Refer to “Preparing for your Departure” in your Trip Documents for easy check-in procedures. Take time to relax on your transatlantic flight with the assurance that Image Tours has taken care of all the details.

Upon arrival, clear passport control and collect your luggage. Refer to your “Arrival Instructions” page in your Trip Documents for directions on where and when to meet your tour manager. Settle into your comfortable motor coach for a ride into the heart of the Franconian Wine Region on the way to Nuremberg. After check-in, freshen up and relax before the “Welcome to Europe/Get-acquainted” dinner at the hotel. (Dinner)

Today is devoted to the history of Nuremberg. Hitler staged his propaganda rallies here and, after his fall, it was chosen as the site of the famous War Trials. You will have an opportunity to see the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Congress Hall, and Palace of Justice where the War Trials were held. Admission to the Documentation Center and Palace of Justice is included, providing a more in-depth look at the causes and consequences of Nazi Germany, particularly in connection with the events that took place in Nuremberg. Return to your hotel for dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Leave Nuremberg and travel to Dachau Concentration Camp. At the entrance you are already prompted to reflect on the incomprehensible, as your tour manager translates the German phrase on the iron gate: ARBEIT MACHT FREI (Work Makes One Free). Study the exhibit recounting the “path of the prisoners” and see the site of the former barracks. Your tour continues to Munich, the elegant capital of Bavaria. After a photo stop at the Hitler Building, step out for free time at Marienplatz, a pedestrian-only zone where historic buildings are cleverly interspersed with modern store fronts. The focal point of the square is the Rathaus (Town Hall) with its captivating Glockenspiel clock tower. Following a leisurely visit, depart Munich and cross the border from Germany into Austria , where you will spend the next two nights in an Alpine village. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Enjoy a relaxing day in the surroundings of your hotel. The area offers many options for sightseeing and leisure activities within walking distance or by public transportation. Another choice is to join the full day optional Salzburg & Eagle’s Nest with Dinner excursion. This excursion includes a guided visit to the Kehlsteinhaus, Hitler’s mountain hide-away, followed by an afternoon in Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and the filming site for “The Sound of Music." This evening, return to your Alpine Village hotel. (Breakfast)

After a leisurely breakfast, travel to Ulm to view the imposing Ulm Minster with the tallest church steeple in the world. This afternoon, make a photo stop at the grave of Erwin Rommel, the general who was forced to commit suicide when Hitler suspected him of treason. End the day with a buffet dinner at your hotel in Bad Herrenalb, on the northern edge of Germany’s Black Forest. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Follow a scenic route through the Alsace Region and the Vosges Mountains to the town of Saverne, the site of heavy fighting in the fall of 1944. Stop at Lorraine’s American Cemetery in St. Avold, the largest American World War II cemetery in Europe. The afternoon is reserved for a tour of Fort Hackenberg, part of the Maginot Line. This system of obstacles was constructed between the world wars as a defense against any future German invasions. Your hotel for the next two nights will be in Igel, a quiet village near the three-country border of France, Luxembourg and Germany. (Breakfast, Dinner)

The morning stop is at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg where General George Patton is buried. Continue into the Belgian Ardennes Region and arrive in Bastogne to view the star-shaped Mardasson Monument, a tribute to the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Ardennes. Also see the fox holes used by Easy Company, whose stories inspired the TV mini-series “Band of Brothers.” Your travels this afternoon take you to the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History in Diekirch. Trier, the oldest city in Germany, provides an intriguing backdrop during your independent dinner, before returning to your hotel in Igel. (Breakfast)

Today’s travels into France will center around the WWI and WWII battlefields, heroic stories, and memorials near Verdun. The Battle of Verdun was fought in 1916 for over 300 days, going down in history as one of the longest and most costly battles of WWI. After a stop at the remains of Fort Douaumont, proceed to Reims, General Eisenhower’s headquarters during WWII. Visit the location where the Declaration of Surrender was signed on May 7, 1945, and see the Cathedral of Reims, the coronation church of the French Kings. Sample French cuisine during an independent dinner before transferring to your Paris hotel. (Breakfast)

The day is devoted to Paris, La Ville Lumière (The City of Light). Your tour manager will direct you to the location of the principal sights, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower, museums (the Louvre Museum is open every day except Tuesday), the famous Galeries Lafayette department store, and the even more famous Champs-Élysées. Before beginning your free time, we suggest joining the optional Seine River Cruise excursion for unsurpassed views of some of the city’s major sights. Spend this evening on your own or consider the optional Paris Evening excursion, with dinner at a characteristic French bistro in the heart of Paris. (Breakfast)

The city of Caen is your destination today. For anyone with memories or knowledge of World War II, these next few days will truly be the highlight of your European tour. Upon arrival in the area, stop at the Pegasus Bridge, whose capture by the British 6th Airborne Division was instrumental in deterring a German counter-attack. Spend the next few hours touring the Caen Peace Memorial and Museum. This beautiful place honors the liberators, victims, and all those who continue to fight for peace. Dinner awaits you at the hotel in Caen. (Breakfast, Dinner)

The entire day is spent touring the famous Normandy Landing Beaches. From Caen, drive to the coast and stop at Pointe du Hoc to view the German fortifications. You’ll also travel to Utah Beach and Ste.-Mère-Église, the site where paratroopers landed during World War II as portrayed in the movie “The Longest Day.” Visit the Ste.-Mère-Église Airborne Museum before continuing to Omaha Beach with the American Cemetery. Proceed to the artillery battery at Longues-sur-Mer. At today’s final stop in the village of Arromanches, you can view remnants of the artificial harbor and reflect on the sights of the day over an independent dinner. (Breakfast)

Today is a full day of travel from Caen to Holland with an independent lunch stop near the French/Belgian border. As you enter Belgium, the French language stays with you for another hour or so, until you enter the province of Flanders, where Flemish (similar to Dutch) is spoken. By mid-afternoon, arrive in Antwerp for a stop in the Flemish capital. Shop for lace handicrafts and delicious chocolates in the city’s attractive Grand Square. Antwerp’s many waffle shops and outdoor cafés provide a convivial setting for a tasty treat. Continue into Holland, your home for the next three nights. A light dinner will be served upon arrival. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Today's focus will be on sights significant to this area's role in the liberation efforts during WWII, including Operation Market Garden, Hell's Highway, the Overasselt Monument commemorating the site of the largest airborne landings of all time, Arnhem's "A Bridge Too Far," and the Waal River bridge at Nijmegen where the crossing by American paratroopers was decisive in taking control of this strategic asset. The day will also feature a visit to one of the local museums portraying the history of the WWII Resistance in the Netherlands. Sample Dutch specialties during an independent dinner in one of the historic towns before returning to the hotel this evening. (Breakfast)

Travel through the Dutch countryside, characterized by canals, bridges, dikes and windmills, as you make your way to the dynamic city of Amsterdam. Walk to the main square, an excellent starting point for your individual exploration of Amsterdam. During an independent lunch, you may wish to try Dutch pancakes or poffertjes (mini-pancakes). Conclude your visit with a cruise aboard a glass-topped boat through Amsterdam's harbor and canals where you will see colorful gabled canal houses and numerous bridges. Return to your hotel for dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Returning to Germany, travel via the Autobahn, the super highway system expanded by Hitler. Stop in Remagen to view the remains of the Ludendorff Bridge, the last standing bridge on the Rhine, which was captured by U.S. soldiers on March 7, 1945. After an independent lunch, follow the Rhine River to Boppard. Here, you will board a Rhine steamer for an upstream cruise past endearing villages, medieval fortresses, and hillside vineyards known for producing the distinctive Rhine wines. This evening’s hotel is located in the wine village of Rüdesheim. Known for its festive atmosphere, this is a fitting location for tonight’s “Farewell Dinner.” (Breakfast, Dinner)

Transfer to the Frankfurt Airport for the return flight home. (Breakfast)