Battlefields Holiday August 2027: Oude Abdij Hotel
Date of Holiday: Monday 16th August - Friday 20th August 2027
After the AMAZING feedback received from our first Elite Battlefield holiday in November 2025, our Battlefield tour is back for 2027 and promises to be just as beautiful (and historical!).
Our Battlefield tour is rich with content - from the visits to the many poignant historical sites, to the captivating facts and anecdotes of the fallen soldiers from our onboard Battlefield Specialist Guide. No matter your age, this powerful and memorable tour will be a talking point for you for years to come.
Our hotel may be a small, family run hotel but my goodness, it certainly makes a BIG impression!
Perfectly located for all our planned day trips, your ensuite room comes with many modern conveniences such as TV, telephone, tea/coffee making facilities, blackout curtains and free WI-FI too. Our hotel overlooks a large pond and private garden with an outside terrace perfect for those evening drinks after a day of exploration.
Continental breakfast and a 3 course meal are also included in the price of your tour with many fantastic reviews praising the food!
Day One
Our tour will begin early on the Monday morning as you board our executive minibus/coach to begin the journey to Dover ready for your ferry crossing. Rest assured there will be a comfort stop en route before we arrive at the port.
As we enter Belgium en route to the hotel, our first visit will be on the Ypres Salient at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery where 10,000 British soldiers rest including Nurse Nellie Spindler - the only woman buried in a British military cemetery.
After our visit, we will continue to the hotel to relax, unpack, enjoy your evening meal and enjoy a summers evening on the terrace and gardens.
Day Two
Our day begins early to ensure your day is full with important memorial and cemetery sites across Ypres. Your day will include visits to:
Essex Farm where John McCrae wrote ‘In Flanders Field’ and the graves of 9 men killed by 1 shell lie;
Brandhoek New Military Cemetery - the final resting place of the only soldier to receive 2 Victoria Crosses;
The Hooge Crater Museum - the ideal place to purchase lunch;
The Brooding Soldier Monument signalling the site of the first gas attack;
The Langemark German Cemetery and the well preserved Yorkshire Trenches.
After returning to our hotel for our evening meal (and to freshen up), our evening will be spent together as a group at the Menin Gate to experience the Last Post Ceremony at 8pm.
Day Three
After breakfast, we depart from the hotel to visit the following sites:
Tyne Cot - the largest British Military Cemetery in the world including the memorial bearing the names of 35,000 who have no known grave;
Pool of Peace - a British mine crater transformed into a pool of water as a permanent reminder;
Ploegstreet Memorial and the final resting place of the famous rugby player Ronald Poulton.
As we approach lunch time, the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore Ypres Town Centre. Will you choose to peruse the local shops or head to the famous Cloth Hall, intricately reconstructed after it was levelled by German bombers in 1914? Perhaps you will visit the In Flanders Fields Museum instead located close to the Cloth Hall? The town is teeming with history and sites to visit - be sure to plan ahead to make the most of your afternoon!
Day Four
Today is our famous MYSTERY DAY! Where will you find yourself today? It’s a secret at the moment but it’s sure to please!
Day Five
After 5 days exploring the Battlefields of Ypres, its time to wave goodbye to the team at Oude Abdiji Hotel and return home to reflect upon all we have seen and learnt. Time permitting, we hope to make a brief stop at our favourite chocolate shop in Adinkerke to purchase a few extra souvenirs and nibbles for the journey home… and beyond!