Combined Battlefields Land Tour and the Rhine River Cruise
From the Battlefields of France & Belgium to the Castles of the Rhine
May 27-June 15, 2027
“One journey–two extraordinary experiences. Embark on an unforgettable European journey that seamlessly combines a custom-crafted land tour through the legendary battlefields and historic landmarks of France and Belgium with the timeless beauty of a luxury Rhine River cruise. Walk in the footsteps of history as you explore iconic military sites, charming towns, and cultural treasures, then unwind as you sail through some of Europe’s most breathtaking landscapes—past storybook villages, medieval castles, and vineyard-covered hillsides.
Itinerary
Wednesday, May 26, 2027
Departure from the US
Day 1: Thursday, May 27, 2027
Welcome to Paris (2 Nights)
Upon arrival in Paris, you will have one group transfer to a local restaurant for an included lunch. Afterwards, stroll through the intriguing Marais district on a guided walking tour, uncovering its grand mansions, hidden courtyards and rich history. Then, enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Copains (*subject to availability and time permitting), a gluten-free organic boulangerie, where you’ll meet the team and enjoy a private tasting of their mouth-watering pastries and bread. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.
Meal(s ): Lunch, Welcome Dinner
Day 2: Friday, May 28, 2027
Discover the Icons of Paris
Join your Travel Director for a panoramic tour of Paris, viewing the Sorbonne, Boulevard St. Germain, Opéra, Champs-Élysées, Rue de Rivoli and views of the Eiffel Tower. Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral (*subject to availability) before continuing to Montmartre, the city’s charming artistic quarter, where you’ll have time to wander its cobbled streets. Later, explore Napoleon’s Tomb and the Musée de l’Armée at Les Invalides, then ascend the Arc de Triomphe (*subject to availability) for sweeping views across the City of Light. This evening, savor an unforgettable dinner on the first floor of the iconic Eiffel Tower (*subject to availability), where you’ll enjoy delicious French cuisine while taking in spectacular views of the illuminated City of Light.
Meal(s):Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3: Saturday, May 29, 2027
Paris to Versailles to Caen (2 Nights)
Travel to the magnificent Palace of Versailles, where you’ll explore the opulent State Apartments and Hall of Mirrors, the setting for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles following World War I. Continue to the historic town of Caen, your gateway to Normandy. Tonight, dine at your hotel.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Sunday, May 30, 2027
Explore the D-Day Normandy Beaches
Walk in the footsteps of the courageous Allied soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, a pivotal moment that helped change the course of World War II. Begin your day at Omaha Beach, one of the most fiercely contested landing sites of the invasion, before visiting the moving Normandy American Cemetery, where rows of white crosses stand as a solemn tribute to the thousands who gave their lives in the fight for freedom. Continue to Pointe du Hoc, where American Rangers heroically scaled towering cliffs under intense enemy fire during one of the most daring operations of the invasion. Conclude your day at Arromanches 360 (subject to availability), where the powerful panoramic film The 100 Days of the Battle of Normandy brings the events of the D-Day landings vividly to life through immersive archival footage and surround-screen projection. Then enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Monday, May 31, 2027
Mont Saint-Michel and Saint-Malo
Journey through the rolling Normandy countryside and the land of Calvados en route to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island of Mont-Saint-Michel. Join your Local Specialist to discover the fascinating history of the medieval Benedictine Abbey dramatically perched above the bay. Next, take in the stunning natural beauty of the Emerald coastline and learn about the privateer past of Saint-Malo. This port town is known for its striking medieval ramparts, handsome aristocratic houses and its famous son, Jacques Cartier, who claimed what is now Canada for the French. Join our Local Specialist to uncover the secrets of this “Jewel of Brittany.” Then, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Tuesday, June 1, 2027
Le Tronchet, Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, and Caen
Leaving Brittany behind, journey north toward the Normandy coast, arriving first in the picturesque fishing town of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, where you’ll have free time to stroll the harbor, watch the fishing boats come and go, or simply soak up the seaside atmosphere. Continue to a memorable Be My Guest experience (subject to availability) with the Ferrut family at their beautiful equestrian center overlooking the Normandy countryside and Bayeux Cathedral. Enjoy a homemade lunch while learning about their family’s story and experiencing genuine Norman hospitality. This afternoon, visit Juno Beach, where Canadian forces landed during the D-Day invasion, before paying your respects at the nearby Canadian War Cemetery, a moving tribute to those who fought for the liberation of Europe. Later, continue to your hotel in Caen.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7: Wednesday, June 2, 2027
Normandy to Amiens via the Somme
The battlefields of the Somme take center stage today. Stop at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, honoring the Australian soldiers who lost their lives in WWI with a visit to Franco Australian Museum. Take part in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Ocean Villas WWI Museum, where you’ll walk through an original British trench, explore recovered artifacts and visit the private Remembrance Wall, preserving the memory of both the fallen and those who survived. Carry on to Thiepval to see the poignant memorial that honors the 72,337 missing British and South African men who died with no known graves. Later, arrive in Amiens, where you can enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 8: Thursday, June 3, 2027
Vimy Ridge, Fromelles, and Dunkirk
Visit the memorial at Vimy Ridge dedicated to the Canadian soldiers who fought here in 1917. This horrific battle, and the bravery of the men who fought in it, came to symbolize Canada’s coming of age as a nation. Stop in Fromelles, where there was a combined operation between British troops and the Australian Imperial Force. Described as the “worst 24 hours in Australia’s military history”, visit the Australian Cemetery and Memorial. Our last stop is Dunkirk where Operation Dynamo miraculously saw over 330,000 Allied troops evacuated to Britain.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 9: Friday, June 4, 2027
Dunkirk, Ypres, and Brussels
Step back into history as you join a Local Specialist to explore the World War I battlefields of the Ypres Salient. Visit Langemark, Vancouver Corner, Tyne Cot Cemetery, the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 in Zonnebeke, and Essex Farm Cemetery, where Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields. Continue to Waterloo, site of Napoleon’s final defeat in 1815, and visit the battlefield, monuments, and the iconic Lion’s Mound. End the day in Brussels with an orientation tour featuring the Atomium, Manneken Pis, and the magnificent Grand Place, famed for its ornate guildhalls and historic beauty.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 10: Saturday, June 5, 2027
Windmills, Delftware and Dutch Heritage
Leaving Brussels behind, journey into the Netherlands and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kinderdijk, home to 19 historic working windmills that showcase centuries of Dutch water-management ingenuity. Enjoy a scenic boat cruise through the picturesque polder landscape before continuing to Rotterdam for an orientation tour of this vibrant city. Next, visit the renowned Royal Delft Pottery workshop to learn about the craftsmanship behind the famous blue-and-white porcelain. Conclude the day in the charming fishing village of Monnickendam, where you’ll stroll past historic gabled homes before enjoying a three-course dinner in the town’s former cheese weigh-house, then continue to your Amsterdam hotel.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Sunday, June 6, 2027
Explore Amsterdam
Your journey continues on Trafalgar’s River Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam itinerary. You will transfer to the starting hotel for the river cruise. Spend your day exploring the vibrant Dutch capital. Get your first taste of river life with a canal cruise and dinner with your fellow travelers. Experience Director and Experience Manager.
Day 12: Monday, June 7, 2027
Stroll the Canals in Amsterdam
Experience Amsterdam as you like. Wander scenic canals, explore world-class museums or soak up the atmosphere in a cafe. For something extra, join an Optional Experience on a foodie tour or visit a traditional windmill in Volendam. On select departures opt to explore the colourful blooms of Keukenhof Gardens. (Breakfast)
Day 13: Tuesday, June 8, 2027
Embark on your Rhine River Cruise
Uncover the story of Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne operation of WWII. Visit the Airborne Museum in Hartenstein and see the “Bridge Too Far ,” where British paratroopers fought a heroic but ill-fated battle. This afternoon, board the Trafalgar Verity and begin your journey along the legendary Rhine.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14: Wednesday, June 9, 2027
Cross into Cologne
Your first night on the Lower Rhine takes you through Germany’s historic heart of industry. Dock in Cologne and Join a Local Specialist to explore the historic streets and see the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral or see a different side of the city on a Street Art tour. In the afternoon, you may choose an Optional Experience by visiting the Michael Schumacher Private Collection, a must for motorsport fans.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Thursday, June 10, 2027
Cruise the Middle Rhine into Koblenz
Take in the scenery as you begin to cruise through the Middle Rhine, a region famous for its hillside vineyards and storybook castles. You’ll also sail past Deutsches Eck (German Corner), where the Moselle meets the Rhine, marked by the grand monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I. On land, join a Local Specialist in Koblenz before cruising to Boppard. Later, explore Rheinstein Castle, perched high above the river. You can explore further with an optional bike ride passing charming villages and historic castles.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Friday, June 11, 2027
Discover Rüdesheim
Cruise through the Middle Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before arriving in Rüdesheim, known for its half-timbered houses. Take a mini-train tour, then enjoy time to explore. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Saturday, June 12, 2027
Experience Medieval Speyer
Step ashore in Speyer, a town with deep medieval roots. Join a Local Specialist for a walking tour passing baroque townhouses and visiting a medieval church. Discover the 11th-century Jewish community, including its ritual baths and enjoy some local treats. Join an Optional Experience to Heidelberg. You’ll walk through its charming old town, cross the Old Bridge and visit the striking Heidelberg Castle.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 18: Sunday, June 13, 2027
Onwards to Strasbourg
Step ashore in Alsace, where French and German influences mix. With a Local Specialist by your side, explore Strasbourg’s old town and see its impressive cathedral and the charming Petite France district. In the afternoon, choose an Optional Experience into the Black Forest, known for its scenic landscapes, fairytale villages and traditional crafts.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 19: Monday, June 14, 2027
Pass the Black Forest to Breisach
Cruise south of Strasbourg, where the river marks the border between Germany and France. Drift through the Upper Rhine Plain, nestled between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains, and take in the stunning scenery along the way. Step ashore for a tour of Breisach, a historic town known for its colourful houses and centuries-old cathedral. Then, join the Bohrer family at Bohrerhof for a Be My Guest experience on their family farm. In the afternoon, you can take an optional visit to the Alsatian villages, filled with half-timbered houses and scenic vineyards.
Be My Guest: Sit down to a homegrown meal at Bohrerhof, a family-run farm in the Rhine plain. For generations, the Bohrer family has carefully cultivated their produce, staying true to their farming traditions. As you enjoy a lunch made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, you’ll get a real taste of their farm and the heritage behind it.
Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest Lunch, Dinner
Day 20: Tuesday, June 15, 2027
Farewell in Basel
Your scenic river cruise comes to an end as you disembark in Basel. Bid farewell to your Experience Director and Experience Manager, crew and fellow cruise companions, until you cruise again.
Meals: Breakfast
Sightseeing Highlights
- Explore the icons of France with guided sightseeing in Paris, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Montmartre, Les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, the Palace of Versailles, and the UNESCO-listed Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey.
- Follow the footsteps of history across the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches, Omaha Beach, Normandy American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, Juno Beach, the Somme Battlefields, Vimy Ridge, Fromelles, Dunkirk, the Ypres Salient, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, and the Battle of Waterloo.
- Discover the cultural treasures of Belgium and the Netherlands, with sightseeing in Brussels, a cruise through the UNESCO-listed Kinderdijk windmills, a visit to the Royal Delft Pottery workshop, an orientation of Rotterdam, and a visit to the charming Dutch village of Monnickendam.
- Explore with Local Specialists: Cologne, Koblenz, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach
- Visit Must-see Landmark: Airborne Museum in Hartenstein, Rheinstein Castle near Koblenz, German Corner in Koblenz
- View Must-see Landmarks: Cologne Cathedral in Cologne, the Drosselgasse in Rüdesheim, Holy Trinity Church in Speyer, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament in Strasbourg