The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS) has built a statistically complete sample of 90,000 redshifts to iAB = 22.5 mag, to map in detail the large-scale distribution of galaxies at 0.5 < z <1.2. With a combination of volume and sampling density that is unique for these redshifts, it focuses on measuring galaxy clustering and related cosmological quantities as part of the grand challenge of understanding the origin of cosmic acceleration. At the same time, the survey has been designed to guarantee a broader legacy, allowing detailed investigations of the properties and evolutionary trends of z ~ 1 galaxies. In my talk I will review some science highlights from the PDR2, the second and final “Public Data Release” which in September 2016 has distributed the final catalogue and several science results. These will include estimates of galaxy clustering and the growth rate of structure out to z~1 using different techniques, together with novel results on the evolution of galaxy physical properties in the context of the surrounding structure.