Behind The Iron Curtain: Spies & Espionage in the Cold War


About the tour: Behind The Iron Curtain: Spies & Espionage in the Cold War


Tour Introduction

The Cold War lasted for nearly 50 years and during this time spies and espionage on both sides were an important part of the West’s attempt to prevent a Third World War. On this fascinating tour we cast light into the dark corners of spying behind the Iron Curtain in Germany and look at what might have happened if the Cold War had turned hot. Accompanied by a Specialist Battlefield Guide visits include the new Berlin Spy Museum and the Berlin Wall, Glienicke Bridge, made famous in the film ‘Bridge of Spies’, Stasi Prison used to detain people condemned by the Communist regime, plus, the so-called ‘Fulda Gap’, where the main thrust of a Soviet advance on the West would have taken place.

Tour Includes


  • 8 nights hotel with continental breakfast
  • Specialist Historical Guide
  • Historical visits as described
  • FREE local joining points
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Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -

  1. Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
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  3. Send payments via cheque.
  4. Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.

Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.

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Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Local departure by coach or Door-to-door service then to Holland and our overnight hotel.

Day 2 - Cold War Border Hötensleben, Berlin

We travel to Berlin, stopping at the old Cold War border at Hötensleben, to see a preserved section of the Internal German Border which separated East and West during the Cold War, seeing tank traps, the wall and watch towers. We stay for three nights in a hotel once used by the Stasi.

Included meals: Breakfast

Hötensleben Boarder Wall

Hötensleben Border Wall (2)

Key Visits

  • Hötensleben Border Wall

Day 3 - Spy Museum, Cold War Berlin

On our first day in Berlin – a city at the dark heart of the Cold War – we begin at the new Berlin Spy Museum, spending the morning here and at nearby Topography of Terror, where we see the Berlin Wall and also have time for lunch in the area around Checkpoint Charlies: the Cold War front line for the Americans. In the afternoon we look at the Stasi – the East German security services, visiting the Stasi Prison used to detain people condemned by the Communist regime and also the Stasi Museum, in the site of their headquarters.

Included meals: Breakfast

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie (3)

Key Visits

  • Berlin Wall
  • Checkpoint Charlie
  • Berlin Spy Museum
  • Stasi Museum

Day 4 - Bridge of Spies, Berlin Wall

This morning we travel over to West Berlin to the Glienicke Bridge, made famous in the film ‘Bridge of Spies’ and a location where during the Cold War spies were exchanged. We returned to Berlin to look at the development of the Berlin Wall at Bernauerstrasse, seeing the open air memorial site and preserved wall, and Visitors' Centre, with time for lunch in this area. In the afternoon, we visit the Teufelsberg: the ‘Devil’s Mountain’, which was the site of a Cold War spy station overlooking Berlin, a site not normally open to the public.

Included meals: Breakfast

Glienicke Bridge

Glienicke Bridge (2)

Key Visits

  • Glienicke Bridge

Day 5 - DDR Museum, Leipzig

On our final morning in Berlin, we visit the DDR Museum, the museum of everyday life under the East German regime, with some fascinating exhibits. You can also take time to visit the nearby ‘TV Tower’, now one of the iconic symbols of Berlin, but established as a communications hub to spy on the west. We then depart for Leipzig for two nights.

Included meals: Breakfast

Berlin TV Tower

Berlin TV Tower (2)

Key Visits

  • DDR Museum
  • Berlin TV Tower

Day 6 - Stasi Bunker, Kossa Cold war Bunker

In Leipzig, we visit the Stasi Bunker, the last remaining Cold War site used by the Stasi in its original state. After lunchtime in Leipzig, we travel out to the Kossa Cold War Bunker, a massive Warsaw Pact site with tanks, hangars and bunkers.

Included meals: Breakfast

Leipzig

Leipzig (2)

Key Visits

  • Leipzig
  • Kossa Cold War Bunker

Day 7 - Fulda Gap

Today we look at when the Cold War could have gone hot, travelling to the so-called ‘Fulda Gap’, where the main thrust of a Soviet advance on the West would have taken place. We set the scene, look at possible scenarios and visit the ‘battlefields that never were’.

Overnight in Fulda.

Included meals: Breakfast

Key Visits

  • Fulda Gap

Day 8 - Point Alpha Memorial

On our last morning, we visit the Point Alpha Memorial at the Fulda Gap, which commemorates the role of American and NATO forces in the area, seeing the Visitors' Centre and preserved border section. We depart for Belgium for an overnight stay.

Included meals: Breakfast

Key Visits

  • Point Alpha Memorial

Day 9

Return home.

Included meals: Breakfast

For your convenience, pre-book 5 evening meals to be taken at your hotels in Berlin and Leipzig for £109 per person.  Call for more details.


Specialist Battlefield Guides

All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.

Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.

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Hotel

You will stay for one night at the 4-star Bilderberg Wolfheze, near Arnhem, followed by three nights at the 3-star Tryp by Wyndham Berlin City East. In Leipzig, we stay two nights at the 4-star H4 Hotel and then one night at the 4-star Hotel Fulde Mitte. 

Overnight stay in Belgium will be in a city-style hotel.

Travel Options

All our coaches and transfer vehicles operate a 'no smoking on board policy'. The use of electronic cigarettes is strictly forbidden.
In the interest of fellow guests, do not take hot food or ice cream on board.
alcohol can only be taken on board our vehicles at the discretion of your driver.

When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.

Travel Extras

With an overnight stay, a Door-to-Door pick up or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...

Join coach at Interchange

Join your tour coach at the interchange.

On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.

Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.

Door-to-Door service

On Battlefield tours of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. Our Door-to-Door Service collects you from your home and takes you to meet your transfer vehicile, then brings you back at the end of the holiday. Door-to-Door Service is available within a 20-mile radius of one of our free joining points and is from £90 per car, return (up to 4 passengers per vehicle).

If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.

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