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
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(Deposits from £50pp)

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.
  2. Send payments via online banking.
  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 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

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 Belgium for our overnight stay, stopping at Calais Canadian Cemetery, where those who died in the liberation of Boulogne and Calais are buried.

Included meals: Breakfast

Bayeux War Museum

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

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

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

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.

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Hotel

You will stay for two nights at the Ibis Caen Porte de Bretagne or similar, one night at the Hotel Oude Abdij, a further night at the A-Hotel, Oosterhout before spending two nights at the Wageningen International Congress Centre.

Oude Abdij

Oude Abdi
Oude Abdij
Oude Abdij

About the hotel

The 3-star Hotel Oude Abdij is located in unique 18th century Dovecots of the Augustine monks, which still remains. The former abbey and brewery have been transformed into this delightful hotel with 60 comfortable rooms. The 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

Oosterhout Hotel
Oosterhout Hotel

Hotel Features

  • Bar
  • English Speaking Staff
  • Guest Lounge
  • Lift
  • WiFi Available

Room Features

  • Bath and/or Shower
  • Hairdryer
  • Telephone
  • TV

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.

Silver Service Coach

Silver Service, refreshments
Silver Service, lounge
Silver Service, entertainment

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

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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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