The Battle of the Bulge: The Essential tour*

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1 The Battle of the Bulge: The Essential tour* Programme 1 st day: Pick up at your hotel in Brussels and departure to Diekirch 2 nd day: Visit to the Bastogne War Museum and the Schumann s Eck 3 rd day: Dragon teeth and massacre of Malmedy 4 th day: Bastogne Barracks and chocolate factory 5 th day: SHAPE and back to Brussels Day 0: Overnight in Brussels Hotel Atlas *** Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, Bruxelles Tel: +32 (0) Fax: +32 (0)

2 1 st day (starts at 0830) Morning programme: Transfer to Vianden + Intro tour Passengers are picked up in their hotel in Brussels. They are then transferred by coach to Vianden (Luxembourg). While driving, a short presentation of Belgium and its history from 1830 to now is given. Once we arrive at the hotel (situated opposite the Castle of Vianden), a lunch is served and an introduction to the tour is presented. Afternoon programme: Museum of Diekirch (±1h30) This museum illustrates in the most realistically possible ways and in any impartiality, the course of the Battle of the Bulge by dioramas in the scale 1/1. The Museum of Diekirch also tries to maintain respect for all the soldiers who died during the Battle of the Bulge. Overnight and dinner in Vianden Hotel-Restaurant "Petry" Vianden (LU) 15, rue de la gare 9420 Vianden Tél.: (+352) Fax: (+352) info@hotel-petry.com Ice-breaking party ( ) In the evening, an ice-breaking party is organized giving a chance to the passengers to meet each other. Dinner at the hotel follows. 2 nd day (starts at 0830) Morning programme: The Schumann s Eck (±1h) and the Bastogne Barracks/Nuts cave (±1h30) The Schumann s Eck is a monument dedicated to the troops that lived here in a real hell in December 44. The memorial as well as the memorial trail leads along the foxholes in the woods around the Schumann s Eck where numerous American and German soldiers fought and died during the battle of the Bulge. McAuliffe's HQ were established in the "Bastogne Barracks" during the siege of Bastogne. It is here that he pronounced his famous "NUTS" in reply to the German offer to surrender. The "Bastogne Barracks also shelters an exhibition of WWII vehicles.

3 Afternoon programme: The Easy Company trail in Foy (1h) + Patton s linked up in Houffalize (30 min) + Brewery of Achouffe (±1h30) Walk into the woods to see the remaining foxholes overlooking Foy and the monument commemorating the Easy Company (Band of Brothers), to discover a farmhouse showing some bullet holes from the battle and to go to Houffalize where Patton 3rd Army linked up with the 1st Army. Set at the heart of the verdant Belgian Ardennes, the brewery of Achouffe will make you discover its special beers. Back to Vianden at ±1800 to spend one more night in Luxemburg. Overnight and dinner in Vianden Hotel-Restaurant "Petry" Vianden (LU) 15, rue de la gare 9420 Vianden Tél.: (+352) Fax: (+352) info@hotel-petry.com 3 rd day (starts at 0900) Morning programme: The Bastogne War Museum (±2h) The new Bastogne War Museum offers a modern memorial centre and interactive context of the causes, events and consequences of the Second World War through the prism of the Battle of the Bulge. Afternoon programme: the Mardasson (±30 min) + Peace Wood (±30 min) + The chocolate factory of Defroidmont (±1h) The Mardasson Memorial honours the memory of the 76,890 American soldiers who were wounded or killed during the Battle of the Bulge. The 4,000 trees making up the Peace wood were planted for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. In Belgium, chocolate is a passion. The chocolate factory Defroimont knows how to share the passion of its boss Philippe for chocolate. A passion consisting of taste, raw material, and form, developed in the purest tradition of chocolate.

4 Arrival at your new hotel in Spa at ±1800 Overnight and dinner in Spa Hotel Spa-Balmoral **** Route de Balmoral, 33 B-4900 Spa Tel : +32 (0)87/ Fax : +32 (0)87/ info@hotelspabalmoral.be 4 th day (starts at 0900) Morning programme: The Siegfried Line and the monuments of Rocherath (±2h) The village of Hollerath is known as Purple Heart Corner. This is the northernmost part of the German attack. Anti-tank defences are still visible and in perfect state. These defences are known to the Allies as the Siegfried Line. The village of Rocherath was badly damaged during the Battle of the Bulge. Two monuments have been erected and are dedicated to the 99th Inf. Div. (Battle Babies) and 2nd Inf. Div. (Indian Head). Foxholes and dugouts used at different times by both the Americans and Germans can be seen in the surrounding woods. Afternoon programme: the massacre of Baugnez (±45 min) + the King Tiger tank (±45 min) + the Cemetery of Henrichapelle (±1h) The site of Malmedy (or Baugnez) commemorates the massacre of 84 American prisoners of war by their German captors. The King Tiger tank has been left behind where the advance of Kampfgruppe Peiper was halted. In this WWII cemetery rest 7992 American servicemen, many of whom gave their lives during the advance of the U.S. Armed Forces into Germany. Back to your hotel in Spa at ±1800

5 Overnight and dinner in Spa Hotel Spa-Balmoral **** Route de Balmoral, 33 B-4900 Spa Tel : +32 (0)87/ Fax : +32 (0)87/ info@hotelspabalmoral.be 5 th day (starts at 0900) Morning programme: Visit to SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe) (±2h) We travel to Mons for a visit to NATO s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) which is one of the two supreme commands of NATO. A briefing helps you to understand NATO s dynamic role in today s world. After lunch at the SHAPE Club, a SHAPE tour shows how life is organized in a main NATO base. Back to Brussels. Back to Brussels (drop of at your hotel/tgv station/airport) Tour Manager: Didier Parmentier Manager of the Time travel Company (Cellular phone number: +32 (0)471/531918) Historical guide: Roland Gaul Specialist Battle of the Bulge Historical guide: Michel Baert Specialist Battle of the Bulge *These itineraries subject to change. If any major changes are made we will inform you.