W BaT T lefields, arChaeology & hisTory 2017 & 2018 Tours CONTENTS 3. Welcome 32. Napoleon in Russia 60. The Doughboys Turn the Tide 4. What to Expect 33. Retreat to Corunna 61. 1918 Centenary 5. Added Value 34. Wellington in Portugal 62. Italy during the First World War 6. Our Guides 35. Wellington over the Pyrenees 63. Medics & Padres EARLY PERIODS 36. Wellington in Spain SECOND WORLD WAR 10. The Archaeology of 38. A Near Run Thing 64. Operation Mercury The Bay of Naples 39. Walking Waterloo 66. Russia 1941 - 1943 12. The Foundations of VICTORIAN ERA 68. D-Day Landings & Paris Modern Civilisation 40. The Indian Mutiny 69. Battle of the Bulge 14. The Golden Journey to Samarkand 42. The American Civil War: 70. Holocaust Landscapes 16. The Roman Empire's Western Eastern Theater Extremity 72. The Holocaust 44. The American Civil War: 18. El Cid & The Reconquista CROSS PERIODS Western Theater 20. Hadrian's Wall 74. The Holy Land in Turmoil 46. The American Civil War: 21. Wars of the Roses Southern Heartland 76. Invasions of Belarus 17th & 18th CENTURY 48. The Zulu War 78. Kaliningrad: Russia's Forgotten Exclave 22. English Civil War 50. Custer & The Indian Wars 79. The Spanish Civil War 23. Frederick the Great 52. The Franco-Austrian War 80. Fortress Malta 24. Rebels & Redcoats FIRST WORLD WAR USEFUL INFORMATION NAPOLEONIC PERIOD 53. Walking the Ypres Salient 82. Tours by Date 26. Wellington in India 54. The Russian Revolution 84. Tailor-Made Tours 28. Napoleon in Italy 56. The Gallipoli Campaign 85. Booking Form 30. Escape from Elba 57. Salonika 87. Important Information 31. Austerlitz: Napoleon's Masterpiece 58. Lawrence of Arabia “In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls.” Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Gettysburg 1889 For more information on any of tours or to book your trip: Call 0345 475 1815 USA (Toll-free) 1-877-381-2914 Visit www.theculturalexperience.com Email [email protected] @CultExp /historicaltours WELCOME Another year has gone already, the busiest one so far for The Cultural Experience. Thank you to everyone who has travelled with us. Via our customer surveys we are proud to share that virtually everybody who holidayed with us over the last 12 months said our tours met their expectations, represented great value for money and that they would travel with us again. The on-line independent review site, Feefo, rates us as 4.8/5.0 for both our products and experience. We continue to share your holiday experiences via our fortnightly email and on our Facebook page both retrospectively and with ‘live’ tour reports, pictures and videos and I encourage you to continue to share your memories with us and your fellow travellers through these mediums. Sharing is a key component of what we offer at The Cultural Experience. You continue to tell us where you want to travel and what period of history you wish to indulge in and we work with you to deliver new products to achieve those goals. You only have to look inside at the new tours for evidence of this symbiotic relationship. I’ve enjoyed sharing experiences, culture, knowledge and opinions with everyone on every tour in which I’ve participated: in ‘the field’, as we’ve travelled, over a drink at the bar and whilst enjoying some great dinners. Like you, in the company of new and old friends and acquaintances, I’ve been to places that I never thought I would get the chance to visit, heard their significance explained by experts and explored them to my heart’s content. I’ve no plans to stop travelling and it is my hope that within this brochure you will find plenty of tours to inspire you to join me, or any one of our plethora of expert historians, on the holiday of a lifetime. Alan Rooney Director, The Cultural Experience A little about The Cultural Experience Our Team. We are a small but highly professional travel team with a passion for history. We enjoy building and maintaining personal relationships with our clients, many of whom become friends. As much as you do, we look forward to travelling with you on these special journeys that we have diligently created. See us on page 9. Our Ethos is based on three principles: • Using sound research and planning to create a three-dimensional version of history (human, time and space) – and to place the colourful characters and exciting events concerned at the very locations they came together. • Using experienced expert guides, chosen for their extensive knowledge and ability to pull these three dimensions together in an engaging and entertaining manner – so you can virtually ‘touch and feel’ what it would have been like at the time. • Putting all this in the cultural context of the local countryside, customs and cuisine – in a relaxed but organised way. This is what The Cultural Experience is all about: providing a well-planned quality themed tour which is informative, informal and inclusive – aimed at both enthusiasts and those with a general interest in history and travel. For more details see ‘What to Expect’ on the next page. We hope you enjoy browsing our brochure and remember: if you cannot find your ideal tour here, we will devise a bespoke one for you - just ask! Our Services. As our range of tours expand, so do our range of services. We now offer:- • Scheduled Tours: These are our all-inclusive pre-arranged tours – and the main subject of this brochure. • Bespoke Tours: These are tailor-made tours for individuals, groups and specialist organisations, such as military units and schools. • Travel Service: Finally, as a travel company in our own right, we are able to cater for specialist travel and accommodation needs, particularly for those guests travelling long distances – and to arrange extensions to, or linking travel between, our scheduled tours. www.theculturalexperience.com • 0345 475 1815 • [email protected] 3 WHAT TO EXPECT Your Guides are all experts in their own field – chosen on the basis of their ability to bring history to life in an interesting, enthusiastic and, where appropriate, humorous way. They will act as your host throughout the holiday and be available to answer your questions whilst conducting tours during the day or when socialising in the evenings. Generally they will also be accompanied by a tour manager who will take care of all administrative matters. Your Fellow Guests will typically be a refreshing and diverse group of individuals and couples from a wide range of backgrounds and professions. No special prior knowledge is assumed or required – just a general interest in the subject. Whilst respecting individual privacy, we work hard to make everyone feel welcome – and normally find the group quickly comes together in a very informal and inclusive way. For this reason, we typically restrict the size of our groups to between Enthusiastic and entertaining guides 6 - 22 people – which also means we have more flexibility in finding good accommodation and restaurants for you. Food. Most of our tours are on a half board basis i.e. the tour price includes a good breakfast and in the evenings a three-course dinner (usually based on regional specialities) with coffee and, when appropriate, wine is included. We endeavour to dine a la carte but dependent on the restaurants ability this may be a fixed menu. At lunchtimes we will stop to allow you a light lunch and drink. The exception is our ‘Experience’ tours which include all meals, albeit if only a picnic lunch. Accommodation. We have taken considerable effort in selecting our hotels which are always very comfortable, well-located and offer great value. Circumstances and location will dictate their standard, which is generally 4 star, occasionally 3 star and sometimes 5 star. Wherever possible hotels will have an historic connection to the heritage and events we are covering, and/or which are representative of the style Informal & inclusive groups and culture of the region. Single travellers will be accommodated in a double room for sole occupancy. Often it is possible to upgrade to superior rooms or suites. Please enquire when booking. What’s Included. The tour price includes: flights, which unless otherwise stated are from London Heathrow; either Standard Premier (Eurostar) or First Class trains; modern, comfortable and spacious air-conditioned coaches; and all entrance fees to sites and attractions as detailed in each itinerary. Flights, trains and hotel rooms can be upgraded, where available. Your Financial Security. The Cultural Experience is a member of the Travel Trust Association (TTA) and we hold a Civil Aviation Authority Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL No. T10153) – so you will never be stranded either financially or travel-wise. Comfortable, characterful hotels ACTIVITY LEVELS Our tours vary as to the amount of physical activity involved. See the Important Information on the inside back cover for the ‘entry point’ criteria vis: “All tours involve a fair amount of walking often over uneven cobbled streets, hillsides or steps. Participants on all tours should be able to walk or stand for at least 60 minutes [to, and at, each observation point] without aid or requiring a rest. You should also be able to carry your own luggage”.