On June 6, 1944, forces from 13 Allied countries invaded the beaches of Normandy. The beginning of the long and grueling effort to take back Europe from Nazi forces, D-Day is estimated to have caused 10,000 casualties on the Allied side, and is now remembered as a turning point of World War II.
In honor of those who fought at D-Day, we’ve created three special tours for your students to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the battle and explore the effects of World War II across Europe.
All three tours meet in Normandy on June 6, 2019 for an official ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Students will join with dignitaries as well as some of the few living World War II veterans — likely one of the last such opportunities they will have — for the ceremony.
In addition to the visit in Normandy, the tours include trips to Amsterdam and London, London and Paris, or Paris. Students will have the opportunity to see the impact of war on these cities while touring their most popular attractions.
The stop in Amsterdam combines tourism with education with both a canal cruise of the city and a visit to the Anne Frank House. From Amsterdam, students will go on a guided tour of the beach at Dunkirk, an experience that includes locations featured in the film Dunkirk.
The London visit includes a city walk and a guided sightseeing tour. Students will visit all of London’s biggest sites, including the National Gallery, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. They’ll top the tour off with a traditional fish and chips dinner.
In Paris, students will visit the Louvre, go on a guided sightseeing tour of the city, and cruise the Seine. They’ll see Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and more of Paris’ most popular sites. You also have the option to travel to Versailles for a tour of the opulent palace.
In Normandy, you can take a trip to Pointe du Hoc, site of a German fortification that the Allies captured on D-Day, or the Arromanches Museum, the D-Day museum complete with 3-D models and artifacts. You can also visit Juno Beach, which chronicles Canada’s role in World War II.
And of course all of our tours are fully customizable: your Explorica program consultant can help design your tour to your exact specifications.
Are you ready to give your students the history lesson of a lifetime? Contact us to plan your tour today!