18-Day Normandy to Berlin Tour - 2019

Itinerary

• Day 1

  Passengers are greeted at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and transferred by coach to Normandy. In the evening there is an introduction to the tour and a chance for the passengers to introduce themselves over a welcome drink.

• Day 2

  We begin the day with a visit to Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. The day continues with a trip to Pointe du Hoc, where Rudder’s Rangers ascended the steep cliffs to take out the long-range artillery firing on the landing beaches.

• Day 3

  We spend the day exploring Utah Beach. We stop at the monument near Brecourt Manor, site of Easy Company’s famous assault on a German artillery position. The afternoon features visits to Utah Beach itself and Sainte-Mere-Eglise. The day ends with a visit to Dead Man’s Corner Museum in St-Come-du-Mont with an opportunity to buy authentic and replica WWII items.

• Day 4

  The day begins with a trip to Longues-sur-Mer, the only German battery in Normandy with the guns still in place. We then travel to the town of Arromanches-les-Bains where we visit the Circular Cinema and Gold Beach with its remnant Mulberry Harbor. In the afternoon we stop at Juno and Sword beaches and we cross Pegasus Bridge.

• Day 5

  After breakfast in Normandy we travel to Belgium with regular stops along the way.

• Day 6

  In the morning we tour the sites of the Battle of the Bulge. We stop at the Mardasson Monument, which pays tribute to the Allied resolve during this critical period. The foxholes of Bois Jacques highlight the morning itinerary. After lunch we visit the Bastogne War Museum.

• Day 7

  We spend the day exploring the northern arc of the Bulge. We travel to Malmedy and La Gleize, where we follow the advance and demise of Colonel Jochen Peiper’s battlegroup and pay witness to the atrocities committed by SS troops.

• Day 8

  We pay a visit to the Luxembourg American Cemetery, the final resting place of many 101st paratroopers as well as General George S. Patton, on our way to the city of Munich.

• Day 9

  In the morning we visit the infamous Dachau Concentration Camp, which features a full-scale museum detailing Nazi atrocities. In the afternoon a local guide leads us on a Third Reich Tour of Munich.

• Day 10

  The day involves a trip to Berchtesgaden, site of Hitler’s Bavarian retreat and the Eagle’s Nest. We start with a scenic drive up to the Eagle’s Nest itself. We then pay a visit to Dokumentation Obersalzberg, an exhibit set atop the bunker complex that was to serve as the Nazis’ last stand.

• Day 11

  We travel to Nuremberg to visit the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, where the massive annual rallies were held to reinforce party enthusiasm and showcase the power of National Socialism.

• Day 12

  We spend the morning visiting the Palace of Justice, site of the post-war Nuremberg Trials. In the afternoon we explore the historical center of Nuremberg with a walking tour of the one-time capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

• Day 13

  We travel to Munster to take in the unrivaled tank collection of the Panzer Museum. We then make our way to Hamburg to explore the city and its historical ports.

• Day 14

  We spend the morning exploring World War II-related sites in Hamburg such as St. Nicolai Church, Hamburg Harbor and an intact flak tower. Passengers then enjoy some free time.

• Day 15

  In the morning we travel to our final destination, the German capital of Berlin. We visit the House of the Wannsee Conference, where the details of the implementation of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question were hashed out. We then stop at the 1936 Olympic Stadium.

• Day 16

  We spend the morning visiting the German-Russian Museum in Berlin where Wilhelm Keitel signed the unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945. In the afternoon we explore Hitler’s Berlin, his plans for Germania and sites related to the fall of the Third Reich. Famous landmarks include the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and the site of Hitler’s bunker.

• Day 17

  The Cold War is explored in the morning, with visits to Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall. Our guests have free time in the afternoon to roam this surprisingly green city and its myriad of sites.

• Day 18

  After saying goodbye, our guests are transferred to Berlin's Tegel Airport for their return flights.