Top Things to do in Belgian Westhoek
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What to do and see in Belgian Westhoek, Flanders: The Best Things to do
Discover the best top things to do in Belgian Westhoek, Belgium including Last Post ceremony, Menin Gate Memorial, In Flanders Fields Museum, Museum Paul Delvaux, De Panne Beach, Dumont Quarter, The Ganzepoot Locks, Nature Reserve of Westhoek, PlopsaLand De Panne, King Albert I Memorial.
Restaurants in Belgian Westhoek
1. Last Post ceremony
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,613 reviews
Reviewed By IainS768 - Bethesda, United Kingdom
Everything that has been written about this Ceremony is true,if you can possibly make the journey to Ieper then you must experience this very moving tribute carried out at 8.00pm every night. I had the honour of laying a Wreath recently and this experience ranks as one of the most emotional moments in my life and one that I was honoured to have taken part in. We owe a debt of gratitude to the thousands of people who gave their life’s so willingly in the name of freedom.
2. Menin Gate Memorial
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,861 reviews
Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin (Menen) and Courtrai (Kortrijk). The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927. Each night at 8 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.
Reviewed By naggedman - Newbury, United Kingdom
Anyone can apply to lay a wreath at one of the 8pm ceremonies that have run every night for 90 years at this extraordinary memorial, thanks to the dedication of the Town's volunteers, including the buglers who play Last Post and a version of Reveille. On this evening there were children and youths from about ten schools, alongside the Royal Artillery Association standard bearer, here to present the standard to the Town in recognition of its extraordinary efforts to remember the fallen. Arrive early if you want a close to the arch front row position.
3. In Flanders Fields Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,564 reviews
The Ypres region was the backdrop to on of the bloodiest battles in history, 100 years ago. Now the last witness have died too, the In Flanders Fields Museum is more than ever the gateway to the First World War in Flanders. The In Flanders Fields Museum confronts the visitor with the consequences of the Great War. Old and young are faced with life and death in the Ypres front region. The exhibition with touching video projects, unique sound fragments and the most up-to-date multimedia applications immerse you in the life at the front. each visitor also receives a poppy bracelet that enables him/her to discover four personal stories of 'Joe Public' in the Great War. By logging in you can meet your peers in the war, a century ago.
Reviewed By GemsNI - Armagh, United Kingdom
The In Flanders Fields Museum is housed in a beautiful historic building in the centre of the main square. Ypres was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in First World War in Flanders and the exhibitions show how the battle progressed, how the soldiers survived in the trenches and the senselessness of death in battle. The In Flanders Fields Museum gives the visitor a Poppy bracelet to wear which allows you to interact with the exhibits and read more information - this allows you to immerse yourself in the exhibits and makes the experience more 'personal'. The living history videos with first hand accounts were excellent. I cried several times throughout the museum as it was so personal/real. A Must see museum- the more you immerse yourself into the exhibits, the more emotional it becomes.
4. Museum Paul Delvaux
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Reviewed By Sixtine96 - London, United Kingdom
We were fortunate to have one of the ladies working for the museum giving us insights on the frescoes Paul Delvaux created for the Périer House. Reproductions are part of a temporary exhibition. Fascinating story about the vision of an art lover, Mr Périer, immortalised with his wife and daughter on the frescoes. The Périer House is still in private hands. The museum gives you a good idea how the house looked after Delvaux finished his master piece. The permanent collection shows the artist’works from his early beginnings until 1989 when he stopped painting following the death of his wife and declining vision. Beautiful love story. Love defying time and old promises. Well laid out museum.
5. De Panne Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 747 reviews
Reviewed By GDlikes - Basingstoke, United Kingdom
Miles of clean sand running all the way up this coast. We tour in a motorhome so can't comment on parking as we walked to the beach from our camp site but there seems to be lots of parking available though. The beach is huge and has clearly marked out areas for different activities (sun bathing, kite surfing etc). We used the end with the (modern) statue of King Leopald. This section is dog-friendly all year (we visited in July). Popular with families as it has plenty of Life Guards, beach huts, free toilets and ice cream trollies! There's a good selection of restaurants and bars on the prom - all well-prepared for the prevailing winds with glass shelters and wind breaks. Likewise for the sun-worshippers amongst you, there are plenty of areas you can hire in the middle section of the beach that have built-in wind breaks. Not sure of the pricing as we didn't use them. Kids will love it here as there's a mad selection of quirky bikes, scooters and mini-quads for hire on the wide prom. There's a big wheel at the other end of the beach, a bouncy castle at the King Leopald end together with an old carousel. All in all, something for everyone and literally miles and miles of sand!
6. Dumont Quarter
7. The Ganzepoot Locks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43 reviews
Reviewed By chickandbeast - Southgate, Canada
Fascinating area for a picnic so much to see as watercraft of all description go thru the locks, nice way to spend an afternoon.
8. Nature Reserve of Westhoek
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 44 reviews
Reviewed By Isabelle09Belgium
Beautiful piece of nature! I visited this nature reserve with my parents when I was a child and visited it now with my own children. It still looks amazing! There are some panoramic view points with stunning views over the dunes. It's a very nice walk (we did the 10km trail) where you cross very different types of nature. But indeed, like other people already mentioned here, it's a real work out. Walking through the dunes is intensive! :-) Although there are a lot of trash bins along the way, there is only one point where there are toilets. This is difficult with children.
9. PlopsaLand De Panne
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,336 reviews
Reviewed By AlxTraveller - Brussels, Belgium
The park is great for small children as well as for teenagers and adults. You can find attractions for all tastes and ages. It is a great alternative to Disneyland in terms of price and attractions. If you intend to go more than once a year, it is even better to make a yearly subscription with which you have access to 3 Plopsa parks in Belgium and discounts to a lot of other attractions.
10. King Albert I Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 320 reviews
What does Nieuwpoort have in common with Namur, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Kortrijk and Bruges? In all of these cities you can find a statue of Albert I, the Soldier King. These bronze riders mark the way the German army invaded Belgium in 1914, up until Nieuwpoort where they came to a grinding halt. This was achieved through the power of seawater and the smart coordination of the sluices and locks. But water wasn't only an ally, it condemned Nieuwpoort to a crueler fate, the complete destruction of the city as first city at the front. A hundred years later the monument to King Albert I is a serene place in a beautiful landscape, surrounded by water. The ideal place to tell the story of the inundation. This happens in the hyper-modern visitor center 'Westfront Nieuwpoort' right under the 2500m² terrace of the monument, with a polyvalent inner circle and 3 exposition wings.
Reviewed By Hendrik3078 - Leuven, Belgium
you can visit the momument around, see also the Ganzepoot locks, see the momument for the British soldiers, see an WW2 bunker and visit the museum under the monument. There you can access the elevator to go on the monument and have a fantasic view on the Flemish Low countries, Nieuwpoort and the historical Yser valley.
