Also visit the unique historical framework of “De Vleeshalle”, an old market hall built in 1881 now host to a fantastic food market.

Day 5 - Mechelen to Leuven

Another short hop on the train to another smaller city, with open squares and narrow old town streets, Leuven has so much to offer travellers looking for an alternative to the hustle and bustle of the tourist hubs.

Day 6-7 - Leuven

With no less than 30 breweries in the area, Leuven is arguably the beer capital of the world! Home to the world-famous Stella Artois and the world’s longest bar, Leuven is the place to be(er)!

It’s not all about the beer though, you can combine a gastronomic dining experience at the Stella Artois Den Hoorn Brewery, or “HOP” Gastrobar; a dedicated beer brasserie with exquisite culinary offerings.

Day 8 - Leuven to London

Take your train from Leuven to Brussels and onwards back to London. A stop in Brussels is possible with your flexible ticket simply ask for more details to extend your stay.

What’s included:

• 2 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Ostend with breakfast

• 2 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Mechelen with breakfast

• 3 nights’ minimum 3-star accommodation in Leuven with breakfast

• Standard Class rail for the duration of your trip

Price