Operation Market Garden

Itinerary

• Day 1

  Local departure by coach, then to Belgium for an overnight stay.

• Day 2 - Joe's Bridge to Nijmegen

  We travel to Joe’s Bridge, the starting position of the Guards Armoured Division at the beginning of Operation Market Garden. We look at the Irish Guards assault and see their graves at Valkenswaard War Cemetery. We then see the vast German cemetery at Ysselsteyn before visiting the impressive Overloon War Museum. After lunch, we resume the XXX Corps route at the Grave Bridge, before looking at the tough fighting for Nijmegen and the crossing of the Waal River by American Airborne forces. We continue to our hotel near Arnhem for a two-night stay.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 3 - Hartenstein Hotel & The Battle of Arnhem

  We begin on the Drop Zones and Landing Zones near Arnhem, seeing Ginkel Heath and the memorials here, the Glider Memorial at Wolfheze, and an original Airborne monument at Heelsum. Next we see Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, where the dead from Arnhem are buried, and after lunch we travel to the Hartenstein Hotel, Airborne Headquarters in 1944. Here we visit the superb museum with its extended displays and life-size recreations of the battle. Later we travel via Oosterbeek Church and St Elisabeth’s Hospital, also looking at the story of the ‘Urquhart House’. We then continue to Arnhem Bridge, looking at this iconic part of the battle.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 4

  Return home.

  Meals - Breakfast

5 Day Itinerary

• Day 1

  Local departure by coach, then to Belgium for an overnight stay.

• Day 2 - Joe's Bridge to Nijmegen

  We travel to Joe’s Bridge, the starting position of the Guards Armoured Division at the beginning of Operation Market Garden in 1944. We look at the Irish Guards assault and see their graves at Valkenswaard War Cemetery. We then see the vast German cemetery at Ysselsteyn before visiting the impressive Overloon War Museum. After lunch, we resume the 30 Corps route at the Grave Bridge, before looking at the tough fighting for Nijmegen and the crossing of the Waal River by American Airborne forces. We continue to our hotel near Arnhem for a three-night stay.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 3 - Hartenstein Hotel & Arnhem Bridge

  We begin on the Drop Zones and Landing Zones near Arnhem, seeing Ginkel Heath and the memorials here, the Glider Memorial at Wolfheze, and an original Airborne monument at Heelsum. Next we see Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, where the dead from Arnhem are buried, and after lunch we travel to the Hartenstein Hotel, Airborne Headquarters in 1944. Here we visit the superb museum with its extended displays and life-size recreations of the battle. Later we travel via Oosterbeek Church and St Elisabeth’s Hospital, also looking at the story of the ‘Urquhart House’. We then continue to Arnhem Bridge, looking at this iconic part of the battle.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 4 - Groesbeek Heights & Battle for Oosterbeek

  In the morning we travel to Groesbeek War Cemetery and the Groesbeek Memorial, where the missing from the fighting at Arnhem are commemorated. We then visit the Freedom Museum at Groesbeek, which explains the history of Operation Market Garden and the fighting beyond that to Allied Victory in 1945. After lunch we return to Arnhem and look at the fighting for the ‘Cauldron’ – the Oosterbeek Perimeter. We see the White House and Hacket’s Hollow, and take time to visit selected areas where the fighting was at its heaviest before examining the evacuation of Airborne troops at the end of the battle.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 5

  Return home.

  Meals - Breakfast

Accommodation

You will stay two nights (4HMG) or 3nts (5HMG) at a minimum 3* hotel in Holland such as the Ibis Styles Arnhem Centre, Holiday Inn Express Arnhem or the Wageningen International Congress Centre.

Overnight stays in Belgium will be in a city-style hotel.