Destinations
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D-Day and Battle of Normandy sites in Normandy from the actual landing sites through all major operations to the closing of the Falaise Gap
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Market Garden sites in the Netherlands
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Battle of the Bulge sites in Belgium and Luxembourg
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Italian Campaign sites including Sicily
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Word War II sites in Germany
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Battle of Britain sites and British sites connected to the Normandy landings.
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World War II sites in Central Europe
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World War I sites in Belgium and France
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Cold War sites in Germany and Central Europe
Number of Days
We'd like you to plan for at least 4 DAYS when asking us to design this type of custom tour for you. This is first and foremost because our mission is to educate through joyful travel, and it cannot be meaningfully done in any less time. You can do a quick city sightseeing tour in half a day, but our tours require more time because of the amount of knowledge and the large number of sites we would love to share with you. Take Normandy, one of our best sellers, as an example: picking you up in Paris and traveling to Normandy already takes up much of a day, and it takes two full days to go through just the absolute must-see sights once you're there.
Accommodation
Accommodation is an important part of your experience, and that is why the STARS are up to you. Some 3-star hotels can be as good as a 4- or even a 5-star one, and vice versa: a poorly-chosen 4-star hotel can ruin your vacation. Trust us, we experienced this in the past, but you do not have to. Choose carefully after consulting with us and take advantage of the decades of experience in logistics and the right network of suppliers that we have.
Meals
Your tour can include or exclude pre-arranged meals, but it always includes breakfast. We usually suggest arranging your meal on your own and we will provide the right amount of time at the right place to have your lunch and dinner. We know about the local specialties and where to have them, whether you are a gourmand or just want a quick, delicious meal specific to the region. You can also find McDonalds even in the remote parts of Normandy if that's what you crave. An all-inclusive option is of course available, and we will pre-arrange your lunch, dinner or both if you'd like.
Transportation
All transportation connected to your tour is included in the price, excluding transatlantic flights. Transportation on the tour can be by train, airplane, ferry or river cruise, but most of the time it is one of our own minivans. The two oldest vehicles we work with right now are a 3-year-old 9-seat Mercedes van and a 20-seat Mercedes van. Our other three cars, also 9-seat minivans, are about a year old. We can accommodate larger groups by renting a coach and driver from a trusted company most of us have worked with in the past. Our fully equipped minivans will take care of everything from pickup to dropoff, so you won't have to worry about transportation.
Budget or Luxury
You can tour with us on a budget, or as royalty, or anything in between. Here are some general guidelines: if you take a budget tour, we will provide all means of transportation, your hotel room (usually in a 3-star hotel) with breakfast, some of the entry fees (to museums etc.), a professional driver and guide for the entirety of the tour and guided tours which leave you with enough free time for you to arrange your own lunch and dinner, which are excluded from the price. An all-inclusive tour includes all of the above, and you will stay in a 4-star hotel with lunch, dinner and all entry fees included. The luxury tour version is the all-inclusive tour but with accommodation in a 5-star hotel and snacks and beverages provided on board.