Newly restored altarpiece “The Mystic Lamb” in its original setting at St Baafskathedraal
Medieval Bruges – a beautifully preserved gem with wonderful art
Two talks from art historian Clare Ford-Wille
The Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts Brussels
Join Clare Ford-Wille to look at the genius of Van Eyck and other Flemish masters’ legacy in Ghent, Bruges and Brussels. The newly-restored Mystic Lamb altarpiece, completed in 1432, is widely regarded as one of the most important works of art in the world and is now home in St Baafskathedraal with a new visitor centre. Elsewhere, we visit the picture postcard perfect city of Bruges with its excellent collections and the superb Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts in Brussels. The Dutch and Flemish masters are Clare’s greatest passion and sphere of expertise, so this is a tour on which to be richly informed and entertained.
Your Lecturer - Clare Ford-Wille
Clare has lectured in most areas of art history for over thirty-five years. She still teaches at the University of London, where she obtained her degree at Birkbeck, but also lectures regularly for Morley College, the City Literary Institue, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Branches of The Arts Society throughout Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Every year since 1978 Clare has led art study tours to places of artistic importance throughout Europe and the USA, including Amsterdam, Padova and Vicenza. Her specialist subject is the golden age of Dutch and Flemish art, so this tour is one that is very close to her heart.
Available Departures |
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| 06 - November - 2025 | £ 1580.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
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Provisional Timings St Pancras Departing: 06th November 2025 at 09:01 Returning: 09th November 2025 at 17:56 |
Day 1: Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels and onwards to Ghent by coach.
Transfer by coach to your hotel. Afternoon free before evening welcome reception and talk from Clare Ford-Wille, followed by dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Day 2: Bruges
A full day to the wonderful city of Bruges, a beautifully preserved canalside, medieval gem. Most visitors only see the picture postcard views, which are wonderful, but the city contains some wonderful art treasures in its Groeninge Museum and Sint Janshospital, both of which we will visit today. We will also take in the Grote Markt, Town Hall, Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Onze Lieuv Vrou to see the tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary. Evening lecture and dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Day 3: Ghent
This morning we take a walking tour to view the exteriors of St Niklaaskerk, the Castle of the Counts and the 12th century canalside guildhouses, as well as a visit to St Baafskathedraal to view Jan Van Eyck’s The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, perhaps the greatest masterpiece of the Northern Renaissance. Afternoon visit to the MSK Museum of Fine Arts, which houses a superb collection of art from the middle ages to the mid-20th century, with particular emphasis on Flemish art. Evening free.
Day 4: Brussels and home
Today we head to the European capital to visit the Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts Brussels with their wealth of Flemish and Dutch Masters as well as time to explore independently and enjoy a farewell lunch (not included) before boarding the Eurostar to St Pancras.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
PLEASE NOTE: As with most trains, passengers are responsible for carrying baggage onto and off the train. Baggage can be stored on overhead shelves or at the entrance to the carriages. Trollies are available at St Pancras and Paris, but bags do need to be carried on to the platform.
Travel Editions recommends a luggage delivery service called thebaggageman, where your suitcase can be picked up from your home before departure and delivered straight to your hotel; therefore removing the worry about carrying your cases onto and off the trains. Please click here for more information and we have arranged a 10% discount exclusive to Travel Editions clients off the thebaggageman service. Tel: 01844 264890
Gravensteen Hotel, Ghent
Small, boutique hotel with just 49 rooms, housed in a 19th century building opposite the 800 year old Counts’ Castle in the heart of lovely Ghent. Facilities her include the “De Donjon” bar, which serves an excellent selection of Belgian beers, breakfast room with an extensive buffet served each morning and very comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities and tea/coffee.
Hotel Website
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I have just spotted your request for comments in my spam folder - so apologies for not responding until now. The Flemish Masters tour was brilliant. The itinerary was packed, very well planned and occasionally helpfully adjusted (eg rescheduling of one of the lectures was very welcome). The art historian's presence was invaluable; Clare Forde-Wille's lectures and company were much appreciated, and the help and additional impromptu talks by the guide were most helpful. I loved every minute of the trip.
Review by Sadowski who travelled 07-November-2024
Gill and Clare were a model of how to do it! We really enjoyed it.
Review by Jarvis who travelled 07-November-2024
I have been before with Travel Editions and throughly recommend it. Gill and Clare work so well together to ensure that we have the best of everything. Gill is so well organised even highlighting the town maps with our routes whilst Clare reveals her wealth of knowlege with such enthusiasm. Many thanks and I look forward to my next trip.
Review by Neilson who travelled 07-November-2024
Review by Anonymous who travelled 07-November-2024
It was an excellent tour, filling in a gap in my art history knowledge in being lectured to superbly well on the Flemish Primitives. It was generous of Travel Editions to allow my nephew and great nephew to join on the last tour so that they could escort me to my nephew's home where I stayed on in Brussels for a couple of extra days.
Review by Miskin who travelled 07-November-2024
Clare Ford-Wille was excellent. Informative, imaginative and fun. A very enjoyable experience which we would repeat.
Review by Steer who travelled 07-November-2024
Review by Anonymous who travelled 10-August-2023
Convenient and comfortable hotel in Ghent. Only complaint is that the hairdryer in the bathroom was incredibly slow and inefficient.
Review by Bogle who travelled 10-August-2023
As always Clare was a wonderful and enthusiastic guide. Her breadth of knowledge is amazing. I wasn’t very happy with the chosen restaurant - sitting in a dark basement - although I appreciate it must be difficult finding a restaurant that can cater for 27 people
Review by Anonymous who travelled 10-August-2023
A thoroughly enjoyable trip, enhanced by outstanding talks by Clare Ford-Wille, both before and during the gallery/museum visits.
Review by Harford who travelled 10-August-2023
This was a great tour with some wonderful art. It was unfortunate that we were walking around in the middle of the heatwave which meant that I, certainly, ran out of steam earlier than normal. Well done to Jill and Claire for leading us so well in pretty unusual circumstances
Review by Anonymous who travelled 11-August-2022
Clare Ford Wille was, as always, a most enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. A very helpful change was made to the evening schedule on the second day because of the hot weather and the very slow service at the first restaurant (which was fine othersise).
Review by Baldwin who travelled 11-August-2022
The extreme heat and crowds made this trip a real struggle for me. Nobody’s fault so it’s hard to separate that out from an orherwise good impression. The leaders did so much to mitigate the difficulties. Heros both.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 11-August-2022
Excellent tour, full of interest, Clare Ford-Wille was first rate
Review by Eddy who travelled 11-August-2022
I enjoyed the trip very much and thought that both Gill, the tour manager and Claire, the art expert were excellent. I loved Bruges, Ghent and Brussells and the art was fantastic. I also liked the hotel and found congenial company amongst the guests.
Review by Morris who travelled 11-August-2022
Really enjoyable trip, good care but admin. Problems - duplicated and confused tickets ie. two couples booked into same Eurostar seats, Wrong information about what we would see in Brussels( cut and paste failure, obviously not checked! ). No body’s fault but a 2 hr wait for food on first evening blunted the initial experience. However, well paced and very well led by tour manager and lecturer.
Review by Fitsell who travelled 11-August-2022
Review by Prola who travelled 11-August-2022
It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and well organised, especially with the talks prior to our visits to the galleries and churches in Ghent, Bruges and Brussels. Claire Ford-Wille's knowledge is quite breathtaking and illuminating. The two dinners were excellent and Gill's hard work throughout the 4 days was much appreciated.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 11-August-2022
Karen was very efficient and well organised. Gerald has great enthusiasm and knowledge but was happy to allow the group to add their own comments and knowledge to the discussions. I gather there is some debate about staying with the Radisson hotel due to planned price increases, but I strongly suggest you stick with them. The hotel is very convenient and well run. An excellent tour for me with a very pleasant group of people.
Review by Mr Christopher Denchfield who travelled 06-April-2017
a) It would have been very helpful to have a list of names (first and surname) of those on the tour. b) The tour manager was excellent: competent and confident. c) The hotel was superb. Room 421 was excellent: comfortable bed, well-equipped bathroom. Brasserie Restaurant provided delicious food. Staff were pleasant and very helpful. d) Hotel had an ideal location close to the station, the trams and the buses.
Review by Ms Helen Byard who travelled 06-April-2017
Hotel's dinners not as good as their breakfasts. Excellent tour manager and lecturer, always listening to observations, including any of my interjections on lecturer's account of a picture. Smallish number (19) of participants created great team spirit.
Review by Dr Peter Thornton who travelled 06-April-2017
Another enjoyable break, my ninth with you. The hotel was very comfortable and Karen Blackwell is an exemplary tour manager. Difficult for Gerald trying to explain paintings in the galleries and for the group to hear him clearly. I look forward to Monet in May.
Review by Mr I M Griffiths who travelled 02-March-2017
Both the Tour Manager, Karen, and our expert art historian, Gerald, were excellent. We have been on several art history tours with Gerald and especially value the depth and breadth of his knowledge. Few others cover political, economic and gender issues so usefully.
Review by Ms Caroline Bunker who travelled 02-March-2017
Gerald was very good value. The whole trip was an undoubted success.
Review by Mr David Matthews who travelled 02-March-2017
Hugely enjoyable tour in pleasant company and with excellent expert guidance by Gerald and Karen. The only blot on the whole experience was the downpour which spoiled our walking tour of Ghent - but Travel Editions can hardly be blamed for that! Thank you - and I will definitely be back.
Review by Mrs Christina Mee who travelled 02-March-2017
Review by Prof John Bennett who travelled 02-March-2017
I have nothing to criticise except the weather. The whole trip went very smoothly thanks to the excellent Karen and Gerald. It gave me what had been promised by Travel editions and more.
Review by Mr Robert Delderfield who travelled 02-March-2017
Review by Ms Hilary Russell who travelled 24-November-2016
An intense, very interesting tour. The only minor problem was one beyond anyone's control - problems with cancelled trains and lack of info at Brussels station which resulted in a longer travel time. Hotel had excellent food - high quality and wide choice at breakfast. Staff were very helpful and courteous. Itinerary very interesting: I have added considerably to my knowledge of Flemish art. Well organised. More time would be great but I appreciate there was much to be fitted in.
Review by Mrs S Christie who travelled 10-March-2016
Review by Mr Ian Adams who travelled 10-March-2016
A very good if tiring trip but well worth it for everything we saw. A well balanced programme. Gill was, as always, a superb tour manager.
Review by Miss Clare Foote who travelled 10-March-2016
Serious problems with the outward train journey were well dealt with very well. Both the Tour Manager and Gerald Deslandes could not have been better.
Review by Miss Jean Jones who travelled 10-March-2016
Jill & Gerald were a pleasure to be with, they new(sic) so much & made every day really interesting.
Review by Mr Trevor Owens who travelled 10-March-2016
Size of group -19- very important for this kind of location. And slick visits to city sites. Excellent, as ever.
Review by Ms Jane Carnell who travelled 10-March-2016
Review by Mr Robin Greenwood who travelled 26-November-2015
Your usual high standard of tour. Gerald Deslandes was hugely informative and extremely nice with it, and Jill looked after us exceedingly well. Our initial hotel room was a long way from the lifts but was changed quickly without any fuss to one which was ideally located and comfortable. Our only slight criticism was the food at the two hotel dinners. It was quite acceptable but just not very exciting.
Review by Mr Christopher Ennis who travelled 26-November-2015
Excellent tour and lecturer and manager, we were well looked after. The only complaint was the quality of the evening meal at the hotel. Accommodation and breakfast were excellent
Review by Mrs L Austin who travelled 26-November-2015
