European War History

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Caen

Bienvenue à Paris. Meet your ACIS Tour Manager who will guide you on your journey northwest to Caen to begin your first-hand exploration of the impact of two World Wars on Europe. Begin with a visit to the Peace Museum, a compelling precursor to the World War II sites you'll visit tomorrow.

Day 3: Caen

Today walk in the footsteps of history as you visit many of Normandy's important World War II sites. You can pay tribute to the heroic fallen at the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer before descending from the bluff to walk along Omaha Beach, where American troops suffered some of the heaviest D-Day losses. Then picture the chaos of June 6, 1944 at the bomb-scarred landscape of Pointe du Hoc before reflecting on the cost of war for both sides at the La Cambe German War Cemetery. Tonight's treat is a traditional French crêpe dinner.

Day 4: Paris

Journey this morning to Paris, and join your local guide for a sightseeing tour of the city. Today's tour shows you the magnificent Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon's final resting place at Les Invalides and the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame—all memorable backdrops from the Victory Parade after the city was liberated by the Allies. Later ascend to the third floor of the Eiffel Tower for views over this magnificent city.

Day 5: Ardennes Area

Travel east for a guided visit of the American Monument at Château-Thierry, commemorating the United States forces that fought and died in France during World War I. Continue to the nearby Marine Memorial at Belleau Wood where regiments of the U.S. 4th Marine Brigade endured heavy fighting on the battlefield in June of 1918. Arrive in the Ardennes area in time for dinner.

Day 6: Ardennes Area

Today's excursion highlights the pivotal Battle of the Bulge. First travel to the Belgian town of Bastogne and see the star-shaped Mardasson Memorial honoring the Americans who were killed or wounded. A visit to the Bastogne War Museum provides further context on this pivotal moment in history. Then venture with your local guide into the Ardennes Forest to explore the real foxholes used by the E-company of the 101st Airborne as the Germans advanced.

Day 7: Weimar

Today drive to Weimar, a focal point in the German Enlightenment and later the Bauhaus movement. Discover the city's rich cultural, artistic, architectural and historical heritage duing a walking tour with your tour manager that shows you the building where the Weimar Republic was declared in 1919, the historic Hotel Elephant favored by Hitler and the Nazi Party, the market square, and more highlights of the Old Town nestled alongside the beautiful Park an der Ilm.

Day 8: Berlin

Depart Weimar for a sobering and deeply moving visit of the nearby Buchenwald Memorial. The Memorial's exhibits, historical documents and preserved ruins of one of Germany's largest Nazi concentration camps provide valuable lessons on this dark chapter in human history. Continue to Berlin in time for dinner and exploration time in this historical and hip city.

Day 9: Berlin

Join your local guide for a sightseeing tour of the capital of the Third Reich. See the Soviet War Memorial and Cemetery, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial, the former locations of the SS and Gestapo headquarters and Hitler's Bunker. The afternoon is yours to reflect on all you've learned as you explore more of Berlin's highlights at your own pace. Cap off this memorable week with a stroll around Potsdamer Platz.

Day 10: Departure

Depart for the USA.