Ypres
Visit Ypres for First World War history, the rebuilt Cloth Hall and the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.
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Ypres, officially Ieper, is a city in West Flanders, Belgium, known for the battles fought around it during the First World War. Much of the town was destroyed, then rebuilt after the war. The 13th-century Cloth Hall was reconstructed to match the medieval original and now houses the In Flanders Fields Museum. St Martin’s Cathedral and parts of the town’s old ramparts give you more to see beyond the war sites.
At the Menin Gate Memorial, the names of more than 50,000 Commonwealth soldiers with no known grave from the Ypres Salient before August 16, 1917, are inscribed on the walls. Every evening at 8 pm, buglers sound the Last Post beneath the arches. Visitors should be respectful during the ceremony. Cemeteries across the surrounding countryside include Tyne Cot and Langemark. One day gives you time to see the town; stay overnight if you want to attend the ceremony and visit more of the battlefields.
Ypres in five
- Be at the Menin Gate before 8pmThe Last Post is sounded every evening at 8 p.m., is free and needs no reservation. The ceremony usually lasts 5 to 10 minutes, and the Last Post Association stewards show visitors where to stand.Last Post at the Menin Gate
- Give the museum 90 minutes to 2 hoursIn Flanders Fields Museum, in the Cloth Hall, lists adults at €12 and 10:00 to 17:30 daily. From 16 November to 31 March it is closed on Mondays, and ticket sales stop an hour before closing.In Flanders Fields Museum
- Walk the ramparts and the signposted city routeA 6.6 km signposted route passes the Cloth Hall, the Menin Gate and the Grote Markt, and the ramparts give a view of the town at no cost. Do it before the museum if the morning is clear.Things to do in Ypres
- Treat the battlefields as a second dayTyne Cot, Passchendaele, Langemark and the Yser sites lie outside the town on country roads. Join a guided tour or drive, and keep the town for the morning and the ceremony.Flanders Fields tour
- Park outside the centerThe edge car parks are free, while the center is paid and time-limited. For a full day that ends at the 8 p.m. ceremony, use the free side and walk in.Parking in Ypres
Things to do in Ypres
See all attractions in Ypres
Need to know
- Airport
- Brussels Airport (BRU), then train or car
- Getting there
- By car on the A19, or by train and De Lijn bus
- Getting around
- On foot in town; car, bike or guided tour for the Salient
- Best base
- Around the Grote Markt, for the 8pm ceremony on foot
- Time needed
- 1 day for the town; 2 with the battlefields
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low2°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryRain12 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, museumFebruaryRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, museum
- MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cool, showersMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, showers
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Mild, springAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 46 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, spring
- MayPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Mild, fields greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 61 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fields green
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 70 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh23°Low14°Warm, busyJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- AugustPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Warm, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Mild, calmerSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, calmer
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Cool, rainOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rain
- NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Armistice DayNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 83 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Armistice Day
- DecemberRain13 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Cold, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Ypres, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Ypres
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 5°
- Humidity
- 94%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 2%
Ypres
06:03 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today10°4°2%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Wed8°2°0%Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°3°0%Thursday: Clear. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°2°6%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Sat10°5°16%Saturday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 16%.
- Sun10°5°9%Sunday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 9%.
Updated 03:29 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JulGhent FestivitiesGhent, a day trip
- AugMAfestival BruggeBruges, a day trip
Day trips by train
Day trips from Ypres, the full guide- Tyne Cot and Passchendaeleby car or guided tourThe largest Commonwealth cemetery in continental Europe and a museum with a trench network in its garden.Read the guide
- Poperingeby car or busTalbot House, the soldiers' club of the First World War, and the Death Cells in the town hall.
- Ostendby train or carA beach town with the Ensor House and a stop on the Coast Tram.Read the guide
Before you go to Ypres
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Rules for Ypres, checked
Plan around Ypres
Ypres FAQ
Is Ypres worth a day trip?
Yes, if you are interested in the First World War or want a calm Flemish town. A day covers the museum, the Menin Gate and the ramparts. Add the Last Post at 8pm by staying, or by timing the last train home carefully.
What time is the Last Post in Ypres?
Every evening at 8 p.m., under the Menin Gate, in all weather. It is free and needs no booking. The Last Post Association publishes a calendar of ceremonies with wreath layers, bands and choirs.
How long do you need at the In Flanders Fields Museum?
The museum's own estimate is 1.5 to 2 hours. The belfry climb is an extra €2 on top of the ticket, and an audio guide is another €2. Arrive at least an hour before closing, since ticket sales stop then.
Can you see the Ypres battlefields without a car?
The town itself is walkable, but Tyne Cot, Passchendaele and Langemark need a car, a bike or a guided tour. Ypres lists train and De Lijn bus access to the town, not to each cemetery.
Is Ypres better than Bruges for a day trip?
Different: Bruges is a medieval canal town with large crowds, Ypres is a rebuilt town with a war-history focus and a nightly ceremony. Choose Ypres if the history matters; choose Bruges for canals and shopping.