Door 2 Tour

Coach Holidays, Escorted Tours & Events

0330 440 3999

Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm

At War With Wellington: The Peninsular War

Europe
  • Duration: 12 days
  • Board Basis: Mixed Board
  • Tour Ref: D2TLEG12EPW

Holiday Summary

  • Travel Type: Coach
In a new version of this popular tour, we travel to Spain and follow the battles and engagements of the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley, Lord Wellington, in the Peninsular War, battles popularised in the Bernard Cornwall’s ‘Sharpe’ novels.
PRICE FROM ? £1919 per person
Plan My Trip

Itinerary

12 Day Itinerary

  • Day 1

    We take the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Santander in Spain.

  • Day 2 - Tordesillas 1812

    On arrival in Spain we travel down to our hotel in Salamanca for three nights, stopping at the Tordesillas battlefield from October 1812. On the first evening, we have a briefing from the Battlefield Guide on the history of the Peninsular War, along with an overview of the battlefields that will be visited on the tour.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 3 - Salamanca 1812

    Today, we visit the Salamanca Battlefield. Here, in July 1812, Wellington’s Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated the French in a battle that cemented his reputation as a skilful commander. We have a full day exploring this important battlefield, offering a fascinating insight into the fighting which led to more than 13,000 French casualties. We also visit the Battle of Salamanca Museum.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 4 - Fuentes de Onoro and Ciudad Rodrigo

    This morning, we visit the Battlefield of Fuentes de Onoro, one of Wellington’s closest run and finest victories in May 1811. After lunch, we will walk the defences used in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, when Wellington’s men besieged the French garrison here. Walking the ramparts, our journey will end at the castle to get an impression of how formidable the defences were.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 5 - Badajoz 1812

    Departing Salamanca, we go to Badajoz for a look at the costly siege of this walled city. We see where the fighting took place in 1812, at the infamous Breach involving the men of the Forlorn Hope. Once the position was taken, Wellington stood on the walls and looked down at the losses and visibly wept. We continue to our hotel in Badajoz for two nights.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 6 - Albuera and British Cemetery, Elvas

    Our destination is Albuera, where one of the bloodiest battles of the Peninsular War took place in May 1811. We walk the battlefield and see the ‘Fatal Hill’ as well as the monuments in the nearby town, and visit the Battle of Albuera Museum. We also travel to Elvas, to view the burials made in the British cemetery after the Battle of Albuera.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 7 - Talavera 1809

    We spend the day on the battlefield at Talavera, where the battle took place in July 1809. It was here that Richard Sharpe took an Eagle from the French while serving in the Light Company of the fictional South Essex. We examine the real events of the engagement and tour the battlefield – visit the memorial sited on the slopes of the Cerro de Medellin Hill and study the landscape on which the principal fighting occurred, before travelling to our hotel near Madrid, where we stay for two nights.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 8 - Toledo Museum

    We visit the temporary exhibition at the museum of the Spanish Army in Toledo.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 9 - Burgos and Vittoria

    Leaving Madrid, we head to northern Spain, looking at the British retreat from Burgos and then the Battle at Vittoria in June 1813. From here, we continue to Pamploma for our last night in Spain.

    Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

  • Day 10 - Orthez and Toulouse

    Departing Spain, we head into France, just as Wellington’s Army did in 1814. We visit the battlefield of Orthez where the fighting took place in February 1814, and then continue to the ground near Toulouse, where the city was captured by Wellington in April 1814. We stay overnight in Toulouse.

    Meals - Breakfast

  • Day 11

    We travel from Toulouse to the Paris area for an overnight stay.

    Meals - Breakfast

  • Day 12

    Return home.

    Meals - Breakfast

Back to top

Accommodation

Throughout your tour you will stay in 3 or 4-star city-style hotels. Back to top