Group tour operator for specialist tours to Belgium
The Battle of Waterloo
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Grand-Place – Grote Markt in Brussels ©VisitBrussels, E.Danhier
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Grand-Place – Grote Markt in Brussels ©VisitBrussels, E.Danhier
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Statue of Napoleon in Boulogne sur Mer ©www.informationfrance.com
Defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte
The Battle of Waterloo and the Waterloo Campaign was not only Napoleon’s last, but many historians consider it to have set the benchmark for modern day military standards. According to Wellington, the battle was “the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life”. Napoleon abdicated four days later, and coalition forces entered Paris on 7 July.
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. On this tour, trail the key locations and museums from your base in Brussels, that tell the story of this epic battle between empires and nations. Discover the key figures and learn about the man who would be Ruler of Europe.
Upon Napoleon’s return to power in 1815, many states that had opposed him formed the Seventh Coalition and began to mobilise their armies. Anglo-allied forces under Wellington and Prussian army under Gebhard von Blücher assembled close to the north-eastern border of France. Napoleon chose to attack in the hope of destroying them before they could join in a coordinated invasion of France with other members of the coalition. The decisive engagement of this three-day Waterloo Campaign (16–19 June 1815) occurred at the Battle of Waterloo.
The main sights to see at the site of the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815) near Brussels in Belgium are the Lion’s Mound, a huge panoramic painting, and a visitors’ center with extracts from movies. Further smaller monuments and memorials are scattered throughout the battlefield, which has mostly returned back to ordinary farmland. The farmhouses (fermes) famous from the battle including Mont-St-Jean, Papelotte, Belle-Alliance, Haie Sainte, and Hougoumont are still in existence. The Battlefield of Waterloo and the panoramic painting have been added to the tentative list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites.
Dates
Dates throughout 2025 on request
Suggested Itinerary by Coach
Day 1
Travel to Belgium
Drive to Dover and take the short sea ferry crossing to Calais. Continue through France and into Belgium towards the city of Brussels for the next 3 nights. Time permitting begin to explore this beautiful city.
Day 2
The Battle of Waterloo
Accompanied by an experienced tour guide, we start the day in Waterloo itself at the Wellington Museum which offers a large collection of artefacts from the Battle and where he set up his headquarters. Continuing on towards the Lion Hamlet we will take in sights such as Hougoumont Farm. This was one of the bloodiest sites of the battle originally meant as a diversionary tactic but soon became the most violent point of fighting. Other farms such as Papelotte and Haie Sainte can be seen but not explored due to being private property or in need of restoration. Monuments such as The Wounded Eagle Monument dedicated to the last soldiers of Napoleon’s Grand Army, the Prussian Monument dedicated to the soldiers who fought under the command of Blucher alongside the 7th coalition and the Gordon Monument dedicated to the Wellington’s aide-de-camp can be seen.
Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
Day 3
Brussels War Museum and Battlefields
Again, with an experienced tour guide, we visit the amazing Brussels War Museum (Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History) with its collection of Napoleonic uniforms, weapons and equipment. From here, we head out of Brussels southwards to Wavre, to discover the battlefields where the Prussians clashed with the French, resulting in a French hollow victory. Then we continue onto the Ligny Museum 1815. Nestled between Charleroi and Namur. Ligny is a sweet, peaceful village. Little would you guess Napoleon led and won one of his greatest battles here. Once a quaint farm house, this is now a museum, detailing epic battle that took place here.
Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
Day 4
Return to the UK
Depending on time, enjoy some final sightseeing or souvenir shopping before departing from Belgium. Head to Calais for the short sea ferry crossing to Dover, and home.
Greatdays offer a selection of 3* and 4* hotels in/around Brussels
| Departure date | 4 days / 3 nights |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Prices on request |
Single supplement price on request
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