Things to Do in Ypres, Belgium: Walking Guide

Ypres, also known as Ieper, stands as a powerful living memorial to the First World War while preserving a rich medieval history rooted in the textile trade. Located in West Flanders, the city was at the center of fierce fighting on the Western Front, leading to widespread destruction and a remarkable post-war reconstruction stone by stone. Today, visitors can explore a unique destination where Gothic architecture, moving war memorials, and peaceful canals exist side by side. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Ypres with 23 narrated places to help you discover the city at your own pace.

What to see in Ypres

Cloth Hall and Yper Museum

The massive Gothic Cloth Hall dominates the historic market square as a symbol of medieval wealth and civic autonomy. Built between 1200 and 1304, the 125-metre-wide building served as a market and warehouse for fine Flemish wool cloth exported across Europe, while its 70-metre belfry tower housed city archives and regulated daily life. Destroyed by German artillery in November 1914, the hall was faithfully reconstructed after the First World War. Today, the eastern half of the building houses the Yper Museum.

In Flanders Fields Museum

Located on the second floor of the reconstructed Cloth Hall, this immersive museum examines the human cost of the First World War without glorifying it. Visitors receive a poppy bracelet that acts as a key to follow four personal stories of ordinary men and women caught up in the conflict, utilizing multimedia displays to bring life at the front vividly into view.

Saint Martin’s Cathedral

Rising 102 metres, the spire of Saint Martin’s Cathedral ranks among the tallest structures in Belgium. Originally begun in 1230 and rebuilt between 1922 and 1930 following total destruction in the First World War, this pure Gothic church served as the seat of the Diocese of Ypres from 1561 to 1801. Visitors can walk the nave and experience pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and tall lancet windows restored to their medieval design.

Menin Gate

Spanning the eastern exit of the city where Allied soldiers once marched toward the front lines, the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a monumental war memorial designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. Unveiled on July 24, 1927, its barrel-vaulted passage features more than 54,000 names of British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient before August 15, 1917, and have no known grave.

Lille Gate

As the only medieval city gate still standing in Ypres, the Lille Gate dates back to the 14th-century Burgundian period. Originally called the Messines Gate, its towers were lowered in the 17th century by military engineer Vauban. The gate straddles the water, separating the Major’s Moat from the Castle Moat while allowing the Ieperlee river to flow through its archway alongside a functioning medieval sluice chamber.

Saint George’s Memorial Church

Built as a quiet Anglican sanctuary to honor more than 500,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell in the three battles for the Ypres Salient, this church was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. Consecrated in March 1929, its interior walls are lined with donations from regiments, associations, and families paying personal tribute to those who fought.

Sint-Jacobskerk

Positioned between the Menin Gate and the Lille Gate, Sint-Jacobskerk dates back to the 12th century. After being heavily damaged in the First World War, architect Jules Coomans oversaw the reconstruction of the Gothic pseudobasilica between 1924 and 1926, incorporating 17th- and 18th-century art, a painting by Jan Cossiers, and a 17th-century late Gothic tower that remains unfinished.

Merghelynck Museum

Tucked away in the city, the Merghelynck Museum holds the distinction of being the only museum in Flanders entirely dedicated to preserving the lifestyle and atmosphere of the 18th century.

Sint-Pieterskerk and City Ramparts

Located along Rijselstraat, Sint-Pieterskerk blends Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles and sits beside a quiet public garden bordered by high walls decorated with Christian imagery. Nearby, the historic city walls and fortifications trace the defensive perimeter of Ypres alongside surviving monastic sites such as the Abbey of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Nieuwe Plant.

When planning your trip, you can also explore nearby destinations in Flanders such as Ghent, Ostend, Nieuwpoort, Mechelen, Leuven, Lier, Tongeren, and Tienen, or journey further across Belgium.

Explore Ypres with Neywo

To make the most of your visit, download Neywo and let the application guide you through the city’s remarkable streets. The audio guide includes 2 walking tours and 1 bike route, allowing you to experience Ypres through self-guided audio paths:

• Reborn from Rubble: Menin Gate to the Cloth Hall: A 1.71 km walking tour lasting 89 minutes across 10 narrated stops, including the Menin Gate, Saint Martin’s Cathedral, Saint George’s Memorial Church, and the Cloth Hall.
• Ramparts, Squares and Quiet Churches: A 2.53 km walking tour lasting 87 minutes across 9 narrated stops, covering the Lille Gate, the city walls, and historic churches.
• Ypres by Bike: Along the Vauban Ramparts: A 0.8 km bike route lasting 4 minutes across 4 stops, featuring the Vauban fortifications and Sint-Pieterskerk.

The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, letting you explore entirely at your own pace with no tour group and no fixed schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.