Liberation Route: D-Day to Arnhem
7 days from £999pp
About the tour: Liberation Route: D-Day to Arnhem
Tour Introduction
Join us on a unique journey as we follow British and Commonwealth forces in the landings of D-Day, the Battle of Normandy and the liberation of Belgium and Holland leading to the fighting at Arnhem. We begin our tour visiting the Normandy Beaches including Gold Beach and Juno Beach. We then look a little further into the Battle of Normandy where we see a Churchill tank and visit Bayeux. Moving into Belgium, we look at the liberation of September 1944 and the attacks during Operation Switchboard before heading into Holland and following the events of Operation Market Garden. We conclude our tour with a full day visit to Arnhem, visiting the War Cemetery and Hartenstein Hotel Museum.
Tour Includes
- 6 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Battlefield visits as described
- Convenient local joining points
(Deposits from £150pp)
We offer flexible payment options
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 -
- 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.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- 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.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to our hotel in the Caen area, where we stay for two nights.
Day 2 - Normandy Beaches
We begin with the British D-Day story starting at Arromanches where we see the remains of the Mulberry Harbour.At Gold Beach we see where Stan Hollis was awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day, the only VC that day, and then at Juno Beach look at the story of the Canadians seeing memorials and bunkers.
After lunchtime in Courseulles, we see where the British 3rd Division and Commandos landed on Sword Beach, then visit the Pegasus Memorial Museum and see where gliders came in at Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day.
We end at Ranville War Cemetery, where many of the Airborne soldiers are buried.
Included meals: Breakfast
Pegasus Bridge (6)
Key Visits
- Juno Beach
- Pegasus Bridge
- Sword Beach
- Gold Beach
- Arromanches
Day 3 - Battle of Normandy
Today we look at the Battle of Normandy and examine the bitter fighting for Hill 112, the ‘Verdun of Normandy’. Here we see a Churchill Tank and memorials to the fighting.We then travel through the Bocage battlefields to Bayeux, visiting Bayeux War Museum and Bayeux War Cemetery.
After lunchtime in central Bayeux, we travel to northern France for an overnight at De Panne in Belgium, stopping at Calais Canadian Cemetery, where those who died in the liberation of Boulogne and Calais are buried.
Included meals: Breakfast
Bayeux War Museum (5)
Key Visits
- Bayeux War Museum
- Hill 112, Normandy
- Calais Canadian War Cemetery
- Bayeux War Cemetery
Day 4 - The Forgotten Battle
We begin our look at the liberation of Belgium in September 1944 with a visit to the superb For Freedom Museum at Knocke, where we see amazing displays of wartime equipment and uniforms.We then examine the Canadian landings and attacks here during Operation Switchback before crossing onto the Walcheren Island. Here in November 1944 British Commandos and Canadians landed on the island to clear the Scheldt Estuary, allowing the port of Antwerp to be open.
After lunchtime in Middelburg we see where the landings took place at Westkapelle, seeing a Sherman tank and nearby memorials before ending the day at Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, and then to our overnight hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Walcheren Island (3)
Key Visits
- For Freedom Museum
- Bergen op Zoom
- Walcheren Island
Day 5 - The Liberation Route
Following the Liberation Route into Holland, we examine Operation Market Garden in September 1944, following the route of ground troops of XXX Corps from Eindhoeven to the Son Bridge, and visit the Wings of Liberation Museum.After lunch we see Grave Bridge and then go into Nijmegen to look at the Waal Crossing of American Airborne soldiers in support of Guards Armoured Division.
We then continue to the outskirts of Arnhem for two nights.
Included meals: Breakfast
Grave Bridge (3)
Key Visits
- Nijmegen Bridge
- Grave Bridge
Day 6 - Arnhem
Today we have a full day at Arnhem, seeing where British Airborne soldiers landed. We visit the Hartenstein Hotel Museum, and Arnhem War Cemetery, as well as visiting Oosterbeek Church, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. We end our day at Arnhem Bridge, looking at the famous battle here and discussing whether it was a ‘Bridge Too Far’.Included meals: Breakfast
Oosterbeek Church (4)
Key Visits
- Arnhem War Cemetery
- Oosterbeek Church
- Hartenstein Hotel Museum
Day 7
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
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.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Oude Abdij
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About the hotel
The 3-star Hotel Oude Abdij is located in unique 18th century Dovecots of the Augustine monks which still remains. The hotel grounds have beautiful views and include an orchard and fishing lake for you to enjoy.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Oosterhout Hotel
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Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
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
+ Find out moreJoin 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
+ Find out moreOn 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.
