WWI and WWII Battlefields

From tragic battles to tales of triumph, this special-interest exploration of two World Wars kicks off in the vibrant British capital of London. Meet your Travel Director and fellow companions this evening for a traditional English pub Welcome Dinner.

Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey feature on this half-day introductory sightseeing tour with a Local Specialist, which includes views of Buckingham Palace. This afternoon, we visit the Imperial War Museum, which tells the story of those whose lives were shaped by war from World War I to today. See extensive archives and recordings, as well as a Spitfire that saw action in the Battle of Britain. Maybe enjoy London after dark, spending your evening at leisure meandering along the Thames, riding the London Eye or discover Covent Garden.

We journey by Eurostar to Brussels today. Your Travel Director will show you the city's highlights. See the Atomium, designed for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, Mannekin Pis and the exquisite Grand Place with its opulent and ornate guildhalls.

Today we journey to Dunkirk, where Operation Dynamo miraculously saw over 330,000 Allied troops evacuated to Britain. We stop in Fromelles, where there was a combined operation between British troops and the Australian Imperial Force, described as the "worst 24 hours in Australia's military history". After we visit the memorial at Vimy Ridge dedicated to the Canadian soldiers, who fought a battle here in 1917. This horrific battle, and the bravery of the men who fought in it, came to symbolise Canada's coming of age as a nation.

Some of the biggest battles of World War I are explored at Ypres Salient in Belgium, where we will see such sites as Tyne Cot, Langemark and Vancouver Corner. Stop in Zonnebeke for an included visit to the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, where you can see a replica trench. See Essex Farm Cemetery where over 1,200 brave servicemen are buried and where Lt. Col. John McCrae wrote his immortal poem, ‘In Flanders Fields'. Spend the rest of the afternoon on your own and later sample one of the excellent local beers. After, make your way to the Menin Gate and witness the moving Last Post Ceremony to pay tribute to over 100,000 soldiers who laid down their lives more than a century ago.

The bloody battlefields of the Somme take center stage today. Visit the Franco Australian Museum at Villers-Bretonneux linking and uniting the Bretonvillois to the people of Australia in this museum to the Australian soldiers who lost their lives in WWI. Carry on to Thiepval to see the poignant memorial which honours the 72,337 missing British and South African men who died with no known graves. We journey to Amiens for an evening at leisure.

Travel south through Normandy today. Taste the delights of the region during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where sweet treats await you. Stop in the City of Rouen for an orientation tour of this city which was captured by the French in 1204 from English possession. Next stop is Caen where you will visit the Memorial de Caen to learn about the significance of Normandy and the day that changed World War II.

Take yourself back to June 6, 1944. Imagine the terror and bravery of thousands of soldiers who landed on the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from the Nazis. This morning, journey to the historic D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches, including Juno Beach, Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach. Visit the American Cemetery and Memorial to learn about the Canadian, American, and Commonwealth involvement in this unbelievable battle for supremacy.

Journey inland through Normandy today, bound for the grand boulevards of Paris. Perhaps join us for an optional visit to the glittering Palace of Versailles before arriving in the French capital.

Join your Local Specialist to view the remarkable church of Saint-Sulpice, then delve into the lives of Parisians, wandering through the enchanting hidden squares of one of Paris's oldest neighborhoods. Our walking tour concludes in one of the city's loveliest squares which is a real favorite among the locals. Spend the rest of the day on your own to see the sights. On our last evening together in Paris, we join our travel companions and Travel Director for a Farewell Dinner in the city.

After breakfast, we bid our newfound friends a fond farewell as our memorable holiday comes to a close.