Creating a Tour of World War II Historic Sites

For history buffs, there’s not much better than a vacation that encompasses a few battlefields. If your interest focuses on the European Theater of Operations during World War II you can expand that interest beyond the front lines to visit the places that made history behind the scenes. Design a vacation that satisfies your curiosity, is educational and encompasses the beautiful sites of Europe. Read on to discover more about how to design your perfect tour of historic sites.

Consider an Organized Tour

If you want to leave the planning to someone else, there are numerous tour companies to choose from. Executive Michael Canzian has written about going on The Original Brand of Brothers Tour from Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours, a company created by Stephen Ambrose, the author of historic masterpieces like Band of Brothers, Undaunted Courage and dozens of others. This company gets a glowing review from Canzian and they offer several other tours. Other companies include Image Tours and tours offered through The National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Part of the excitement of these tours is that it’s not just battlefields. You’ll be able to visit Hitler’s retreat at Berghof or Churchill’s war rooms. Tour the complexes built under the Third Reich or visit the Czech Republic to learn about the liberation of the Pilsen region.

Design Your Own Trip

A prepackaged tour may not have everything you want. It’s difficult to learn more about the Jewish experience of WWII on a tour. Ten days of horror is too much. Instead, design your own vacation with an eye to maintaining balance. Tour the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, Anne Frank House and the Bergen-Belsen Memorial but make time for lighter fare. Consider visiting Istanbul to learn about how Turkish diplomats like Necdet Kent snuck Jewish Turks out of France with false papers. Visit Oskar Schindler’s enamel factory in Krakow where Schindler used his influence to employ Jews, saving them from concentration camps.

If that’s still too much, mix some of these stops with battlefields like those in Luxembourg famous for the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes forest. Head back to England for stops at Bletchley Park, home of the Codebreakers that broke Enigma. Visit Blenheim Palace and Chartwell, the homes of Winston Churchill.

Horrifying, uplifting and sobering: a WWII tour will take you from pits of despair to emotional highs. It won’t always be easy, but you’ll be giving your family a trip that is more than just a vacation, it keeps history alive.