No one can fail to be moved by a visit to Ypres (Ieper in Flemish or "Wipers" to the troops). Walking around this pretty medieval city, it is hard to imagine the incredible highs and lows it has endured. Extreme wealth in the Middle Ages and then, less than one hundred years ago, reduced to rubble during World War I. It is a fitting reminder of people's resilience and their ability to bounce back.

"I fell in love with Ypres at first sight. Everything about that brave and extraordinary city touched me: from the kindness of everyone we met, the fine food and spotless hotel, to the sheer beauty of its rebuilt medieval splendour. It is top of the list of places I recommend to people to visit; in particular, the great cemetery at Passchendaele and The Menin Gate, where the poignant Last Post ceremony is held every night, will remind even the hardest of hearts of the meaning of valour and the awful nature of war. Marks out of ten? An easy ten." 

Joanna Lumley, British actress