Scheduled Tours by Historical Period

In this section we have organised our scheduled tours by historical period to help you easily view those which hold your interest; simply scroll down through our tours or alternatively you can filter by historical period.

Early Periods Tours

The Golden Journey to Samarkand Starts 28th September 2018 (12 days) Guide - Dr Paul Wordsworth
Uzbekistan, intriguing and historically rich, is a cradle of culture from where a mesmerising collection of sapphire and gold buildings, monuments and magnificent cities have arisen reflecting the influence of the diverse cultures that have passed along the ‘Silk Road’. find out more and book
The Archaeology of the Bay of Naples Starts 23rd October 2018 (7 days) Guide - Amanda Pavlick
Our programme covers the best archaelogical sites surrounding The Bay of Naples in Southern Italy - Not only the impressive remains of the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum but also those that are less well-known, including Oplontis, Stabiae, Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. find out more and book
Fortress Malta Starts 3rd November 2018 (6 days) Guide - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
This is a wonderfully varied and scenic tour of Malta – a tiny island with a warm welcome and proud military heritage including probably the greatest concentration of military fortifications in Europe. find out more and book
Enigmatic Georgia Starts 3rd April 2019 (13 days) Guide - Dr Paul Wordsworth
Georgia is one of the great undiscovered tourist destinations of this century. See the fabulous monasteries and cathedrals that characterise the landscape, history and society of this mountainous country, from the recently finished Sameba Cathedral to the ancient David Gareji Monastery carved into the cliffs. find out more and book
The Archaeology of the Bay of Naples Starts 8th April 2019 (7 days) Guide - Dr Andy Fear
Our programme covers the best archaelogical sites surrounding The Bay of Naples in Southern Italy - Not only the impressive remains of the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum but also those that are less well-known, including Oplontis, Stabiae, Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. find out more and book
Roman Andalucía Starts 15th April 2019 (8 days) Guide - Dr Andy Fear
Modern Andalusia was the second oldest province of the Roman Empire. It was captured from Hannibal’s Carthaginians in the Punic Wars after the battle of Ilipa outside of Seville in 206 BC and then remained a Roman possession for some six hundred years. find out more and book
The Hundred Years War Starts 23rd April 2019 (8 days) Lead Guide - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a tour of the Loire and Pas-de-Calais in May, when the rolling countryside and imposing Gothic architecture are at their picturesque best. find out more and book
The Pale Horseman Starts 27th June 2019 (4 days) Guide - Ryan Lavelle
Travelling through and walking in some of the finest English landscapes, we will try to understand how Anglo-Saxon kingship worked during this crucial period in English history as the most famous of the sons of Wessex, Alfred the Great, fought for survival against his Viking enemies. find out more and book
The Wars of the Roses: The Northern Battles Starts 7th July 2019 (6 days) Guide - Dr John Sadler
Over six days we enjoy an eclectic mix of battlefields, museums and castles as we travel through some of England’s most beautiful countryside and visit some iconic towns and cities including two of The North’s greatest cities. find out more and book
The Lost Legions Starts 10th July 2019 (6 days) Guide - Tony Wilmott
The Battle of Teutoburg Forest was nothing short of a massacre of three Roman legions, resulting in the retreat of the Roman Empire across the Rhine, a border they would never successful conquer again find out more and book
The Archaeology of Western and Central Bulgaria Starts 12th August 2019 (9 days) Guide - Andrew Poulter
In the company of archaeologist Professor Andrew Poulter, a Roman scholar and veteran of Bulgarian archaeology, we navigate the finest of this country’s incredible inventory of historical sites. find out more and book
The Archaeology of the Bay of Naples Starts 2nd September 2019 (7 days) Guide - Andrew Poulter
Our programme covers the best archaelogical sites surrounding The Bay of Naples in Southern Italy - Not only the impressive remains of the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum but also those that are less well-known, including Oplontis, Stabiae, Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. find out more and book
In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great Starts 6th September 2019 (10 days) Guide - Dr Andy Fear
This ten-day tour to Turkey follows Alexander’s campaign against King Darius III and his Persian army during the years of 334 – 333 BC. After his initial victory at Granicus, Alexander went on to liberate the Greek cities in Asia Minor from Persian control find out more and book
The Golden Journey to Samarkand Starts 27th September 2019 (12 days) Guide - Katie Campbell
Uzbekistan, intriguing and historically rich, is a cradle of culture from where a mesmerising collection of sapphire and gold buildings, monuments and magnificent cities have arisen reflecting the influence of the diverse cultures that have passed along the ‘Silk Road’. find out more and book
The Archaeology of the Bay of Naples Starts 22nd October 2019 (7 days) Guide - Amanda Pavlick
Our programme covers the best archaelogical sites surrounding The Bay of Naples in Southern Italy - Not only the impressive remains of the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum but also those that are less well-known, including Oplontis, Stabiae, Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. find out more and book
The Archaeology of the Bay of Naples Starts 30th March 2020 (7 days) Guide - Dr Andy Fear
Our programme covers the best archaelogical sites surrounding The Bay of Naples in Southern Italy - Not only the impressive remains of the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum but also those that are less well-known, including Oplontis, Stabiae, Cumae, Baiae and Pozzuoli. find out more and book
The Roman Empire's Western Extremity Starts 6th April 2020 (8 days) Guide - Dr Andy Fear
The wealth and peace brought to the former province of Lusitania by the Romans are reflected in the magnificent monuments left for us to admire across the province and their variety allows us to see not just the richness of city life, but also the source of the riches and infrastructure which allowed that life to flourish. find out more and book

17th & 18th Century Tours

The English Civil War in The North Starts 1st July 2019 (6 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
By the end of 1643 there had been no decisive achievement by either side, but an alliance towards the end of that year by the Parliamentarians with the battle-hardened army of the Scottish Covenanters considerably altered the dynamics in the north of the country find out more and book
Marlborough - The First Churchill Starts 21st July 2019 (7 days) Guide - Dr John Sadler
It is no secret that Winston Churchill drew huge inspiration from his ancestor John Churchill, later the Duke of Marlborough, who is generally regarded as England’s finest commander and one of history’s great captains. find out more and book
Frederick The Great Starts 17th September 2019 (8 days) Guide - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
The final part of our Fredrick the Great trilogy is based in Germany and explores the battlefields of some of the famous leader’s victories. We’ll staying in the historic town of Dresden whose centre was meticulously rebuilt to its baroque and rococo grandeur after the Second World War find out more and book

Napoleonic Tours

Walking Waterloo Starts 5th October 2018 (4 days) Guide - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
Following the success of the 2016 tour, The Cultural Experience’s own Alan Rooney and Ashley Truluck are once again inviting guests to join them on a walking tour of the Waterloo Campaign. find out more and book
Napoleon in Italy Starts 12th October 2018 (8 days) Guide - Martin Boycott-Brown
In 1796, France's army in Italy was under-fed, under-equipped and unpaid. It’s fair to say it was also low on morale. It was this army that Napoleon picked up by the scruff of its neck and turned into the effective fighting force that would defeat successive Austrian armies and conquer northern Italy. find out more and book
Wellington in India Starts 16th November 2018 (10 days) Guide - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
The 28 year old Colonel Arthur Wellesley left England in command of the 33rd Foot and arrived in India in 1797. He swiftly established his innate ability and campaigned in the Mysore and Mahratta Wars, returning to England as a major general eight years late find out more and book
Austerlitz: Napoleon's Masterpiece Starts 30th November 2018 (4 days) Guide - Alan Rooney
We spend a fascinating long weekend exploring the whole battlefield, which has changed little over the years, and intermingling with the numerous participants preparing for the spectacular anniversary re-enactment that will be taking place near the actual battlefield. find out more and book
The Peninsular War In Southern Spain Starts 30th April 2019 (7 days) Guide - Tim Clayton
This tour takes us to some of the most elegant and historic locations in all Spain including Seville, Cordoba and especially Cadiz - Spain’s most cosmopolitan city in the Napoleonic period, her main naval base, and the destination of treasure ships inbound from the Americas. find out more and book
Wellington's Eastern Front Starts 22nd May 2019 (7 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
Based on Nick Lipscombe’s book ‘Wellington’s Eastern Front’, this six day tour looks at the ebb and flow of Suchet’s campaign on the east coast of Spain and Wellington’s strategic response to that threat. The tour visits some of the most picturesque and vibrant parts of Spain. find out more and book
The Hundred Days Starts 17th June 2019 (8 days) Guide - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
Shortly after his first abdication, in an emotional farewell to his Old Guard at Fontainebleau on 20 April 1814, Napoleon departed for exile on Elba. But less than a year later, in what became known as ‘The Hundred Days’ he was back in Paris, having overthrown the surrogate Bourbon regime in a desperate attempt to re-assert his authority over France and in Europe find out more and book
Wellington in Spain Starts 4th September 2019 (8 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
Often referred to as the 'classic' Peninsular War tour, this eight-day battlefield tour visits some of Wellington's most notable battles and sieges during the period 1809 – 1812. find out more and book
Wellington Over The Pyrenees Starts 23rd September 2019 (9 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
This tour, a natural progression from our popular ‘Wellington in Spain’ and ‘Sharpe’s Peninsula’ tours, is led by Nick Lipscombe. Our route roughly follows the Great North Road from Madrid towards the great French border fortress of Bayonne and thence eastwards to Toulouse. find out more and book
Walking Waterloo Starts 28th September 2019 (4 days) Guide - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
Following the success of the 2016 tour, The Cultural Experience’s own Alan Rooney and Ashley Truluck are once again inviting guests to join them on a walking tour of the Waterloo Campaign. find out more and book
Napoleon in Germany Starts 14th October 2019 (8 days) Guide - Alan Rooney
After his disastrous campaign in Russia, Napoleon abandoned his army before Vilna on 5 December 1812 and returned to Paris to raise a new army. In less than 5 months he was back in Germany at the head of a new, but inexperienced army of some 200,000 men. find out more and book
Retreat to Corunna Starts 13th May 2020 (6 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
This tour encompasses all the major actions fought by Sir John Moore’s army: Sahagún, Benavente; Astorga, Cacabelos, Lugo and the last battle: that at Corunna. find out more and book
Wellington in Portugal Starts 5th June 2020 (7 days) Guide - Col Nick Lipscombe
During the years 1808 – 1811, the forces commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley successfully repulsed three French invasions of Portugal. find out more and book

Victorian Era Tours

The Franco-Austrian War Starts 20th October 2018 (6 days) Guide - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
After nearly 20 years of ‘enlightened’ French hegemony, the Congress of Vienna saw Northern Italy once more placed under Austro-Hungarian control. find out more and book
The Indian Mutiny Starts 3rd November 2018 (12 days) Guide - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
For a time British power in India – the jewel in the British Empire crown - hung by a thread. With so much at stake on both sides, it was a near run thing, with bravery and treachery in equal measure, and larger-than-life characters on each side... find out more and book
The Zulu War Starts 5th March 2019 (14 days) Guide - Ian Knight
This fascinating study of the Anglo-Zulu War takes us to ground that has hardly changed since the memorable events of the period, all set amongst spectacular scenery still populated by Zulu tribes and an abundance of wildlife. find out more and book
American Civil War: Through the Southern Heartland Starts 19th March 2019 (15 days) Guide - Fred Hawthorne
A wonderful 15 day tour which visits some of the most iconic and beautiful Southern cities and countryside in the states of Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas. find out more and book
The Austro-Prussian War 1866 Starts 28th June 2019 (8 days) Guide - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
Over the course of a week in the high summer of 1866 the Prussian Army decisively defeated the Austrian-led German Confederation in a series of five preliminary clashes and the climactic battle of Kőniggrätz in Bohemia find out more and book
The French and Indian War of 1754-1763 Starts 13th July 2019 (14 days) Lead Guide - Fred Hawthorne
When King George II granted tracts of land to the Ohio Company in 1749 it brought the British in to direct conflict with the French who were intent on maintaining their hegemony in the Ohio Valley. find out more and book
The American Civil War: Eastern Theater Tour Starts 20th September 2019 (14 days) Guide - Fred Hawthorne
Our 14-day tour is set amidst picturesque American countryside which, at this time of year, will be resplendent in early autumn colours: the scenic Shenandoah Valley, the stunning Skyline Drive along the Blue Ridge Mountains, the mighty James River and a wealth of National Parks. find out more and book
The Anglo-Boer Wars Starts 28th October 2019 (10 days) Guide - Ian Knight
This tour sees us study the two conflicts between the Afrikaners seeking independence and the freedom to maintain their unique way of life, and the imperial Forces of the British Empire during the height of the scramble for Africa find out more and book
The Indian Mutiny Starts 2nd November 2019 (12 days) Guide - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
For a time British power in India – the jewel in the British Empire crown - hung by a thread. With so much at stake on both sides, it was a near run thing, with bravery and treachery in equal measure, and larger-than-life characters on each side... find out more and book
The Zulu War Starts 4th March 2020 (14 days) Guide - Ian Knight
This fascinating study of the Anglo-Zulu War takes us to ground that has hardly changed since the memorable events of the period, all set amongst spectacular scenery still populated by Zulu tribes and an abundance of wildlife. find out more and book
The First Sikh War 1845-46 and Indian Hill Stations Starts 13th March 2020 (13 days) Guide - Patrick Mercer OBE
In 1842 the disastrous and humiliating campaign in which the British “were thrashed out of Afghanistan” ended, but it had severely damaged their reputation for invincibility in India and beyond. find out more and book
The American Civil War: Western Theater Starts 11th April 2020 (13 days) Guide - Fred Hawthorne
Whilst the American Civil War seemed to ebb and flow in the east during the years 1862 – 1864, in the west it took the form of a gradual, systematic Federal march southwards. find out more and book

World War 1 Tours

Walking The Ypres Salient Starts 28th September 2018 (4 days) Guide - Simon Jones
Ypres and its surrounding salient became a major focus point of the war during the race to the sea in 1914, where it was briefly occupied by the Germans, only to be quickly won back and held thereafter by the allies. It became the beating heart of the Allied front line throughout the First World War. find out more and book
The Doughboys Turn the Tide Starts 3rd October 2018 (5 days) Guide - Dr Bruce Cherry
The involvement of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), more affectionately known as Doughboys, is much overlooked and forgotten (especially in Britain) but during this tour we will explore the ground and hear the stories of their crucial and sometimes heroic contribution to the final victory. find out more and book
1918 Centenary Tour Starts 8th October 2018 (4 days) Guide - Dr Bruce Cherry
1918 was a busy year on the Western Front. The first half of the year saw both British and French Armies on the back foot, close to collapse and reeling from what were to be the last German offensives before the entry of the USA into the war. find out more and book
Lawrence of Arabia Starts 11th March 2019 (8 days) Guide - Eamonn Gearon
In the company of accomplished desert explorer, Arabist, historian, author and Middle-east analyst, Eamonn Gearon, we follow the same northward path of Lawrence and the Arab Revolt, from the capture of Aqaba towards victory. find out more and book
The Battle of Verdun Starts 21st March 2019 (5 days) Guide - Dr Bruce Cherry
The Verdun battlefield is dramatically and physically different to those on the Western Front. It straddles both sides of the River Meuse, which flows through wonderful scenery and we gain some magnificent views from the dominating ridge lines that surround Verdun. find out more and book
The Gallipoli Campaign Starts 7th May 2019 (6 days) Guide - Dr Bruce Cherry
Gallipoli was the scene of one of the great Allied failures of the First World War. In attempting to take Turkey out of the war, the assault on the Dardanelles ended in disastrous failure following a campaign that lasted from April 1915 to January 1916. find out more and book
The War Poets Starts 26th July 2019 (4 days) Guide - Simon Jones
The War Poets created some of the most powerful expressions of the human realities of the Great War which were instrumental in leading to a fundamental re-appraisal of the utility of war after the armistice and have moved generations of readers ever since. find out more and book
The First World War in Poland 1914-1915 Starts 4th August 2019 (7 days) Guide - Alan Wakefield
In Britain and Western Europe, the campaign on the Eastern Front is somewhat forgotten and overlooked. This seven day tour, led by First World War historian Alan Wakefield, will endeavour to put that right. Travelling across northern Poland you will see the key battlefields of the campaign, alongside forts, POW camps and other sites of historical interest. find out more and book
First & Last Shots Starts 20th August 2019 (4 days) Guide - Simon Jones
By a poignant quirk of fate, British forces fired their first and last shots of the Great War in the Belgian city of Mons. Today, the first and last British casualties from 1914 and 1918 lie buried, together with their former German foes, in the remarkable St. Symphorien Cemetery. find out more and book
Salonika Starts 26th April 2020 (6 days) Guide - Alan Wakefield
This tour visits the battlefields of one of the least visited and much overlooked campaigns of the First World War. Based in the quiet and untouched area of northern Greece and just over the border in Macedonia, the early spring will make for a pleasant, rustic and fascinating tour find out more and book

World War 2 Tours

The Holocaust Starts 11th October 2018 (7 days) Guide - Dr Waitman Beorn
Some six million Poles died during the Second World War, half of whom were Jews murdered in the forests in the east of the country or the death camps set up after the German occupation. find out more and book
Operation Mercury Starts 14th October 2018 (7 days) Guide - Col Bob Kershaw
Operation Mercury is the fascinating story of a high risk operation fought across a stunning Mediterranean landscape. We follow these hard fought actions along the dramatic coast lines of Crete. find out more and book
The Battle Of The Bulge Starts 5th December 2018 (5 days) Guide - Dr Peter Schrijvers
In the summer of 1944, the Allied momentum appeared unstoppable as troops broke out of Normandy, captured Paris, and raced through Belgium. In early autumn, however, the advance lost steam when logistical lines snapped and Operation Market Garden failed find out more and book
The Holocaust Starts 4th April 2019 (7 days) Guide - Dr Isabel Wollaston
Some six million Poles died during the Second World War, half of whom were Jews murdered in the forests in the east of the country or the death camps set up after the German occupation. find out more and book
The Battle for Berlin Starts 12th April 2019 (6 days) Guide - Major Nigel Dunkley
The Battle for Berlin was the decisive action that eventually bought an end to the war in Europe. The tour will focus on the fierce and bitter action from the point when the Red Army crossed the Oder River into Germany to the eventual fall of Berlin. find out more and book
Operation Husky Starts 23rd April 2019 (7 days) Guide - Patrick Mercer OBE
1943 was a difficult year for the Allies. America was still not at full capacity industrially and she was still learning on the battlefield. The British Empire, on the other hand, was under assault in the Atlantic and from the air whilst her victory in N Africa had done little to convince the battered Soviets that she was sacrificing enough. find out more and book
The Eastern Front Starts 4th May 2019 (11 days) Guide - Col Bob Kershaw
The defence of Moscow, the siege of Stalingrad and the battle of Kursk - three of the most pivotal events of the Second World War. find out more and book
Anzio & Cassino 1944 Starts 22nd May 2019 (7 days) Guide - Patrick Mercer OBE
After the bloodbath of Salerno and then the torture of the Volturno crossings, the US and British troops of Mark Clark’s 5th Army has to deal with the Axis Forces on the so-called Winter Line. At Camino and San Pietro the Tommies and Yanks battered their way through their enemies only to find Kesselring’s men firmly ensconced on the Gustav Line, anchored on the louring monastery of Cassino. find out more and book
The End in Italy Starts 29th May 2019 (7 days) Guide - Patrick Mercer OBE
Now’s your chance to visit the neglected battlefields which made up Kesselring’s last line of defence. If you have a grasp of Sicily, Salerno, Cassino and Anzio - or perhaps you’ve already visited them - this tour makes the perfect epilogue to study those who dodged D-Day! find out more and book
Finland 1939 Starts 15th July 2019 (8 days) Guide - Col Bob Kershaw
When Stalin signed the Soviet non-Aggression Pact with Hitler's Nazi Germany in August 1939, Eastern Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were annexed within the Soviet sphere of influence. find out more and book
D-Day: Operation Overlord Starts 29th July 2019 (5 days) Guide - Dr Simon Trew
On the morning of Tuesday 6th June the largest amphibious invasion in history breached the defences of the Atlantic Wall, opening the way for the Second Front and contributing to the final defeat of Hitler's Third Reich find out more and book
Battling through the Norman Bocage Starts 2nd August 2019 (6 days) Guide - Dr Simon Trew
This tour focuses on some of the most bitter and costly fighting of the entire north-west European campaign. It follows the routes taken by American forces as they smashed through the German coastal defences at Omaha Beach and thrust inland towards the key communications centre of St-Lô find out more and book
Arnhem and Operation Market Garden Starts 8th August 2019 (4 days) Guide - Col Bob Kershaw
This tour follows the Market Garden Corridor through the eyes of soldiers, we will learn precisely why this campaign became a 'Bridge too Far'. find out more and book
The Holocaust Starts 4th September 2019 (7 days) Guide - Tim Cole
Some six million Poles died during the Second World War, half of whom were Jews murdered in the forests in the east of the country or the death camps set up after the German occupation. find out more and book
The Holocaust Starts 16th October 2019 (7 days) Guide - Dr Waitman Beorn
Some six million Poles died during the Second World War, half of whom were Jews murdered in the forests in the east of the country or the death camps set up after the German occupation. find out more and book
The Eastern Front Starts 4th May 2020 (11 days) Guide - Col Bob Kershaw
The defence of Moscow, the siege of Stalingrad and the battle of Kursk - three of the most pivotal events of the Second World War. find out more and book

Cross-Periods Tours

Natasha's Dance Starts 12th September 2019 (10 days) Guide - Orlando Figes
This tour takes us on a wondrous journey through Russia’s rich cultural history, visiting the homes, palaces, estates and museums of the country’s greatest writers, poets and artists. The title of the tour comes from the eponymous book written by your guide, Orlando Figes. find out more and book
Tunisia Starts 18th October 2019 (8 days) Guide - Neil Faulkner
Tunisia is a country steeped in Ancient and Modern History, the sites spanning centuries of archaeological and military importance. Immerse yourself in the art and images of cultures long since passed and explore the melting pot of influences on this diverse and intriguing country. find out more and book
Nepal and the Gurkhas Starts 16th November 2019 (13 days) Guide - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
This unique and insightful tour explores the culture and geography of Nepal with an emphasis on the British Gurkha connection and is led by retired Gurkha officer Maj Gordon Corrigan. find out more and book

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