World War II Memorial Tour of Europe

Refer to the “Arrival Instructions” for directions on where and when to meet your Tour Manager. Settle into your comfortable motor coach on the way to your hotel in the scenic and festive state of Bavaria. Get acquainted with your fellow tour members during the “Welcome to Europe” dinner.

Your bus transfer into the city center introduces you to the history of Nuremberg. Hitler staged his propaganda rallies here and, after his fall, it was chosen as the location for the War Trials. You will have an opportunity to see the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Congress Hall, and Palace of Justice where the War Trials were held. Consider the causes and consequences of Nazi Germany during a visit to the Documentation Center. Discover the Old Town’s half-timbered buildings and gingerbread shops before returning to your Bavaria hotel for dinner.

Travel to Dachau for a somber visit to the Concentration Camp Memorial. At the entrance, you are prompted to reflect on the incomprehensible as your Tour Manager translates the German phrase on the iron gate: ARBEIT MACHT FREI (Work Makes One Free). Study the exhibit recounting the “path of the prisoners” and see the site of the former barracks. Your tour continues to Munich, the elegant capital of Bavaria. Pass points of interest, such as the Hitler Building, on your way to the Marienplatz, a pedestrian-only zone where historic buildings are cleverly interspersed with modern store fronts. The centerpiece of the square is the Rathaus (Town Hall) with its captivating Glockenspiel (clock tower). Following your visit to Munich, head south into the mountain range along the German/Austrian border, where you will spend the next two nights in an Alpine Village.

Enjoy a relaxing day in the surroundings of your Alpine Village hotel, which offers a variety of options for leisure activities amid the spectacular alpine scenery. Another choice is to join the full day optional Salzburg & Eagle’s Nest with Dinner excursion, which includes a guided visit to the Kehlsteinhaus, Hitler’s mountain hideaway, followed by an afternoon in Salzburg, known as Mozart’s birthplace and the setting for “The Sound of Music.” Spend a second night at your peaceful Alpine Village hotel.

After breakfast, travel to Ulm to view the imposing Ulm Minster with the tallest church steeple in the world. This afternoon, make a stop at the grave of Erwin Rommel, the German general who was forced to commit suicide when Hitler suspected him of treason. End the day with a buffet dinner at your hotel in Bad Herrenalb on the northern edge of Germany’s Black Forest.

Follow a scenic route through the Alsace Region and the Vosges Mountains. This area was the site of heavy fighting in the fall of 1944. You will make a stop at Lorraine’s American Cemetery in St. Avold, the largest American World War II cemetery in Europe. The afternoon is reserved for a tour of Fort Hackenberg, part of the Maginot Line which was constructed between the world wars as a defense against any future German invasions. Your hotel for the next two nights will be in Trier, the oldest city in Germany, located near the three-country border of France, Luxembourg and Germany.

The morning stop is at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg where General George Patton is buried. Continue into the Belgian Ardennes Region and arrive in Bastogne to view the star-shaped Mardasson Monument, a tribute to the soldiers who died in the Battle of Ardennes. You will also see the fox holes used by Easy Company, whose stories inspired the TV mini-series “Band of Brothers.” Your travels this afternoon take you to the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History in Diekirch. Trier's famous Porta Nigra provides an intriguing backdrop for your independent dinner before returning to your hotel.

Motor to one of the most beautiful stretches of the Rhine River where you will board a river steamer for a boat ride past endearing villages, medieval fortresses, and hillside vineyards known for producing the distinctive Rhine wines. Continue through the Rhine River Valley to Remagen to view the remains of the Ludendorff Bridge, the last standing bridge on the Rhine, which was captured by U.S. soldiers on March 7, 1945. By mid-afternoon, continue to your Rhine-Ruhr region hotel. Dinner will be served at the hotel this evening.

Crossing the border, see sites significant to World War II liberation efforts in The Netherlands, including locations associated with Operation Market Garden. The bridge over the Waal River at Nijmegen was a strategic asset reclaimed after the historical crossing of American paratroopers. Travel Hell’s Highway and stop at the memorial in Overasselt, commemorating the site of the largest airborne operation of all time. This day will also feature a visit to one of the local museums documenting the World War II resistance in The Netherlands. Continue to your hotel, in the region of Holland, for check-in and dinner.

Travel through Holland's countryside, characterized by canals, dikes and windmills, as you make your way to the dynamic city of Amsterdam. Your visit includes a ride aboard a glass-topped boat through Amsterdam’s harbor and canals where you will see numerous bridges, boathouses and bicycles while gliding past 17th-century gabled houses. During an independent lunch, try a pannekoek (Dutch pancake) or other local specialties. This afternoon, walk to the main square, an ideal focal point for your individual exploration. Return to your Holland hotel for dinner.

Today consists of a full day of travel from The Netherlands to Caen, France, with a stop in the port city of Antwerp, Belgium. Explore the central market square with its irresistible chocolate shops and convivial outdoor cafés serving Belgian Waffles. Continue the drive into France for an early evening check-in at your Caen hotel where dinner is served shortly after your arrival.

The entire day is spent touring the famous Normandy Landing Beaches. From Caen, drive to the coast and stop at Pointe du Hoc to view the German fortifications. You’ll also travel to Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église: the site where paratroopers landed during World War II as portrayed in the movie “The Longest Day.” Continue to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. Proceed to the artillery battery at Longues-sur-Mer. At today’s final stop in the village of Arromanches, view remnants of the artificial harbor and reflect on the sights of the day over an independent dinner.

Spend the morning touring the Caen Peace Memorial and Museum, established to honor the liberators, victims, and all those who continue to fight for peace. As you depart Caen, pause at the Pegasus Bridge to understand how its capture by the British 6th Airborne division was instrumental in deterring a German counter-attack. Arrive in Paris by early evening and join your travel companions for a festive “Farewell Dinner” of enticing French dishes at an authentic Parisian bistro with roving musicians. The return transfer provides impressions of the city at dusk.

The day is devoted to Paris, La Ville Lumìere ("City of Light"). On your way into the center, see the Arc de Triomphe which has been the staging area for victory parades throughout history, including those following World War II. Your Tour Manager will also direct you to the location of other principal sights, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower, and Louvre Museum (open every day except Tuesday). Before beginning your free time, we suggest joining the optional Seine River Cruise excursion. Spend the evening exploring the Montmartre District, where Paris looks as it does in old paintings and artists still display their works. An uphill walk to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica rewards you with expansive views of the cityscape. Montmartre boasts excellent restaurants and characteristic sidewalk cafés perfect for an independent dinner in the French capital.

Transfer to the Paris Airport for your return flight home.