Gain a deeper understanding of Operation Overlord in the company of a military historian, learning about the behind-the-scenes preparations for D-Day in England, then crossing the English Channel to the beaches and villages of Normandy, where brave Allied soldiers changed the course of World War II.
D-Day: Retracing History from England to France
8 days from $7,295
Gain a deeper understanding of Operation Overlord in the company of a military historian, learning about the behind-the-scenes preparations for D-Day in England, then crossing the English Channel to the beaches and villages of Normandy, where brave Allied soldiers changed the course of World War II.
Tour Details
TOUR BROCHURE
brochureWHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Kevin M.This was a wonderful tour. Our guides brought D-Day alive for us, giving us a taste of what those men faced in 1944. My only regret is that the tour was not longer.
- Paul S.This was a fantastic journey, excellent guides, well planned. As an extra bonus, we got meet WWII veterans on the boat from England to France and that was thrilling.
JOURNEYS DISPATCHES
Overview

Retrace the valiant steps of the Allied soldiers who crossed the English Channel on the night of June 5, 1944, arriving on fog-covered beaches of Normandy at dawn on D-Day, and turning the tide of World War II. Begin with specially arranged tours in London and Portsmouth, where Eisenhower and Churchill drew up plans for the battle. Delve into the top secret work of Alan Turing and the codebreakers on a visit to Bletchley Park. Then sail across the English Channel to Normandy to explore the sites where incredible feats of courage and heroism played out. Stroll among German bunkers on the cratered cliffs of Pointe du Hoc. Walk the long, peaceful beaches of Utah and Omaha, and visit wartime sites in Arromanches and Saint-Mère-Église. Ponder endless fields of white crosses and stars at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, and attend the official commemoration ceremony.
Highlights Include:
- London: Learn about the behind-the-scenes preparations necessary to stage the largest amphibian landing in history. In London, visit Winston Churchill’s underground Cabinet War Rooms and step aboard the HMS Belfast, the most significant surviving Royal Navy warship of World War II.
- Bletchley House and Portsmouth: Trace the intriguing story of Alan Turing and the Enigma codebreakers on a tour of Bletchley House. In Portsmouth, hear the personal stories behind the epic landings at the The D-Day Story museum before sailing across the English Channel.
- Normandy’s World War II Sites: Stand atop the dramatic bluffs of Pointe du Hoc and visit the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where paratroopers dropped from the sky in a hail of gunfire. Walk along Utah and Omaha beaches with an expert historian for a closer look at how the historic landings and air invasion unfolded. Stop at Arromanches, where prefabricated concrete harbors known as Mulberries still dot the shore. During four days in Normandy, tour a range of local and world-renowned museums that offer a deeper understanding of the Battle for Normandy.
- Note: Map reflects May 31, 2025, May 31, 2026, Group B, and September 2026 departures. September 2025 and May 31, 2026, Group A departures will overnight in Bayeux.
- Kevin M.This was a wonderful tour. Our guides brought D-Day alive for us, giving us a taste of what those men faced in 1944. My only regret is that the tour was not longer.
- Paul S.This was a fantastic journey, excellent guides, well planned. As an extra bonus, we got meet WWII veterans on the boat from England to France and that was thrilling.
To see itinerary, please click on an option below.
Itinerary
We will operate three separate journeys in 2025 and 2026, each with its own expert. Please see the Dates & Prices tab for expert and hotel assignments.Day 1 — Depart the U.S.
Depart the U.S. on individual flights for London.
Day 2 — London
Arrive in London and transfer to your hotel. Gather as a group in the early afternoon for a guided visit to Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms and the adjoining Museum. It is from this underground “safe place” that Churchill directed the British war effort and where today one can still see maps, telephones and bunks preserved since 1945. This evening, enjoy a private reception and dinner. (R,D)
Day 3 — London/Bletchley Park
Travel to Bletchley Park and discover the real story behind the Enigma code breakers, credited with shortening the war by successfully deciphering the encryption used by the Wehrmacht to safeguard its messages. Enjoy an explanation of the decoder, as seen in The Imitation Game.
After lunch at leisure, visit the HMS Belfast, part of the Imperial War Museum. (B)
Day 4 — London / Portsmouth / Normandy
This morning, travel south to Portsmouth. Just outside Portsmouth, visit the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force by special arrangement (subject to confirmation). Enjoy a pre-opening visit to The Golden Lion Pub, which was converted into an officer’s mess during World War II. Surrounded by photographs and memorabilia, stand in the very same spot where Eisenhower would drink a ‘pint of beer’. At the D-Day Story, examine the Overlord Embroidery—a stunning handcrafted depiction of the D-Day events that stretches some 270 feet— and see a replica of the map General Eisenhower used to plot Allied positions. This museum aims to focus on the personal stories of those who landed on the beaches of Normandy.
This afternoon, cross the English Channel by ferry and arrive in Normandy in the late evening. (B,L,D)
Day 5 — Sainte Mère-Église / Utah Beach / La Cambe
Explore the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division paratroopers dropped from the sky in a hail of gunfire on the night of June 5. View the church steeple upon which one unlucky paratrooper was entangled for hours, and visit the village’s remarkable museum.
Continue to Utah Beach, the site of one of the two American amphibious landings in the early hours of D-Day. Stop for lunch at Le Roosevelt, a restaurant built around a former German bunker just steps from the historic beach. This afternoon, pay a visit to the German war cemetery at La Cambe. (B,L,D)
Day 6 — Pointe Du Hoc / Arromanches / Bayeux
One of the most dramatic sites along the Normandy coastline is Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Rangers used hooks and ropes to scale cliffs some 100 feet high in order to destroy key German gun positions. Walk along cliff-top pathways still cratered by mortar blasts, and venture into the concrete bunkers from which German forces unleashed a barrage of artillery fire.
Travel to Arromanches, one of the few remnants of the prefabricated concrete harbors (i.e. mulberries) that assisted in landing Allied supplies, and visit the Arromanches Landing Museum. After a lunch at leisure, travel to Bayeux, where you will have time to explore the town before a guided visit to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum*. Then visit the Pegasus Memorial Bridge and Museum—dedicated to the men of the 6th British Airborne Division. Explore this museum on a guided tour, the exhibits recounting the battle for this strategic location in 1944. (B)
*The September 2025 and all 2026 departures will feature a visit to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux in lieu of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum
Day 7 — Colleville-sur-Mer / Omaha Beach
This morning, visit the Overlord Museum, then walk along Omaha Beach, site of the bloodiest fighting of the invasion day. At the Omaha Beach Memorial, lay flowers in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. After a picnic lunch, commemorate the D-Day anniversary at the American Military Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer to honor those who sacrificed so much. This evening, celebrate your journey with a farewell reception and dinner. (B,L,R,D)
*While the September departure will not coincide with the anniversary commemoration, it does include a visit to the cemetery.
Day 8 — Depart Paris
Depart as a group from Normandy to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris for individual flights home or onward. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)