NORTHWEST EUROPE TOUR ITINERARY
THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER
JUNE 2 – 17, 2007

PRICE: $3995 (land only)

Please note:

· Minor changes may still be necessary, based on hotel availability.

· Meals included: B=Breakfast, D=Dinner

JUN 2 - OVERNIGHT FLIGHT TO LONDON

JUN 3 - ARRIVE LONDON

With a warm welcome from our Tour Director we are met at London Heathrow and transferred to our London hotel. The afternoon is spent at leisure, and this evening we gather for drinks and dinner in the hotel. D

JUN 4 - LONDON

This morning our local Guide highlights some of London's many sights including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Green Park with its new Canadian Memorial, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. (No admissions included.) The afternoon is at leisure, and dinner is at our hotel this evening. B D

JUN 5 - LONDON - PORTSMOUTH - FERRY FROM PORTSMOUTH TO NORMANDY

We depart London, passing by Aldershot Camp, which was home to the Canadian Army from 1939-45. We continue to Portsmouth and the D-Day museum, then we board our ferry and cross to France, passing near the D-Day beaches and landing near Caen. A short drive brings us to our hotel. B

JUN 6 – D-DAY LANDING BEACHES – JUNO BEACH CENTRE - BAYEUX

On the anniversary of D-Day, we drive to the Landing Beaches, with emphasis on the Canadian sector, and visit Canada’s Juno Beach Centre. Later, we see the remains of the Mulberry harbour (an engineering marvel). We travel to the charming city of Bayeux, and the excellent Battle of Normandy Museum. Nearby is a Commonwealth war cemetery. We return to our hotel for dinner this evening. B D

JUN 7 – THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGEHEAD – CAEN

Moving inland from the beaches, we visit the sites of the first violent clashes between the advancing Canadians and the German panzer reserves. A visit to the Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery is included. Then, we discuss the battles for Carpiquet airfield and the city of Caen. In Caen we visit the widely praised Caen Peace Memorial museum. Dinner is at our hotel. B D

JUN 8 - CAEN – FALAISE – FALAISE GAP

We travel south from Caen, across Bourquebus/Verrieres ridge, and onward through Cintheaux to Falaise. While discussing the battle of the Falaise Gap, we stop at St Lambert and Mount Ormel, then travel back to the hotel to conclude our study of the Normandy campaign. B D

JUN 9 - DIEPPE – ARRAS

Today our coach takes us to see the Dieppe beaches, site of the ill-fated 1942 raid, and still dominated by the remains of German gun positions. We visit each of the three Canadian landing sites, with some time at leisure in this now pleasant resort. We journey on toward Arras, our start point for revisiting the First World War. Dinner is at our hotel. B D

JUN 10 - VIMY RIDGE - YPRES, PASSCHENDAELE - BRUGES

We visit the impressive WW I Memorial at Vimy Ridge, with some time at leisure, and then cross into Belgium to visit the sites of the World War I trenches, in Ypres and Passchendaele. We visit the site where John McRae penned his renowned poem “In Flanders Fields”. Later, we travel on to Bruges for dinner together at our hotel. B D

JUN 11 - BRUGES AT LEISURE

A day at leisure in beautiful Bruges: perhaps some souvenir shopping, or simply sitting at a sidewalk cafe sipping Belgian coffee? B D

JUN 12 - SOUTH BEVELAND ISLAND - NIJMEGEN

Today we discuss the exhausting campaign to open the Scheldte estuary shipping route into Antwerp. We visit Canadian memorials in Adegem, then cross the Leopold canal into the "Breskens pocket". Then we travel to South Beveland, and on to the Bergen-op-Zoom cemetery. We continue to Nijmegen in the eastern Netherlands, for dinner at our hotel. B D

JUN 13 - NIJMEGEN - KLEVE - GROESBEEK

We enjoy a tour of the area where the Battle of Rhineland was fought, including the Reichswald, the Goch-Calcar Road, and the Hochwald Gap. This is where the Canadian Army first penetrated Germany. After a visit to the National Liberation Museum 1944-45 at Groesbeek, we visit the Canadian cemetery there, and return to our hotel at Nijmegen. B D

JUN 14 - ARNHEM - GRONINGEN

We continue through scenic Dutch countryside past Arnhem, site of the famous World War II “A Bridge Too Far” battle and travel to Groningen. There is time at leisure in this Dutch city that has not forgotten its liberation by the Canadians. Dinner is at our hotel near Groningen this evening. B D

JUN 15 - GRONINGEN – AMSTERDAM

We travel into the Frisian Lake District to Bolsward. Then we continue our drive along the Asfluitsdijk and on via the cheese-making village of Edam to Volendam. We arrive in Amsterdam for dinner at our hotel. B D

JUN 16 - AMSTERDAM SIGHTSEEING

An included canal cruise is the ideal way to see the city before visiting a diamond-polishing factory. The remainder of this day is at leisure, time for souvenir shopping, or to visit the Anne Frank house. We enjoy our last dinner together as a group, at our hotel. B D

JUN 17 – AMSTERDAM - DEPART FOR CANADA

We say Farewell to the Netherlands after breakfast, and are transferred to the Schipol airport for our return flight to Canada. B