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

Hadrian and The Roman Army in the North Starts 5th July 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Dr Andy Fear
Recognising that the Roman Empire could not expand indefinitely, Emperor Hadrian determined to consolidate his frontiers and the resultant wall reflects that change of policy. find out more and book
Jacobites & Bravehearts Starts 5th September 2020 (10 days) Expert Historian - Dr John Sadler
Scotland’s relationship with England has been turbulent since Roman times but never more so than at the turn of the 12th C and during the mid-18th C when English and British hegemony were seriously challenged. find out more and book
The Silk Roads in China Starts 14th September 2020 (14 days) Expert Historian - Dr James Greenbaum
This 14-day tour of China follows the ancient Silk Roads trade route from the metropolis of Beijing, beyond the Great Wall and across the Gobi Desert to the ancient streets of Kashgar in the North West. find out more and book
The Golden Journey to Samarkand Starts 2nd October 2020 (12 days) Expert Historian - 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 26th October 2020 (7 days) Expert Historian - 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 Grandeur of Ancient Rome Starts 12th April 2021 (7 days) Expert Historian - Dr Harry Sidebottom
In the company of historian and author Harry Sidebottom we explore the eternal city’s major archaeological sites to realise the full grandeur of Ancient Rome. find out more and book
Roman Andalucía Spring 2021 (8 days) 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 Spring 2021 (8 days) 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 Essential Archaeology of Greece Summer 2021 (8 days) Countless monuments are scattered throughout Greece. Some of them have a worldwide reputation while a few are waiting to be discovered by the more inquisitive...We have selected the best of each era... find out more and book
The Pale Horseman June 2021 (4 days) 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 Summer 2021 (6 days) 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
Wars Of The Roses: The Southern Battles Summer 2021 (6 days) The Wars of the Roses became one of the most defining periods in English history. Lasting for 30 years (1455 – 1485), it split the country in two and produced five different monarchs. The crown passed between the houses of York and Lancaster, with the Lancastrian’s eventually winning through and Henry Tudor establishing a new royal dynasty. find out more and book
The Lost Legions Starts 26th August 2021 (6 days) Expert Historian - 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 Romans in Provence Starts 1st September 2021 (8 days) Expert Historian - Dr Harry Sidebottom
During a relaxed paced holiday based in the lovely city of Nimes, “the Rome of France”, each day we will drive to a different Roman site to explore its archaeological remains on foot with frequent stops to interpret the history and enjoy our historian’s vignettes. find out more and book
El Cid and the Reconquista Autumn 2021 (8 days) The recovery of Spain from Moorish rule was a long and complex process. This tour starts at the beginning of the story by visiting the site of King Pelayo’s victory over the Moors at Covandonga in AD 722 and then follows the expansion of the kingdom he forged first in Oviedo. find out more and book
In The Footsteps Of Alexander The Great September 2021 (10 days) 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
Ancient Sicily Starts 3rd October 2021 (8 days) Expert Historian - Dr Harry Sidebottom
Nowhere is the classical past more alive than on the beautiful island of Sicily. This wide ranging archaeological tour is taken in the company of historian and author Harry Sidebottom. find out more and book
William the Conqueror Winter 2021 (8 days) Straddling either side of the English Channel this tour visits a plethora of battlefields, castles, abbeys and churches to tell the fascinating story of William the Conqueror and his victory at the Battle of Hastings in the year 1066. find out more and book
Fortress Malta November 2021 (6 days) Expert Historian - 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
The Oman Experience Winter 2021 (11 days) The 15th Century navigator, Ahmad Ibn al-Najdi described the populace of Oman as ‘hospitable and sociable people who love strangers’. His portrayal of Oman’s citizens is as accurate today as it was 500 years ago. find out more and book
Enigmatic Georgia Spring 2022 (14 days) Expert Historian - Ian Colvin
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 Roman Empire's Western Extremity Spring 2022 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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
Crete & Santorini Spring 2022 (8 days) Expert Historian - Dr Rita Roussos
Our tour begins on the spectacular Greek Island of Santorini, formed by the caldera that resulted from a cataclysmic volcanic eruption of 3500 years ago, where we visit the impressive remains of ancient Akrotiri and Thira. find out more and book
The Archaeology of Western and Central Bulgaria Summer 2022 (9 days) On this 9-day tour we navigate the finest of this country’s incredible inventory of historical sites, exploring the finds which have had made a dramatic impact on our understanding of pre-historic, classical and medieval history. find out more and book

17th & 18th Century Tours

The English Civil War Starts 29th June 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Col Nick Lipscombe
If 1643 was a missed opportunity for the Royalists, 1644 was squandered in spectacular fashion by the Parliamentarians and Scottish Covenanters who had combined forces at the start of the year to defeat the King. find out more and book
Frederick the Great in Silesia Starts 26th September 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
This tour travels the sparsely populated sandy pine-covered ridges and marshes of Western Poland. It follows Frederick the Great's campaigns throughout German Silesia. find out more and book
The American War of Independence Starts 2nd June 2021 (12 days) Expert Historian - Dr Stephen Brumwell
Opposition to London’s insensitive colonial policies on taxation and governance was provoked into outright rebellion when British soldiers attempted to disarm Massachusetts patriots in April 1775. find out more and book
The English Civil War Starts 28th June 2021 (6 days) Expert Historian - Col Nick Lipscombe
If 1643 was a missed opportunity for the Royalists, 1644 was squandered in spectacular fashion by the Parliamentarians and Scottish Covenanters who had combined forces at the start of the year to defeat the King. find out more and book
The English Civil War in The South Summer 2021 (6 days) The English Civil Wars are part of a living political tradition which continue to rage on paper and debate nearly four centuries after the internecine bloodletting. find out more and book
The French and Indian War of 1754-1763 Starts 16th July 2021 (13 days) Lead Expert Historian - 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
Marlborough - The First Churchill Summer 2021 (7 days) 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
The English Civil War in The North Summer 2022 (6 days) 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
Frederick The Great In Germany Autumn 2022 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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
Frederick the Great In Bohemia Autumn 2022 (8 days) Expert Historian - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
This tour visits battlefields from two different wars: The War of Austrian Succession (in particular the First Silesian War) and the Seven Years War. Both of which saw the Austrian Empire defending itself against Frederick the Great’s invading Prussian military machine find out more and book
Frederick the Great in the South Autumn 2022 (8 days) Expert Historian - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
The influence of Frederick the Great in military history is incalculable. His dramatic battles and military genius have taught and inspired powerful generals to great effect, including the masterful Emperor Napoleon. find out more and book

Napoleonic Tours

Napoleon in Russia Tour Starts 5th September 2020 (10 days) Expert Historian - Alan Rooney
This tour provides a rare opportunity to explore traditional Russia. From its smaller provincial towns and vast countryside landscape to its mighty capital you can discover the diversities of this enigmatic country. find out more and book
Wellington in Spain Starts 9th September 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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 in India Starts 20th November 2020 (10 days) Expert Historian - 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 3rd December 2020 (4 days) Expert Historian - 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
Escape From Elba Spring 2021 (8 days) After fighting the brilliant yet unrealistic campaign of France during the winter of 1814 with his motley force of boys, pensioners and exhausted veterans with much reluctance Napoleon was coerced into abdication and thence banished to the small Mediterranean island of Elba. find out more and book
The French Revolution Spring 2021 (4 days) This wonderful Revolutionary tour of Paris and Versailles is mostly enjoyed on foot and by metro. And whilst many of the locations will be familiar to you, many of the events and stories associated with them may not be. find out more and book
A Voice from St Helena Spring 2021 (12 days) On the 200th anniversary of the death of the Emperor Napoleon at Longwood, the island will become the centre of the final Napoleonic bicentenary celebrations. find out more and book
Walking The Peninsula Autumn 2021 (6 days) On this unique walking tour through Portugal and central Spain, we aim to show you a representative cross-section of the most attractive countryside and best-preserved battlefields fought over by Wellington’s Anglo-Portuguese Army in the Peninsular War – and from a perspective that few tourists see. find out more and book
Sharpe's Peninsula Summer 2021 (8 days) This Tour, inspired by Bernard Cornwell's books and based on contemporary diaries, takes us to some lesser known but beautiful parts of the Iberian Peninsula. find out more and book
Wellington in Portugal Starts 4th June 2021 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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
A Near Run Thing Starts 18th June 2021 (4 days) Expert Historian - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
Our ever popular Classic Waterloo Anniversary tour covers the battles of Ligny, Quatre Bras and especially Waterloo itself – and takes place over the annual anniversary weekend when there will likely be reenactors dressed in period uniform on the battlefields. find out more and book
Wellington Over The Pyrenees Spring 2021 (9 days) Expert Historian - 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 1st October 2021 (4 days) Expert Historian - Major General Ashley Truluck CB CBE BA
Waterloo is a fascinating but complex battlefield and the key to understanding it is ‘reading’ the ground from a soldier’s perspective. find out more and book
Napoleon in Italy Spring 2021 (8 days) 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
The Peninsular War In Southern Spain Spring 2022 (7 days) 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
Retreat to Corunna Spring 2022 (6 days) 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's Eastern Front Spring 2022 (7 days) 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 Summer 2022 (8 days) 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. find out more and book
Napoleon in Germany Spring 2023 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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

Victorian Era Tours

The Franco-Prussian War 1870 Starts 22nd July 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
The Franco-Prussian War was the largest and most important war in Europe since Waterloo, changing the face of the continent for the next fifty years. find out more and book
The Zulu War March 2021 (14 days) Expert Historian - 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 American Civil War: Western Theater Starts 13th March 2021 (13 days) Expert Historian - 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
The American Civil War: Eastern Theater Tour Starts 4th June 2021 (14 days) Expert Historian - 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 mighty James River and a wealth of National Parks. find out more and book
Custer and the Indian Wars Starts 19th June 2021 (10 days) Expert Historian - Col Bob Kershaw
The years following the end of the Civil War up to the end of the century saw a resumption of the ’white man’s’ expansion into the American West. find out more and book
The Franco-Prussian War 1870 Starts 21st July 2021 (8 days) Expert Historian - Major General John Drewienkiewicz CB CMG
The Franco-Prussian War was the largest and most important war in Europe since Waterloo, changing the face of the continent for the next fifty years. find out more and book
American Civil War: Through the Southern Heartland Starts 20th September 2021 (15 days) Expert Historian - 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 Anglo-Boer Wars Spring 2021 (10 days) Expert Historian - 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 Autumn 2021 (12 days) Expert Historian - 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 Austro-Prussian War 1866 Summer 2022 (8 days) 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 Franco-Austrian War Autumn 2022 (6 days) 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

World War 1 Tours

Discovering the Western Front Starts 13th July 2020 (5 days) Expert Historian - Dr Bruce Cherry
Visits to battlefields such as Mons, Ypres, the Somme and Arras will put the whole war into perspective geographically, chronologically, strategically, tactically and technologically. find out more and book
Medics and Padres Starts 30th July 2020 (4 days) Expert Historian - Simon Jones
Because of its industrial nature, the number of casualties in the First World War was on a scale never seen before. However, if you were wounded in the Great War your chances of survival were high, that is if you could be evacuated into the casualty system quickly. find out more and book
Italy During The First World War Starts 16th September 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
Whilst the Italians prevaricated over whether to join the Entente powers in their struggle against the Central powers, the Austro-Hungarians set about fortifying their Alpine borders. find out more and book
The Doughboys Turn the Tide Starts 22nd September 2020 (5 days) Expert Historian - 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: The Hundred Days Starts 27th September 2020 (4 days) Expert Historian - 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
The Ypres Salient War Poets Starts 1st October 2020 (4 days) Expert Historian - Simon Jones
To partner our 'Words, Music and Landscapes' War Poets tour, this new four-day tour combines history, literature and art to give an insight into the infamous Ypres battlefield find out more and book
Salonika Starts 4th October 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - 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
Lawrence of Arabia Starts 22nd November 2020 (9 days) Expert Historian - Dr Neil Faulkner
This tour has it all! It has a fascinating subject in the shape of Thomas Edward Lawrence - a 26 year-old Oxford archaeologist, sent to Arabia in late 1916, where he became a liaison officer to Prince Feisal - and the rest, as they say, is history. find out more and book
The Battle of Verdun Spring 2021 (5 days) 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
Lawrence of Arabia Starts 28th March 2021 (9 days) Expert Historian - Dr Neil Faulkner
This tour has it all! It has a fascinating subject in the shape of Thomas Edward Lawrence - a 26 year-old Oxford archaeologist, sent to Arabia in late 1916, where he became a liaison officer to Prince Feisal - and the rest, as they say, is history. find out more and book
Tunnellers on the Western Front Starts 4th June 2021 (4 days) Expert Historian - Simon Jones
Simon Jones, acclaimed author of ‘Underground Warfare 1914-18’, has conducted painstaking research into this little-known aspect of the Great War to create this tour especially for TCE. find out more and book
Discovering the Western Front Starts 12th July 2021 (5 days) Expert Historian - Dr Bruce Cherry
Visits to battlefields such as Mons, Ypres, the Somme and Arras will put the whole war into perspective geographically, chronologically, strategically, tactically and technologically. find out more and book
The War Poets Summer 2021 (4 days) 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
Medics and Padres Starts 29th July 2021 (4 days) Expert Historian - Simon Jones
Because of its industrial nature, the number of casualties in the First World War was on a scale never seen before. However, if you were wounded in the Great War your chances of survival were high, that is if you could be evacuated into the casualty system quickly. find out more and book
First & Last Shots Summer 2021 (4 days) 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
The Russian Revolution Starts 31st August 2021 (10 days) Expert Historian - Dr Neil Faulkner
St Petersburg, Russia’s most opulent city, home to the Tsars and the much maligned Imperial elite, was destined to become the epicentre for a revolutionary movement and would eventually take on the name of its leader becoming Leningrad. find out more and book
Walking The Ypres Salient Autumn 2021 (4 days) 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
Walking The Somme Spring 2022 (4 days) Expert Historian - Simon Jones
With expert historian Simon Jones we walk the countryside of The Somme, combining eyewitness accounts with scholarly insights to gain a deeper understanding of this five-month battle and its impacts. find out more and book
The First World War in Poland 1914-1915 Summer 2022 (7 days) In Britain and Western Europe, the campaign on the Eastern Front is somewhat forgotten and overlooked. This seven day tour will endeavour to put that right. Travelling across northern Poland you will see the key battlefields, forts & POW camps. find out more and book
The Gallipoli Campaign Spring 2022 (6 days) Expert Historian - 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

World War 2 Tours

D-Day: Operation Overlord Starts 17th July 2020 (5 days) Expert Historian - 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
The Battle Of Britain Starts 22nd July 2020 (5 days) Expert Historian - Colonel Paul Beaver
In the early summer of 1940, RAF Fighter Command was faced with the dilemma of bolstering the crumbling defence of France or withholding its resources in order to defend the United Kingdom. find out more and book
The Holocaust Starts 9th September 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - Professor Alexander Korb
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 Rise & Fall of Nazi Germany Starts 10th September 2020 (7 days) Expert Historian - Nigel Jones
This tour tells the whole story of the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich chronologically from its birth in 1919 Munich, to its bloody end in Berlin in 1945. find out more and book
The Battle for Berlin Starts 11th September 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Major Nigel Dunkley MBE
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
Holocaust Landscapes Starts 16th September 2020 (7 days) Expert Historian - Professor Tim Cole
The tour takes in some of the countries occupied by Nazi Germany: Austria annexed into the Reich in 1938; Czechoslovakia occupied in 1939; and Hungary which was not overrun until the spring of 1944. find out more and book
The Holocaust Starts 7th October 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - Dr Simone Gigliotti
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 11th October 2020 (7 days) Expert Historian - 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
Dictator: Mussolini & Italian Fascism Starts 12th October 2020 (8 days) Expert Historian - Nigel Jones
This tour tells the complete story of Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism from its violent beginnings to its inglorious end. find out more and book
The Battle Of The Bulge Starts 7th December 2020 (5 days) Expert Historian - 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
Operation Husky Spring 2021 (7 days) 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 2021 (11 days) Expert Historian - Dr Matthias Strohn
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 Spring 2021 (7 days) This tour is simply compelling. Your tour leader, Patrick Mercer, is the son of one of those who fought here and he spent much of his youth interviewing his father’s comrades. As such, his narrative is studded with personal stories and you will stand on the ground where men struggled, bled and died. find out more and book
D-Day: Operation Overlord Starts 16th July 2021 (5 days) Expert Historian - 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
The Battle Of Britain Starts 21st July 2021 (5 days) Expert Historian - Colonel Paul Beaver
In the early summer of 1940, RAF Fighter Command was faced with the dilemma of bolstering the crumbling defence of France or withholding its resources in order to defend the United Kingdom. find out more and book
Finland 1939 Starts 1st August 2021 (8 days) Expert Historian - 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
Arnhem and Operation Market Garden Summer 2021 (4 days) 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
Napoleon 1812 & Hitler 1941-44 Summer 2021 (8 days) Belarus has seen its fair share of invading forces during Napoleon's invasion of 1812 and again some 130 years later the country suffered the ravages of both German and Russian invaders... find out more and book
The Burma Campaign 1942-1945 March 2022 (13 days) Combining the beauty, mysticism and wonder of Myanmar with the dramatic history of the Burma campaign against the Japanese from 1942-45. find out more and book
The End in Italy Spring 2022 (7 days) 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
Battling through the Norman Bocage Summer 2022 (6 days) 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

Cross-Periods / Modern Tours

The Cold War Starts 23rd August 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Major Nigel Dunkley MBE
Prior to the surrender of Germany in May 1945, the Allies had determined that the defeated country and its capital, Berlin, would be split into three occupation zones (later four, to include the French) and administered by an Allied Control Council (ACC). find out more and book
Kaliningrad: Russia’s forgotten exclave Starts 30th August 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Alan Rooney
Königsberg, the former capital of Prussia, home to the Teutonic Knights and the great philosopher Immanuel Kant, is today known by its Russian name, Kaliningrad. find out more and book
The Great Awakening Starts 5th October 2020 (10 days) Expert Historian - Kevin Brown
Our tour seeks to explain how and why such powerful and everlasting music emerged from the very bowels of the struggling black communities amidst the heat and oppression of the Delta’s cotton rich plantations. find out more and book
The Spanish Civil War Starts 21st October 2020 (6 days) Expert Historian - Col Ray Wilkinson
The Spanish Civil War was a particularly bloody conflict that led to the deaths of half a million people, and over 30 years of fascist dictatorship under General Franco. find out more and book
The Birth of Modern Israel Starts 12th November 2020 (11 days) Expert Historian - Col Anthony Malkin
Conflict and religion in The Holy Land have been constant themes over the centuries. Since the dawn of civilization this small strip of land has seen the convergence and collision of many of the world’s great empires and main-stream religions. find out more and book
The Vietnam War Starts 7th January 2021 (14 days) Expert Historian - Dr Gregory Daddis
This tour visits some of the most notable battlefields and key locations of the French and American wars in Vietnam, offering sometimes harrowing insights into how both sides fought and lived in the hostile jungle environment. find out more and book
The Korean War Starts 16th April 2021 (13 days) Expert Historian - Lieutenant-General Jonathon Riley
When the Japanese army in Korea surrendered at the end of WW2, the Allies agreed that those surrendering north of 38th Parallel would do so the USSR and those below it to the USA. find out more and book
The Cold War Starts 22nd August 2021 (6 days) Expert Historian - Major Nigel Dunkley MBE
Prior to the surrender of Germany in May 1945, the Allies had determined that the defeated country and its capital, Berlin, would be split into three occupation zones (later four, to include the French) and administered by an Allied Control Council (ACC). find out more and book
Tunisia Winter 2021 (8 days) 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
Natasha's Dance Autumn 2022 (10 days) 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 expert historian, Orlando Figes. find out more and book
Nepal and the Gurkhas November 2022 (13 days) Expert Historian - 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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