Ieper itself is a boring little town in the countryside that lives especially from war tourism and agriculture. So, don't expect much of the modern entertainment of a big city there. There's only a kind of local Disneyland called "Bellewaerde Park". But if you like the quietness of local nature and countryside you're at the right place.

Like Ieper lives from tourism, local authorities try to show visitors a "clean image" and to hide the "ugly and unpretty sides" of their town. This "clean image" gives only a partial view of local reality. And to be honest: this "clean image" is sometimes really FAKE! It made that the last 20 years lots of young and talented people moved to Gent and other bigger towns to escape from this suffocating atmosfere. This is why the population of Ieper is one of the oldest in Belgium. So, be critically at this point, especially when you get your information from official guides of the town. Ieper is more than the beautiful buildings and folklorist cliches they wanna show you. There are living there people who live in the present time too.