Victory in Europe marks the surrender of Nazi forces, but this momentous event holds a much deeper meaning. It’s a time for people across the former wartime fronts to reflect on their shared history while celebrating the enduring spirit within us all. Follow in the footsteps of the American soldiers as you trace the events that led to Victory in Europe.
Your tour package includes
11 nights in handpicked hotels
11 breakfasts
5 dinners with beer or wine
7 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach
1 ferry transfer
1 train ride
Included highlights
Churchill War Rooms
Ferry ride across the English Channel
American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer
Omaha Beach
Eiffel Tower photo stop
Bastogne War Museum
Brandenburg Gate
Itinerary
Overnight flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to London today.
London2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in London
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to England! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
This upscale hotel is located in London, steps away from the St Pancras railway station. Guests enjoy on-site restaurants, the leisure club, and a fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find King’s Cross Theatre, Trafalgar Square, and...
Hotel Mercure Cabourg Hippodrome
This contemporary hotel is located in downtown Cabourg. Guests enjoy a fitness center, pool, and bar. Nearby you’ll find the Hippodrome de Cabourg, Plage de Cabourg, and Pavillon Charles Bertrand.
Hôtel Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré-Coeur
This trendy hotel is located in Montmartre. Guests enjoy the garden, a fitness room, and bar. Nearby, you'll find Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Moulin Rouge, and Palais Garnier Opera House.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Luxembourg
This quiet hotel is located bordering the forest just outside of Luxembourg city center. Guests enjoy locally produced sparkling wines at the bar, indoor pool, and wellness area. Nearby you'll find hiking trails, Place d'Armes...
Cologne Marriott Hotel
This modern hotel is located near the Rhine River. Guests enjoy a fitness center, bar, and restaurant. Nearby you’ll find the Old Market, Museum Ludwig, and Cologne Cathedral.
Abba Berlin Hotel
This contemporary hotel is located in Berlin center. Guests enjoy a restaurant, lounge-bar, and fitness room. Nearby, you'll find exclusive boutiques of Kurfürstendamm, Museums, and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
NYX Hotel Munich
This artsy hotel is located in the Obersendling district. Guests enjoy a restaurant, bar, and sauna. Nearby you’ll find the Hellabrunn Zoo, the Theresienwiese Oktoberfest grounds, and a variety of restaurants and bars.
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
Round-trip flight for your tour
Airport transfers at your destination
A great price locked in today
24/7 support from our dedicated service team
Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
This tour visits England, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany. In order to enter these countries, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
Additionally, beginning January 8, 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must purchase an individual visa from the United Kingdom's government’s Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) website or the UK ETA mobile app (Apple or Android) in order to enter the United Kingdom.
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code VED.
You will walk for at least 2.5 hours daily across moderately uneven terrain, including cobblestone streets and paved roads.
Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times, as well as getting in and out of ferries and trains.
Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in London and depart from Berlin (or Munich on the tour extension). A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
A ferry ride from Portsmouth to Normandy is included in the price of your tour. The tour extension also includes a train from Berlin to Munich.
All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code VED.
For traditional English fare at a reasonable price, try a pub meal of fish and chips or bangers and mash. Stilton cheese, steak and kidney pie, and Cumberland sausages are also worth a try.
Modern-day London boasts an array of diverse international restaurants. Popular options for the adventurous palate include Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Greek, and West African cuisines. Sip afternoon tea with delicious finger sandwiches and scones at Harrods for the ultimate in English tradition.
For a picnic with French flair, stop at a small grocery store for cheeses, pâtés, cured meats, fresh-baked bread, and fruit. In the cities, sidewalk vendors are known for their steaming crepes, while mouthwatering pastries and hot café au lait beckon from cafes. In restaurants, the prix fixe option is a popular way to enjoy a set three- or four-course menu for a good price.
Although lunch is generally served from noon until 2pm in France, dinner is served from 7:30pm onward. Those wishing to eat earlier can stop at a cafe, where light entrées and sandwiches are available throughout the afternoon and evening.
Cuisine in the Normandy region of France is known for its fresh flavors. Chicken, rabbit, and duck are staples, and you can find fish and shellfish in its coastal towns. The abundance of dairy farms throughout the region means many dishes are accompanied by cheeses and creams. Normandy is also famous for its apples, which are used to create cider and calvados, or apple brandy.
In Luxembourg, the culinary influences are mostly Germanic. Smoked sausages, hams, and hearty stews are popular.
In Belgium, seafood is of a very high quality, and mussels steamed in white wine are a favorite. Patisseries offer decadent pastries and cakes, and you won’t want to miss indulging in favorites like fries, handmade chocolate, locally brewed Abbey-style beer, and, of course, Belgian waffles. Please note that Belgian beers vary widely in style and flavor and are often much higher in alcohol content than other European beers.
German food is hearty and substantial. Among the specialties are dumpling stews, sauerkraut, sausages, smoked cheeses, and dark breads. Bavaria produces some of the world’s purest beers, and white German wines are exceptionally good.
The United Kingdom operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses a Type G plug with three large, flat pins.
France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany operate on the European standard 220-240 volts and use Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins
We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
The United Kingdom is on Greenwich Mean Time Zone (GMT) and is five hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany are one hour ahead of GMT and six hours ahead of ET.
When it’s noon in New York, it’s 5pm in the United Kingdom and 6pm in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany.
You will use the Pound sterling in the United Kingdom and the euro in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany on the tour extension.
Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
Tips can only be paid in cash.
If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.
What a great trip! We loved it. It was fast paced and covered a lot of ground. The activity level is stated as high and one should be prepared for that. We averaged over 5 miles of walking per day but the majority of that was during our free time.
The experiences we had were...
WWII History Tour with Tom
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Elaine, traveled in Apr 2024
This tour not only met my expectations but it exceeded them! Our tour director Tom was phenomenal. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable in his history & background of sites visiting but his people skills were outstanding. Great sense of humor, passion for historical education...
EF Go Ahead Tours
Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent tour with us. We're thrilled to hear that your experience exceeded your expectations,...
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Harry, traveled in May 2024
Wonderful tour. The tour was something I have always wanted to do, and I was not disappointed. There was so much information and history, and the scenery was beautiful. Our tour guide Yvonne was fantastic.
