WWII US History: London, Normandy & Germany

Step into history as you tour some of the most influential sites of WWII. See Winston Churchill's cabinet war rooms in London, walk the D-Day beaches in Normandy, and glimpse the chilling Dachau Concentration Camp and Memorial.
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Day 1  Overnight Flight to England
Day 2 Hello London
Details: Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure. You’ll also have a private coach and driver while touring .
Details: London city walk
Step outside your hotel for a stroll through the heart of the English-speaking world. In this city of nearly seven million, you'll see everything from 12th-century fortifications to modern skyscrapers, royal parks to street art. Your Tour Director will lead you to some of the most famous sites. Walk along the Thames River. Cross Trafalgar Square. See bustling Piccadilly Circus. Pass trendy shops and cafés in Bohemian Soho on your way to Covent Garden, a 13th-century fruit and vegetable garden transformed into a maze of narrow streets and pedestrian walkways burgeoning with street performers, open-air markets and boutiques.
Details: Trafalgar Square
See Trafalgar Square, often used for community gatherings and political demonstrations.
Details: National Gallery visit
Visit the National Gallery, which contains an unrivaled collection of Western art spanning seven centuries, from the late 13th to the early 20th. The largest portion of the collection is devoted to the Italians, including works by da Vinci, Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto and Botticelli; but the collection also features works by the Spanish giants El Greco, Goya and Velázquez. The Flemish-Dutch school is represented by Brueghel, Jan van Eyck, Vermeer, Rubens and Rembrandt; and there is also an immense French impressionist and post-impressionist collection that includes works by Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir and Cézanne.
Details: Piccadilly Circus
Visit Piccadilly Circus, a shopping and entertainment area brightly lit with video displays and neon signs.
Details: Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and with the Royal Opera House, which itself may be referred to as "Covent Garden". The district is divided by the main thoroughfare of Long Acre, north of which is given over to independent shops centered on Neal's Yard and Seven Dials, while the south contains the central square with its street performers and most of the historical buildings, theatres and entertainment facilities, including the London Transport Museum and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Details: Leicester Square
Leicester Square is perfectly situated in the heart of London's West End, with Trafalgar Square to the south, Piccadilly Circus to the west, Covent Garden to the east, and China Town to the north.
Details: Classic fish & chips dinner
Nothing’s more British than fish and chips—there are eight fish and chip shops (“chippies”) for every McDonald’s in the country. Head to an authentic pub with your Tour Director for a taste of this national food, generally served with malt vinegar.
Day 3 London landmarks
London guided sightseeing tour
Buckingham PalaceBig BenHouses of ParliamentWestminster AbbeyTower BridgeHyde ParkSt. Paul’s Cathedral
Details: London guided sightseeing tour
Join a licensed local guide for an in-depth look at London, from the royal haunt of Buckingham Palace (the official London residence of King Charles III) to the slightly more democratic Speakers’ Corner of Hyde Park, where anyone can pull up a soapbox and orate to his heart’s content. You’ll see the changing of the guard (season permitting), the clock tower of Big Ben with its 14-ton bell, and Westminster Abbey, where almost every English king and queen since William the Conqueror has been crowned. After a stop at the Houses of Parliament, continue on to the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral, the masterpiece of London architect Christopher Wren.
Details: Cabinet War Rooms with Churchill Museum visit
Explore the basement of the Whitehall building that became the air raid shelter and famous cabinet war rooms of Winston Churchill during WWII. See the fully restored Churchill Suite, where the Prime Minister and his wife lived and worked during the air raids on London and learn about the life history of this heroic man, from his childhood, to his finest hour and beyond.
Details: Imperial War Museum visit
Explore this unique museum, dedicated to covering conflicts from World War I through the present. Tanks and aircraft, paintings, letters, films, and other exhibits trace the influence of modern war and its effects on our lives.
Day 4 London--Normandy
Travel to Portsmouth
Travel to Normandy by ferry
Dinner
Day 5 Normandy
Pointe du Hoc
La Cambe German war cemetery visit
Dinner
Details: Normandy D-Day landing beaches
See the D-Day beaches where on June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops landed in an effort to recapture the coast from Germany. All along the beaches, deserted German bunkers have been turned into memorials and the stark white crosses and stars that mark the cemeteries are grim reminders of the war.
Details: American Military Cemetery and Memorial visit at Colleville-sur-Mer
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II.
Day 6 Normandy
Dinner
Details: Arromanches D-Day Museum visit
Ingenious military engineering allowed the Allied forces to land at Arromanches on D-Day. Barges towed 600,000 tons of concrete across the English Channel, sinking them to create an artificial harbor, and then 33 jetties and 10 miles of floating roadways allowed the troops to land in France. Learn about this feat and other at the Arromanches Museum, where dioramas, interactive displays, and models detail the Allied landing.
Details: Caen Memorial visit (Peace Museum)
Caen’s Mémorial, a contemporary museum for peace, tells a complete story of D-Day in interactive displays.
Day 7 Normandy--Bastogne
Travel to Bastogne
Details: Bastogne tour director-led sightseeing tour
Part of the larger Battle of the Bulge, the siege of Bastogne took place between American and German forces from December 20th-27th, 1944. On your Tour Director-led sightseeing walk, relive the narrative of townsfolk during the war.
Day 8 Bastogne--Nuremberg
Travel to Cologne
Cologne tour director-led city walk
Cologne Cathedral visitBasilica of St. Ursula visitRoman Ruins
Travel to Nuremberg by train
Details: Cologne tour director-led city walk
This Germany city was bombed by the Royal Air Force in a series of 262 air raids during World War II. Despite the destructive raids, Cologne is home to Roman remains, medieval churches and various museums. Visit the Cologne Cathedral, commonly thought of as the most ambitious architectural project of the Middle Ages, before gazing at the Basilica of St. Ursula with its bone-covered Golden Chamber.
Details: Cologne Cathedral visit
Visit Kölner Dom, the most famous Gothic structure in Germany. In addition to its grandiose size; the cathedral also features the Shrine of the Three Kings, a huge Romanesque reliquary said to hold relics of the Three Kings, and the Altar of the Magi, the work of Stephan Lochner. Take the opportunity to Ascend to the Viewing Platform for wonderful views of Cologne.
Day 9 Nuremberg--Munich
Travel to Munich
Details: Nazi Party Rally Grounds Museum visit
Unearth the causes, connections and consequences of Nazi Germany amidst the remains of the rally grounds where more than a million people gathered to support the National Socialists between 1933 and 1938. The museum’s sobering Fascination and Terror exhibition takes a deeper look at Nazi dictatorship and the history of party rallies during the Nazi regime.
Details: War Crimes Trial Museum visit
Post-World War II, Nazi leaders were forced to answer for their crimes before the International Military Tribunal in Courthouse 600. Sit in the courtroom where history was rewritten at the Palace of Justice, then learn more about the Nuremburg Trials and how they influenced international criminal law. *Courtroom 600 is still an active courtroom and can only be viewed on days when court is not in session.
Day 10 Munich Landmarks
Details: Munich guided sightseeing tour
Join a professional licensed tour guide for a whirlwind look at Munich. Founded in the 12th century by Henry the Lion, Munich now roars with the hustle and bustle of modern German life. As you pass by Marienplatz (named after the square’s gilded Virgin Mary and Child statue), mechanical knights joust and coopers dance to the folk-music chimes of the Neues Rathaus’s Glockenspiel. The twin onion-bulb towers of the Frauenkirche Cathedral frame this whimsical display, while the scents, sounds and colors of the nearby food market attempt to draw your attention elsewhere. Resist temptation and continue on to Olympiapark, a new suburb built for the 1972 Olympic Games. Pass by several museums, such as the BMW Museum, Alte Pinakothek (home to Munich’s most precious art collections), and the Deutsches Museum of science and technology.
Details: Marienplatz
Discover the area of Munich around Marienplatz, which is dedicated to the patron of the city. See the Neues Rathaus and observe the Glockenspiel on its facade. This is the fourth largest chiming clock in Europe, and stages an elaborate performance twice a day.
Details: BMW Welt showroom visit
Visiting the BMW Welt showroom is an immersive experience where you can explore the latest BMW models, learn about cutting-edge automotive technology, and enjoy the sleek, modern design of the venue.
Details: 1972 Olympia Park
See Olympia Park, the site of the 1972 Olympics. Buildings include the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall, and the Aquatic Center. Many cultural events are still held at Olympia Park.
Details: Dachau Concentration Camp & Memorial visit
Your visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp will be one of the most powerful moments of your Holocaust study tour. In 1933, what had once been a quiet little artists' community became a tragic symbol of the Nazi era, the first German concentration camp. Your tour of the camp includes the memorial chapels and two of the rebuilt barracks. The Museum is housed in the large building that once contained the kitchen, laundry, and shower baths.
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Day 11 End tour

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    Day 11 Munich--Berlin
    Travel to Berlin by train
    Berlin guided sightseeing tour
    Potsdamer PlatzBerlin WallBrandenburg GateReichstagVictory Column
    Details: Berlin guided sightseeing tour
    Join a professional, licensed tour guide as you discover one of the most historical cities in Germany. Although nothing remains of the mortar and cement-block barrier between East and West Berlin, the Berlin Wall (built in 1961; destroyed in 1989) is still a main “site” in Berlin. View the well-known Brandenburg Gate, once a main gate hidden behind a 10-foot barrier and now known for celebratory dancing on its flat top during the reunification. Travel to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the most famous border crossing point. Checkpoint Charlie, once a wooden guard hut, was the most (in)famous border-crossing point between East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. All that remains of the checkpoint itself is a skeletal watchtower and a memorial of attempted escapees. Follow your guide as they lead you through the museum’s accounts of the most ingenious of these escape attempts— even a few by hot air balloon.
    Details: Berlin Wall
    Follow the route of the Berlin Wall viewing numerous crosses and wreaths to remind us of the tragedies which occurred after the wall was built in 1961.
    Details: Brandenburg Gate
    Spend time at the Brandenburg Gate, a triumphal arch, which stood in "no man's land" between East and West Berlin during the Cold War and became a symbol of a divided Germany. Enter the Room of Silence, built into one of the guardhouses, where visitors gather to meditate and reflect on Germany's past.
    Details: Topography of Terror visit
    The Topography of Terror in Berlin is a museum and historical site that chronicles the crimes of the Nazi regime, particularly those committed by the Gestapo, SS, and Reich Security Main Office. It offers exhibitions, educational programs, and includes historical remnants like a section of the Berlin Wall to provide a thorough understanding of this period.
    Day 12 Potsdam
    Potsdam excursion
    Neues Palais guided visitSanssouci Palace gardensThe Russian Colony
    Details: Jewish Museum visit
    Located on the line that once separated East and West Germany, this stirring museum was built in the shape of a warped Star of David and focuses on the realities of Jewish life in Germany, from ancient times up to the horrors of the Holocaust.
    Details: Potsdam excursion
    Seen as Germany’s “Little Hollywood” from 1921 through WWII, Potsdam was the dazzling city of Frederick the Great, with countless marble fountains, exotic pavilions and Baroque castles (mostly built in the name of Frederick and Prussia’s power). Among the parks are testaments of Frederick’s eclectic and sometimes odd tastes such as the parasol-toting Buddha on the roof of the Chinesisches Teehaus pavilion, Frederick’s “guest house."
    Details: Neues Palais guided visit
    Visit the Neues Palais, ordered by Frederick the Great, including the Palace, the Grotto, and the Theater.
    Day 13 End tour
    Map of US History in Europe tour - Explorica
    Tour Includes:
    • Round-trip airfare
    • 9 overnight stays (11 on extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
    • Full European breakfast daily
    • Dinner daily
    • Full-time services of a professional tour director
    • Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
    • Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
    • Tour Diary™
    • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
    • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
    • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
    We are better able to assist you with a quote for your selected departure date and city over the phone. Please call 1.888.310.7120 to price this tour with your requested options.
    Please select a postal code
    4141.00 total fee
    Basic Options


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