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Following the landings at Salerno in September 1943 during Operation Avalanche, Winston Churchill saw Italy as the ‘soft under-belly’ of the Third Reich. However, it became a costly WW2 battlefield with thousands of casualties involving iconic battles like the landings at Anzio and the fighting for Monte Cassino. We see the role of troops from many nations, including a visit to the Polish Cemetery at Cassino and the huge sacrifice made by the Indian Army. Amazing terrain and fascinating battlefield sites.
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Travel with us on a new version of this classic battlefield tour for the 80th Anniversary year, looking at the story of the 'Tough Old Gut' - the hard-fought war in Italy 1943-45 which cost over 300,000 casualties. Our highlights include Salerno, Anzio and Cassino, and places where the battles took place along the Adriatic coast.
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to northern France for an overnight stay.
To the Cremona or Milan area for an overnight stay.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
We begin our tour at Salerno where Operation Avalanche brought American and British forces ashore in September 1943. We see Salerno War Cemetery and then drive along the beachhead from the British to the American sector. We have the lunch period in Paestum, where fighting took place among the Greco-Roman Ruins, and then travel back via Caserta to visit Caserta War Cemetery and the grave of England Cricketer, Hedley Verity.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
We look at the fighting for Cassino in 1943 and 1944, visiting the Mignano Gap to see the war museum and Italian Cemetery, and then follow the Allied advance to the ‘Winter Line’ and visit the memorials along the Rapido river. After lunch, we visit Cassino War Cemetery and the Cassino Memorial and then travel into the Liri Valley to look at the final battles for Cassino and the attack on the Hitler Line.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
This morning we journey up to Monte Cassino and see the Polish Cemetery and battlefield area where they fought for the capture of the monastery, and then visit the Monte Cassino Monastery with its impressive views. After lunch, we have a walking tour of Cassino Town seeing where the fighting was in 1944, and then travel to Minturno War Cemetery to see where the British soldiers killed on this part of the Italian front are buried.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Today, we look at the Battle of Anzio, seeing the Sicily Rome American War Cemetery at Nettuno before having our lunch period in the seaside town of Anzio. After we see the Anzio War Museum, Anzio War Cemetery and the Beachhead Cemetery, before going to the infamous Flyover at Campo di Carne, the scene of heavy fighting in 1944.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Leaving Cassino, we cross the mountains to the Adriatic coast and see the Sangro River War Cemetery overlooking the valley where fighting took place in 1943. After lunch we look at the Canadian advance on Ortona, seeing the Sterlin Castle battlefield and the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery. We have time in Ortona itself to see where the street fighting took place in December 1943, and then we depart for an overnight stay in the Montesilvano area.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
We continue along the Adriatic coast to where the Gothic Line battles were fought in September 1944, seeing the Coriano Ridge War Cemetery and Rimini Ghurka Cemetery. After lunch, we travel up to the Ravenna area for an overnight stay.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
We depart the Ravenna area and cross the area of the final battles in Italy in 1945, pausing for lunch before we continue to our overnight hotel in the Austrian Tyrol.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Travel through Germany to Belgium for an overnight stay.
Includes Breakfast
Return home.
Includes Breakfast
You will stay for six nights at the 4-star Best Western Hotel Rocca in Cassino. The hotel offers a restaurant, bar, lift and lounge.
Overnight stay in the Ravenna area and in Austria will be in a minimum 3-star hotel.
Overnight stays in northern France, northern Italy and Belgium will be in city-style hotels.
Stylish and modern, state-of-the-art Luxuria is the business class of coaches. Boasting comfort of the highest standard, sink into the deluxe armchair-style seats, stretch out with much more space around you, and enjoy a vast choice of entertainment on your personal touch-screen TV.
More than simply your method of transport, Silver Service offers a coach with added comfort and facilities, such as deluxe reclining seats with leather headrests, an onboard entertainment system, and a spacious rear lounge so you can socialise with your fellow passengers.