The Shadow of War
Normandy, Bastogne and Berlin — The fields where the world was decided
Between the white crosses of Colleville and the silence of the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, modern Europe was written in blood.
PRICE
from
EUR 5.400 / person
UPCOMING DATES
1–10 Maio 2027
FOTOS ILUSTRATIVAS
THE JOURNEY
On 6 June 1944, nine thousand Allied soldiers died on the beaches of Normandy in a single day. That was the price of freedom — and the 9,387 white crosses of the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer exist so that price is never forgotten. This expedition begins where the world changed direction: on the beaches of Omaha and Utah, in the craters of Pointe du Hoc, where American Rangers took a German battery with rope ladders and bayonets. From there, we travel to Bastogne in Belgium, where General McAuliffe answered a Nazi ultimatum with a single word: "Nuts." The Ardennes was Germany's last great offensive — and it died there. In Nuremberg, we visit Courtroom 600 of the Palace of Justice, where 21 Nazi leaders were tried between 1945 and 1946 — the first international criminal tribunal in history. The expedition ends in Berlin: at the Holocaust Memorial, at Checkpoint Charlie, at the Reichstag rebuilt with the glass dome that now lets citizens look down on their representatives. The war ended eighty years ago. But the fields still speak.
ITINERARY
Arrival in Paris
Reception and opening dinner. Night visit to the Arc de Triomphe — inaugurated by Napoleon, occupied by the Nazis in 1940, liberated in 1944. Historical context of the Second World War.
Towards Normandy — Caen Memorial
Journey to Calvados. Visit to the Mémorial de Caen — the most comprehensive museum on the Second World War in France, with original objects, films and testimonies.
D-Day Beaches — Omaha and Pointe du Hoc
Walking Omaha Beach at dawn — the beach where the slaughter was greatest. Pointe du Hoc and its still-visible craters: the German bunkers taken by US Army Rangers using rope ladders.
American Cemetery and Arromanches
The American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer — 9,387 white crosses above the Atlantic. Arromanches and the remains of the Mulberry Harbour, the artificial port built by the Allies in 72 hours to land supplies.
Bastogne — The Battle of the Bulge
Journey to Belgium. Bastogne, December 1944: 20,000 American soldiers surrounded by 70,000 Germans in the harshest winter in decades. The Bastogne War Museum and the Mardasson Memorial.
Cologne — The Cathedral that Survived
Cologne was 90% destroyed by Allied bombing. Cologne Cathedral remained standing — used as a landmark by Allied airmen precisely so it would not be hit. The city that rebuilt itself and what that says about post-war Germany.
Nuremberg — The Tribunal of History
Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice — where Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess and 19 other defendants were tried. The Nazi Party Rally Grounds (Zeppelinfeld) — where Hitler held the great rallies broadcast to the world.
Dachau — The First Camp
Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp, opened in 1933. The Dachau Memorial is today a space of necessary reflection on how systematic persecution escalated to genocide.
Berlin — Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe — 2,711 concrete stelae standing in silence at the centre of Berlin. The Topography of Terror on the former site of the Gestapo. Checkpoint Charlie — the border between East and West that divided a city for 28 years.
Berlin — The End and the New Beginning
The Reichstag restored by Norman Foster, with the glass dome through which citizens look down on their representatives. The site of the Führerbunker — where Hitler died on 30 April 1945. The Brandenburg Gate, which was a border for decades and is today the symbol of reunification. Closing dinner.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
UPCOMING DEPARTURES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this an emotionally heavy expedition?
Yes, deliberately so. The places visited carry real historical weight — and the expedition is led with that respect. There is room for silence, reflection and questions without easy answers. For those seeking light tourism, this is not the right expedition.
What level of walking is required?
Moderate. The Normandy beaches and historic sites involve walks on uneven terrain. Nothing requiring specific physical preparation, but comfort for walks of up to 5 km throughout the day.
Is there a specialist guide for each country?
In Normandy we work with a local French guide specialised in D-Day. In Germany, the guide is an expert in the history of the Reich and the post-war period. Overall coordination is handled by the 30ºS team throughout the entire expedition.
INTEREST IN THE EXPEDITION
Limited to 8 guests.
Contact us to check availability and reserve your spot.
I WANT TO JOIN!INTEREST LIST
Receive updates on new itineraries directly in your inbox.