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MEDIEVAL BELGIUM 4 days / 3 nights - Tuesday to Friday Just across the English Channel lies the ancient land of Flanders. You can also spend time looking around a flea market, visiting an art gallery, or just sitting on a cafe terrace watching the world go by and sampling the world famous beer and chocolate! DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR YEAR 2008
Cost: $1059 USD per person in a twin share room. Single $1339 USD single occupancy What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 3 nights while on the tour including continental breakfasts and dinners. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, return rail on the Eurostar from London to Lille, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide. Airport transfers and accommodation pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved at a specially discounted price. Want to upgrade your tour package to include international airfare? Click here for info.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY DAY ONE - Tuesday You depart London on the Eurostar and are met by your Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd guide on arrival in Lille. You can combine this tour with a day or two on our Flanders Weekends on the Western Front Battlefield tours in which case, you may already be in Lille. We have an interesting and full day ahead with a visit to the Belgium capital Brussels. Brussels hardly requires an introduction as everyone at least knows the Manneken Pis! There is so very much more to this wonderful city and we can claim no more than to be giving you the briefest introduction. The city almost demands four days to itself rather than one on a four-day tour! Still, we'll do our best to show you the main sites on a guided tour including the Grote Markt and Grand-Place, La Monnaie, Saint Michael and Saint Gudula Cathedral, and the newer EU administrative buildings. There'll also be a visit to the Waterloo Battlefield. ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
DAY TWO - Wednesday Today, we first explore Leuven which is often called the open air museum of the past. For those looking to find the most beautiful medieval building in the world, look no further! The magnificent 15th century town hall of the city of Leuven alone is worth the trip. The city centre looks like a very well preserved town with buildings from the 17th and 18th century. There are many styles of architecture to be found in and around Leuven. From the flamboyant Gothic Saint Peter's Church (with the famous 15th century painting of Dirk Bouts 'The Last Supper') to the impressive Romanesque Gate, and not forgetting the unrivalled Park Abbey of Baroque Style. The town still owes much of its character to the numerous university buildings, dating from the 16th and 17th century, many of which were renovated in the 18th century. Another exquisite historic city is that of Mechelen, a town boasting more historic monuments than even Brugge. Visits here can include the medieval square with guild houses and 14th century town hall and seeing works by Van Dyck and other Flemish masters in the cathedral. All in all, a lovely leisurely day with lots of time for sightseeing, shopping and simply relaxing at street cafes and bars. ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
DAY THREE - Thursday Ghent is one of the country's noted 'art cities', and the capital of East Flanders. Besides two medieval castles, nineteen museums, five abbeys and three beguinages, one will come across dozens of other churches and historic buildings. It boasts waterways lined with gorgeous, gabled buildings, a cathedral decorated with priceless art treasures, the SWAK Museum of Contemporary Art, the museum of the Large Beguinage and a fantastic museum of historical weapons. The city represents something of a 'find' as it is well endowed with historic properties as its neighbour Brugge but not quite as crowded. We'll spend time exploring the city and will also be exploring the scenic driving between here and our base on the Flanders coast near Ostend (which we'll visit). ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
DAY FOUR - Friday We've saved perhaps the most famed of all Flanders cities until last - Bruges/Brugge. This medieval gem criss-crossed by canals and cobbled streets, never fails to surprise and delight its visitors. We'll enjoy a leisurely and extended visit with sufficient time to explore. There'll be an opportunity of taking an optional horse drawn carriage ride around the city. There'll be time for shopping, perhaps visiting a brewery, and we'd most definitely recommend the Flanders Folk Museum where daily life has been wonderfully recreated in a number of tableaux. In the late afternoon, early evening, we return to Lille where you board the Eurostar for home. If you have joined us directly from London, it is possible to extend your stay on one of the Battlefield tours.
Those staying on for the weekend tours of the Ypres Salient/Somme battlefields will stay in Lille (priced separately.) Those returning to London will catch the evening Eurostar train to London.
JOINING THE TOUR FROM LONDON: When using Eurostar, you are given a self-ticketing reference number that you use to get your ticket at the station of departure. We advise all tour participants to call the Back-Roads Touring London office a day or two prior to departure to ensure they have the correct ticket reference as we do not have a representative at the station on the morning of departure. Please note: on occasion when there is no availability on Eurostar, we transfer to Calais using a mini-coach. Tour participants are collected at 06.00 from central London locations.
JOINING THE TOUR FROM PARIS: If you are staying in Paris and want to join us, you can do so by catching the TGV from Paris to Lille. You have to book these tickets independantly as they are not included in your package. Trains leave from Gard du Nord at 07.58 for Saturday's tour, 09.58 for Sundays and for Monday at 08.58. (please check these for any changes). Return times should not be booked before 20.00. Cost of the train ticket depends on day of the week traveled and how much in advance tickets are booked. We will provide you with a special “tour only” rate, without the Eurostar. Please ask us for full details. Please note: Paris trains arrive at Lille Flanders Station which is a 10 minute walk from our meeting point at Lille Euro Station.
This tour is operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd |
