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About the tour: Air War Europe: Colditz, Dambusters & the Great Escape
Follow the story of WW2 Airmen from the Dambusters to Colditz Castle in Germany and Holland as we look at the battlefields of the war in the air above Europe involving the men of RAF Bomber Command. On this tour we visit the RAF graves in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery then travel through the Ruhr Valley area on trips to the Eder Dam and Möhne Dam examining the Dambusters Raid. We later visit Colditz Castle, examine the fire-bombing of Dresden and the story of the Great Escape. In Berlin we look at raids on the Nazi capital and also visit the Luftwaffe Museums in Gatow and Hannover. The tour ends with a visit to the grave of Dambuster hero Guy Gibson VC.
Tour Includes
- 8 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
9 days from £959 pp
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 01709 787 463 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
Certain excursions are included in the price of your holiday. If you choose not to go on an included excursion, for whatever reason, no refunds will be made.
Yes, you will receive one with your Travel Documents, which are sent 7-10 days before departure.
We believe that our holidays may not be suitable for children under 8 years old (except for Disneyland Paris bookings) however, we will
consider individual requests on application. Customers aged 18 and under at the time of travel must be accompanied by an adult, parent or
guardian aged over 18 years old.
You can check weather averages here.
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to Holland for an overnight stay.
Day 2 - Möhne Dam
We travel into Germany and visit Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, the largest WW2 British Cemetery in Europe - nearly half the 7,400 graves are men from Bomber Command. From here we travel to the Möhne Dam, stopping en route at Rheinberg War Cemetery where some of the Dambusters are buried. The Möhne Dam, in the Ruhr Valley, was heroically breached by the Lancasters of 617 Squadron (Dambusters) in 1943. At Möhne you can walk on top of the dam and still see where the breach was made. Of the 20 massive dams constructed in the Ruhr Valley, six dams were selected as targets with three of these being the primary targets - the Möhne, the Eder and the Sorpe dams. Between the Möhne and Sorpe, they held back 76% of the total water available to the industrial valley, one of the main reasons they were primary targets. If breached, these dams would bring the whole industrial valley to a standstill, causing massive damage to the steel industry, devastating production of tanks, aircraft, guns and locomotives which were all vital to Germany's war effort. As well as visiting Möhne Dam, we also make a stop at the Eder Dam en route to our overnight hotel in Weimar or the former East German city of Jena, a centre of the optical industry.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
More Photos
Included Highlights
- Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
- Möhne Dam
- Eder Dam
Day 3 - Colditz
Today we will visit the castle and museum at Colditz (entrance and guided tour included), the infamous ‘bad boys camp’ and scene of many ingenious escape bids. Perched above a sleepy town of the same name, Colditz has a varied history, although we will concentrate on its use as an internment camp for Allied prisoners during WW2. Hear the story of the ‘Red Fox’, Mike Sinclair, killed on an escape attempt, and also the story of Douglas Bader, plus many more. From Colditz we continue to Dresden and our hotel where we will stay for two nights.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Colditz Castle
Included Highlights
- Colditz Castle
Day 4 - The Dresden Raids
We stay in Dresden this morning to uncover the tumultuous history of this great city. As the seat of the Saxon royalty, Dresden became arguably Germany’s most beautiful city. During the war it suffered almost complete destruction; however, it has since been painstakingly restored to resemble its former glory. This afternoon is spent at leisure in Dresden, or alternatively you can join our optional visit to the Bundeswehr Military History Museum which has an unparalleled collection of WW2 artefacts.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Dresden
Included Highlights
- Dresden
Optional Excursions
Our optional excursions are a great addition to enhance your holiday experience and are highly recommended.| 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
|
£8.00 | £9.00 |
The optional excursions will be available to book during your tour.
Prices are per person and are subject to change. Payment will be in Euros (cash payments) or sterling (via card payments). Card payments are available on Luxuria and Silver Service only.
Prices are per person and are subject to change. Payment will be in Euros (cash payments) or sterling (via card payments). Card payments are available on Luxuria and Silver Service only.
Day 5 - Zagan & The Great Escape
Today we cross the border into Poland to Zagan to visit the German POW camp, Stalag (Luft) III (entrance to the museum approximately €2 per person). The camp, founded in 1943, was one of the six special German POW camps specially built for the ever increasing amount of POW aircrews. At the height of the camps use, about 10,000 commissioned and non-commissioned officers were in the camp. The Stalag (Luft) III became famous for what was known as ‘The Great Escape’. In March 1944, a large group of 80 Allied prisoners got out during ‘The Great Escape’. They dug a tunnel with the nickname ‘Harry’. Only three men managed to escape to free territory. Of the rest, 50 were murdered by the Gestapo. We will uncover the story of the escape and the reprisals ordered by Hitler, and visit the memorial, before continuing to our hotel in Berlin for two nights.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Berlin Air Raids
In Berlin we look at the raids on the city but start at the impressive air force museum in Gatow, which has a large collection of aircraft from WWI to the Cold War Period. We then visit Berlin War Cemetery where many RAF Bomber Command Crews are buried. Around the city we see Flak Tower defences and the air raid shelters used to protect Berliners from the bombs. In the evening join us on an optional visit around Berlin’s WW2 sites.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Berlin
More Photos
Included Highlights
- Berlin
- Air Force Museum Gatow
- Berlin War Cemetery
Optional Excursions
Our optional excursions are a great addition to enhance your holiday experience and are highly recommended.| 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
|
£14.00 | £15.00 |
The optional excursions will be available to book during your tour.
Prices are per person and are subject to change. Payment will be in Euros (cash payments) or sterling (via card payments). Card payments are available on Luxuria and Silver Service only.
Prices are per person and are subject to change. Payment will be in Euros (cash payments) or sterling (via card payments). Card payments are available on Luxuria and Silver Service only.
Day 7 - Hannover
In the morning, we see one of the last remaining Flak Towers then travel to Hannover and visit the Air Force museum (entrance approximately €7 per person) which has some impressive WWII items as well as a memorial to Second World War air crew. In Hannover itself we see some of the signs of the bombing raids, ending the day at Hannover War Cemetery where more than 2,000 graves of bomber crew casualties can be found. We stay overnight in Hannover.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Hannover
Included Highlights
- Hannover
- Air Force Musuem
Day 8 - Rheinberg War Cemetery
We travel into Holland, stopping at Rheinberg War Cemetery where some of the Dambusters are buried. We end at the grave of Guy Gibson VC whose war ended when his Mosquito crashed at Steenbergen. We stay overnight in Belgium.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Rheinberg War Cemetery
Included Highlights
- Rheinberg War Cemetery
Day 9
Return home.
- Included meals: Breakfast
EVENING MEAL PACKAGE - For your convenience, pre-book 4 evening meals to be taken at your hotels in Dresden and Berlin; £89 per person. Call for details.
Travel Insurance from £35.00 (9 days) (includes insurance premium tax, prices per person). Single Room Supplement from £199.00 (9 days).
Air War Europe: Colditz, Dambusters & the Great Escape 9 days from £959pp
Book online OR call our friendly travel advisers on:
01709 787 463
Accommodation
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more
information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
You will stay overnight in Holland at the NH Koningshof, Holiday Inn Eindhoven Airport, or similar, followed by another overnight stay in Jena or Weimar in a minimum 4-star hotel. You will then stay for two nights at the 3-star Azimut Hotel in Dresden, followed by two nights in Berlin at a minimum 3-star hotel, such as the Vienna House Easy Berlin. You will then have an overnight stay at the 4-star H4 Hotel Hannover Messe or the Wyndham Hannover Atrium, and finally overnight in Belgium in a city-style hotel.
Please Note: Due to demand, we may use other hotels of a similar standard. Your exact hotel details will be provided with your travel documents.
NH Koningshof
- Swimming Pool
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Best Western Hotel Jena
- English Speaking Staff
- Bureau de Change
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
H4 Hotel Hannover Messe
- Swimming Pool
- English Speaking Staff
- Bureau de Change
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- Fully Health and Safety Compliant
- TV
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- Smoke Detectors in Every Room
Azimut Hotel Dresden
Huelssestrasse 1, D-01237 Dresden,
- English Speaking Staff
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Wyndham Hannover Atrium
- English Speaking Staff
- Bureau de Change
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Holiday Inn Eindhoven Airport
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £15pp (up to 6 days duration), £25pp (7 and 8 days duration), £30pp (9 to 11 days) or £35pp (12 days or more) on all European tours. This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on our Executive and Silver Service coaches and for one or two persons on our Luxuria coaches and is subject to availability. In addition to this, seats on the second row can be reserved for a supplement of £8pp (up to 6 days duration), £15pp (7 and 8 days duration), £18pp (9 to 11 days) or £22pp (12 days or more).
Guaranteed front or second row seats cannot be reserved on transfer journeys to/from the UK port. Occasionally, front and second row seats may be on a request only basis.
Please note: children under 15 years of age are not permitted to sit in the front seats of any coach.
On some coaches the legroom on front seats, central view seats and seats directly in front of the washroom may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled or merged for any reason and front or second row seats or central view seats or table seats are not available on your tour, you will be refunded any supplement paid. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
Central View Seats are available to pre-book free of charge.
Table Seats are available to pre-book free of charge on our Luxuria coaches.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach.
Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the interchange are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on your main tour coach. Prices are approximately £1 or €1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by your driver.
Transfer coaches are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure. The route taken depends on where paassengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the interchange may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are
used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours,
compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
All our coaches and transfer vehicles operate a 'no smoking on board policy'. The use of electronic cigarettes is strictly forbidden.
In the interest of fellow guests, do not take hot food or ice cream on board.
Customers own alcohol cannot be consumed on board our vehicles.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
Your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which
should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We
may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases.
Hand luggage should be stored in the overhead
racks aboard the coach. Nothing should be stored under your seat.
When it comes to getting you to your destination, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you to choose from.
Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
Luxuria Features
- Deluxe armchair-style seats with leather exterior, central arm rests with cup holders and retractable calf rests give you a more comfortable journey.
- Every seat has its own, fully interactive, touch screen T.V. offering a wide choice of entertainment so you can control what you want to watch and when.
- There’s also a selection of double and single seats, including four seats face-to-face with tables. And with a total of 5 single seats available, these are ideal for passengers travelling independently.
- Plug sockets and USB points at each seat mean you can keep your devices fully charged throughout your journey.
- Onboard toilet.
Luxuria Seating Plan
Luxuria Virtual Tour
Find your nearest joining point
We have hundreds of coach joining points throughout England, Scotland and Wales. To find your nearest joining point, search using your postcode below.
*Please note joining points are subject to availability.
Travel Extras
Why not go the night before your tour for a relaxing start?
You can park for FREE for up to nine days at the Holiday Inn Ashford North and enjoy an overnight stay with English breakfast from just £41.50 per person (Based on 2 sharing a twin/double room on a B&B basis, subject to availability. Single supplements and terms and conditions apply.) We’ll then collect you from the hotel on the day of departure and return you there at the end of your holiday.
To book this package, please call the hotel on 01233 713333, select option 1, quoting ‘Leger Holidays’ and your booking reference. If your holiday is longer than seven days you can pay for additional days’ parking. Ask one of our friendly reservations team for more details when you book your holiday
On most holidays if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines. Excludes holidays to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
On Single Traveller holidays and coach holidays of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. If you live within 20 miles of one of our free joining points we’ll pick you up from your home and take you to meet your transfer vehicle, then return you back home at the end of your holiday. The cost is from £40 per booking each way for up to four people per booking.
If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.
Customer Reviews
To book this tour, just give our friendly team a call on 01709 787 463 or book online at www.leger.co.uk
